My friends say I'm a hypocrite... am I?!


Question: My friends say I'm a hypocrite... am I?
So...
I was talking with my friends (who are vegetarians) about how I was going to buy a shirt from the PETA website about cruelty to animals. One of them said something like, "That doesn't really make sense." I asked her why not, considering I love animals and do NOT think the horrible treatment by big companies is right--at ALL. She said, "Well that's great, but you're not vegetarian. No offense, but doesn't that kinda make you a hypocrite? Since you say you stand up for animals but you eat them?" I'm a teen and haven't eaten red meat, pork or beef, for over two years now. I tired to go completely vegetarian but didn't because I need the protein as I was/still am growing. Now, I only eat chicken and turkey, and not very often. I really, really wanted to stop eating meat, but my parents wouldn't let me and it was difficult with my diet.
Then we got into the environment and global warming. I do everything I can to be green and am a proud treehugger :) But my friend said I couldn't be if I ate meat.

Is she right? Am I a hypocrite?

Answers:

I've been vegetarian for 19 years and I don't think you're a hypocrite. Although if you support PETA, you'll be considered a hypocrite. The reason why is because peta is crazy. Sure they want to treat animals kind, but they ALSO don't want you to eat any animals, not even the ones that have a perfect life before being served to your table. It makes me mad that peta gives vegetarians like me a bad name. I'm all for animals being treated fairly, however, just because I choose not to eat meat doesn't mean i think animals aren't suppose to be eaten by other people. If I were you I would keep your views, but lose your connection to PETA (aka the crazy people that are super annoying)....



Every opinion is objective, so you may appear as a hypocrite to some and to others like a very transparent person. What matters is what you make of that opinion. I don't consider you a hypocrite since you can love animals and still eat them, that can't stop someone from doing other things to help animals.

& btw I think you can support any organization you want. Peta has done a lot for animals, and whilst it may be radical it has saved lives.



I'm a vegan and I get plenty protein. Almost all foods contain some sort of protein, and especially if you are still taking eggs and milk you are not going to have a problem. The protein thing is a crock of sh** protein is not a problem for vegetarians and vegans...and you don't have to take soya either if you don't want to.

yes, you're a hypocrite.



Your not a hypocrite.
As for the thyroid, that is an immune system issue. When I was younger my mother told me I got my thyroid probelm from eating too many carrots, until my cousin, a doctor, told her politely she didn't know what she was talking about.

If the thyroid problem is under or overactive, it's not a big deal as long as it is looked after



If you can't eat meat because of your parents then no you're not a hypocrite entirely since they aren't letting you , get what i mean. I really dislike it when peoples excuses for eating meat is protein , makes it sound like nothing else has protein when almost food does. Even soda has a smaaaaall amount.



i get what your friends saying, but put it this way, when it came to rights for black people, white people also stood up with them,

same for this,
you dont have to 'be' anything specific to have compassion and understanding of cruel treatment of another person/animal

so no, i dont think your a hypocrite, i think your just soemone who understands the problem others face
;-)



Yea....
I mean I wouldnt care that you wore it but yea you should practice what you preach or your a hypocrite.
What did the shirt say though?
I am vegetarian and barley eat soy. It doesnt mean u need to be eating lots of soy....

Mostly I agree with your friend.



the sad fact is, eating supermarket meat is being cruel to animals.

decide what you want to eat from there.

people, whatever their condition. don't need to eat animals. they only need to learn what to eat in its stead.



First of all PETA is out of control. Instead support a local group or organization.

Second eating meat doesn;t make you a hyporcrite as far as animal crelty is concerend.



Yeah, that's hypocritical.

And ignorant, too, considering protein is in a ton of foods besides meat.



Your friend is very annoying. Of course you can care for the treatment of animals and still eat meat.

JDM



Maybe you should design your own t-shirt.
P eople
E ating
T asty
A nimals
(raised and killed humanely.)
then no one could call you a hypocrite.



Do what you want to do, who cares if your friends call you a hypocrite. It is your life. Rome was not built over night.



I don't really understand the plea of : I don't eat red meat or pork at all, I "only" eat chicken and turkey.

Also, the mindboggling statement: "because I need the protein as I'm still growing".

Then the "parents wouldn't let me" bolox.

How can they not "let" you?
DO your parents hold a gun to your head with a turkey neck dangling in front of you?


You don't have to eat too much soy, or even any at all.
It just sounds like you're doing whatever your mommy tells you and don't really want to be vegetarian much. Not an issue with me, but you're not a vegetarian, so why does it sound like you're protesting the reasons ( excuses ) you are not one?

It doesn't make much difference. Wear a peta T shirt, just maybe not when you're eating a turkey's privvte parts.



No, you're not a hypocrite. Your friend is the hypocrite because she eats food that requires animals be killed, too.

For that matter, we all live as the result of something else dying. The wheat fields, the rice fields, the cabbage patches, the ground, etc., are all full of small animals. When farmers plow up the soil to plant wheat seeds (for example), they plow up nests of baby rabbits, moles, ground nesting birds, etc., Then when they come back and spray pesticides on the growing crop, it gets on the babies and the parents alike. Herbicides kills the weeds so the crops can grow better, but it also kills the ground cover that protects the little animals from hawks and other predators. Then harvesting comes along and also kills animals living in the fields. At least you eat the animals that die for your food. From the link:

"Animals of the field are killed by several factors, including:

1. Tractors and farm implements run over them.
2. Plows and cultivators destroy underground burrows and kill animals.
3. Removal of the crops (harvest) removes ground cover allowing animals on the surface to be killed by predators.
4. Application of pesticides.

