Why do vegetarians force people NOT to eat meat?!
In the developed world being vegetarian is a choice - how many people in the developing world are vegetarians? For instance in Africa, where some of my relatives live, people eat meat because it's always been the tradition, hunting (meat) and gathering (fruits) is something their forefathers did. Places like that may have plenty of veg options but it's seasonal unlike in developed countries where Waitrose / Warl Mart / Sainsbury's will have plums throughout the year [probably from spain or somewhere in south america] - developing countries just don't have that choice.
And even in developed countries like England, how many working class people can actually manage a vegan diet even if they wanted to? It's hellish expensive - I'm not a vegan or vegetarian but I eat a lot of fruit and veg because I can afford it. Not everyone can afford grapes, strawberries, nectarines and especially the so called power foods thesedays - acai, gingko and whatever people try to make out is healthy [i.e. eat seeds, like a bird they are healthy - it's laughable].
Some of the most healthy people come from the mediterranean - they eat a wide range of foods including meat. Stop making people think meat is not healthy. A couple in the states was arrested recently for malnourished children. There are so many things meat can offer (including fish) which we cannot get from veg only. Sometimes we have to use supplements andd not everyone can afford them.
Just eat healthy food with or without meat and people need to seriously stop forcing other people to follow their lifestyle choices and looking down on other people because they are not like them. To me it's equivalent to being forced to follow islam when I'm christian or atheist.
So just why are we forcing people to be what they are not?
Answers:
Before I was a vegan (or vegetarian) when I was younger I never met a vegetarian who forced me to convert. I later turned vegan as I have the choice not to eat meat, dairy etc and I never ever force or tell people to convert I respect peoples traditions and beliefs however I would like them to respect my beliefs. By the way I come from a working class family and my Mum always made sure I ate plenty of fresh fruit and veggies...there is no excuse for a poor diet (omnivore, vegetarian or vegan)
Who is forcing people? In some Asian countries people believe religions that forbid eating meat, or at least beef. In many places meat is more expensive than locally grown grains and vegetables. Think of all the pounds of grain a cow eats to produce each pound of beef.
Who is forcing your to not eat meat? That is the weirdest thing I ever heard of.
i dontknow
all i know is i dont, and ive never met any who did
why are you generalsing?
Actually, it quite often happens the other way around. I don't force my vegan way of life on anyone, not even my kid, and have never personally met anyone who does (I admit they DO exist and can be obnoxious and offensive). However, I have been made to feel totally uncomfortable by meat eaters in social situations involving food. As far as being forced to do something, try going to a restaurant - even an international chain - and having animal products on every single item. Where is the choice? I'm really sorry you've had bad experiences, but please know both sides are equally guilty and vegans are the minority in our society. If we are vocal, it's because we want more freedom to live our lives, but we shouldn't be rude about it and neither should meat eaters.
I for one have never forced vegetarianism upon anyone, in fact I try not to tell people why I am a vegetarian because I don't want them to feel guilty. So no not all of us want you to be like us, nor do I feel superior to anyone. Everyone has freewill to do as they please, and I choose to be a vegetarian.
Unless you're a parent to a child, you can't FORCE someone not to eat meat. Even kids, as they get older, will go out and get a burger or hot dog.
The "meat is bad" myth started about 50 years ago with Dr. Ancel Keys' seven country study. He took data from seven countries and plotted the perfect graft that showed the more meat and saturated fat one ate, the better their chance for heart disease, etc. Many scientist pointed out that Dr. Keys had data from 22 countries, but only used the data from the 7 countries that made his neat graph. But the lie that saturated fat will kill you has become established in the United States. When something becomes "conventional wisdom", it's hard to change people's way of thinking.
Plus the grain industry, monsanto, etc., have deep pockets. The % of food dollars going to soy has grown and grown as the food pyramid continues to recommend more and more grains and veggies. Not to mention, of course, the grain subsidies that we pay out to them every year.
With the internet today, more and more true facts about the dangers of processed grains is finally starting to get out. But the truth is that many veg*ns don't care about the facts. They want to be right....even if it makes them sick.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazi…
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/218541…
You're equating vegetarianism with PETA. The overwhelming majority of us are not militant. I'm not sure where your "facts" are coming from, but produce is, overall, much less expensive than meat. Ever notice how the beef- and fish-based meals in restaurants always cost more than vegetarian meals? Regarding the Mediterranean diet, it emphasizes plant foods and actually promotes the limiting of animal products.
Look for information that isn't biased.
I have no idea how you'd "force" someone to adopt an entire lifestyle.
Maybe you have a different definition of "force" than I do.
The question is not: are there healthy people who eat meat?
The question is: is meat consumption inversely correlated with good health?
The answer is yes.
Many people around the world who are the poorest eat vegetarian or vegan because they cannot afford meat.
I fail to see how cutting out meat does anything but SAVES someone money.
Vegetarians eat far more than vegetables.
There isn't a single nutrient that can only be obtained from meat, or even only from animal products.
You're misinformed.
I'm vegan. I have never attempted to force someone not to eat meat.
In response to ''how many working class people can actually manage a vegan diet even if they wanted to? It's hellish expensive'' : As I said, I'm vegan. I'm from England, and am working class. I am at the low end of what people earn, and I get by perfectly fine. Being vegan doesn't have to be expensive.
I have plenty of vegetarian and vegan friends and none of them have ever tried to 'convert' me.
Also yes, eating healthy is expensive but there are tons and tons of choices for vegetarians and vegans. They don't just eat fruits all the time. There are loads of amazing recipes and some companies do cater to their needs.
On the other hand, forcing someone to be what they're not is wrong, but people do it every day nonetheless.
Just because us vegetarians don't appreciate the environmental, ecological and social impact that modern factory farming brings doesnt mean we "force" anyone to do anything. It makes us sad that you would make these decisions for yourself and others but there isnt much I can do about it. Only you can choose what you ingest.
Force: strength or power exerted upon an object or being.
Hmm. Sounds like how the meat industry works. The "force" relationship seems to be coming from those who force other sentient beings into doing something unnatural. You're not forced to be a vegetarian when you can easily take a trip down to the supermarket and purchase an animal that was bought there by the power of "force."