How do you handle?!

How do you handle?

About 2 months ago my husband and I decided that our family were going to become vegetarians. We have had no problems in doing so, our kids are doing very well with it also. My question is how do you all handle the rude comments that are made when people find out you don't eat meat. We have heard everything from we are retards to we are starving our children and they are going to die because "God wants us to eat meat and we are not natural by not doing so". It is very annoying and really is starting to make me mad. I am not a circus freak who has horns growing out of my head or anything like that but that is how people make me feel sometimes, when they have to bring it to everyone's attention that I am a vegetarian. Any suggestions???

2 days ago
It seems like everyone has something to say about this..family, friends and the idiot behind me in the store that notices there are pounds and pounds of veggies in my my cart but no meat.

Your kids will probably enjoy very good health, as will you, with your new lifestyle. I know vegetarian kids & adults who have been meat-free their entire lives & I don't know any who have had health problems because of this. There are several good books about vegetarian nutrition for kids so if you're in doubt consult one or more of them.
I'm sorry that so many people seem upset, confused or threatened by your vegetarianism. It happens to many of us & in my case my family eventually got used to it. I've had rude comments from total strangers, as well,including one woman who commented "I thought vegetarians were supposed to be skinny" (I was a bit overweight @ the time).
I've also been told that God "wants us to eat meat" as if this is an unwritten Commandment. A teenaged vegetarian once told me that her friends had said the same thing to her, but when she quoted Bible passages to the contrary, they called her a "demon"! Actually, there are several books you might want to consult that deal with vegetarianism & various religions. When my SO became vegetarian during our first year together, his family was aghast because they were convinced that this was somehow un-Christian (although some of them were already aware of the health benefits). There were a few outright insults, some questions & a couple of very emotional phone conversations. Apparently they did a little research on their own, because they eventually became more understanding. There are still a few persons who try to find fault with my vegetarianism but I realize they simply don't understand & don't allow them to uspet me.
People have actually called you "retards" because you stopped eating meat? Does that put Albert Einstein or Leonardo da Vinci in that category too?