So, every time the tractor goes through the field to plow, disc, cultivate, apply fertilizer and/or pesticide, harvest, etc., animals are killed. And, intensive agriculture such as corn and soybeans (products central to a vegan diet) kills far more animals of the field than would extensive agriculture like forage production, particularly if the forage was harvested by ruminant animals instead of machines. So perhaps fewer animals would be killed by producing beef, lamb, and dairy products for humans to eat instead of the vegan diet envisioned by Regan."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/9…

I ask this question over and over: Why is it ok to kill rabbits, but not cows?



Don't let them tell you what to do. You can buy the shirt if you like but to be honest considering that ALL meat is a form of animal cruelty since it does involve them being killed against their wil and by you eating meat your contributing to that cruelty it really is a bit hypocritical. I just wanted to point out that you said you didn't become a vegetarian because your a teen and still growing. I'm 14 and I went veg at 11 and I know other vegetarians who are 13, 14 ect so obviously you can become vegetarian when your still growing if you eat beans, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, leafy greens, milk, eggs and soy for protein. The fact that you didn't go veg cause of your parents is kinda sad cause all you need to do is explain to them why your going veg, the health benifits you'll get and tge horrors of factory farming. Happ. Saint patricks day.



You can take a stand against the mistreatment of animals and still eat meat. Don't listen to your know-it-all friend. She's just being a brat. Doing the best you can is your best in this moment. Do your best and don't let others judge you.

There are, however, ways for you to get all the protein you need without eating meat, even as a growing teenager. Most people (and parents), however, don't or won't spend the time doing the research and learning how to do this. Do some searches on "teen" and "vegetarian" and "protein" on the Internet and you will find lots of information. Good luck and be proud.

Bonus:
Here are some recipes for getting protein while being a vegetarian if you want to check it out:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/healthnutrition/tp/high-protein-recipes.htm

About.com - Vegetarian Food
Raising a vegetarian teenager even though I'm not a vegetarian



short answer: yes, you are.

but only because you are choosing peta, which founds itself on vegetarian and vegan principles. if you are choosing to eat meat, then perhaps you should choose another organization, like the ascpa.

as a vegetarian with a thyroid problem, i understand the challenges you face. my parents were not on board either. however, you can absolutely be a veg without a soy overload. beans, nuts, quinoa, etc. are all packed with protein. if you want to go on a fake meat kick, quorn products are not soy-based and pretty easy to find.

if you aren't ready for the change (and that's okay too), then talk to your doctor about your dietary concerns and transition slowly. some helpful links:

http://www.veganhealth.org/
http://www.nomeatathlete.com/high-protein-vegetarian-food/

also, if you want to not annoy your veg friends, avoid phrases like "my parents won't let me" and "i need the protein because i'm still growing" and "i don't eat red meat to help the cause." this just emphasizes that you have not done your research.



I think she meant you are a hypocrite for supporting PETA after saying you like animals. That's because PETA, a money scamming organization, does not care for animals but merely uses them as an excuse to raise funds for the,selves.

PETAn's also prowl these pages because they are recruiting innocent kids to their org so they will pay the yearly membership dues and buy a lot of stuff from PETA. they have different names, many accounts (to vote themselves best answer, be a TC and thus apprear credible) and add "credentials" such as friendof.." or "vegan biologist" etc.



Yes it is hypocritical to advocate for animals by promoting peta campaigns while still eating meat. It i possible to be vegetarian without eating soy, but it would not be very convenient. However it sounds like you are not interested in convenience, you are more interested in doing what's right.

Don't feel bad, almost all of the animal rights activists in the world used to be meat eaters. I was always an animal lover but couldn't understand why that made it hypocritical to eat them. Then one day I visited a piggery and saw how they lived with my own eyes. You are doing more for animals and the environment by only eating meat some of the time than if you ate it all of the time. You can do more still by not eating it at all. So maybe leave the peta shirts until after you have gone all the way and become vegetarian or vegan, and until then read up on vegetarian nutrition and how you can be healthy while avoiding soy products.

vegan biologist



PETA is an extremist group. I would not endorse anything they do. They are hypocrites themselves just by putting an animal before a human. It is possible to love animals, trees, the environment and whatever else even if you still eat meat. Millions and millions of people love animals and still eat meat. Humans are made to eat meat, we have omnivore teeth, meaning they are for eating meat and veggies. Thank God you have a smart mom. Listen to her. Tell your friend that you can support anything you want regardless of what you eat and she shouldn't be judging you.



You're not a hypocrite. There's a difference between animal cruelty and survival. Its not like you're eating animals that suffered. Like veel pisses me off because the animal suffers. Fish, chicken,...they don't really go through much suffering or abuse. Eating fish is just a part of the circle of life which is something that's natural. Don't feel guilty about it.
Soybeans are an excellent source of protein if you want to substitute :)



Well, you need meat to survive, so TECHNICALLY you're not a hypocrite since you're considering buying the T-shirt about animal cruelty. And at least you were trying to show your friends that you were against animal cruelty by not eating pork or beef for 2 years. That's good loyalty to your friend && imma have to give u a Thumbs-Up for that :)



The world we live in has animals eating animals ALL the time. Since when is it bad for a human to eat other animals. We are omnivores, after all. It's about not being CRUEL to animals, not refusing to eat them when you need sustenance.




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