How do you look at your past as a meateater?

[rrqu]

I only get angry at meat eaters when they say they eat meat because they don't care. They are indifferent to the suffering of others. They felt no compassion when they watched a video like Glass Walls.

[adl]

Each omni is potentially another vegan waiting to blossom! How lovely

That's how I view it, too. Positivity works. I'm sad they're eating meat, but in this society, I can't blame them. I'm just fortunate to have been exposed to the right circumstances which turned me vegan.

[Pammy]

but I cannot judge meat eaters. I just don`t. It`s their choice, they do not want to know or do not care enough, but who am I to judge their lifestyle or even try to change them? I have no right. At the same time, I get very upset if people try to change mine.

I am on the same page as you with this one littleTigercub. As far as being a past meat-eater, I was brought up eating meat. Vegetarianism was pretty uncommon in those days (I'm a ripe old 55!). I did't become vegetarian and then vegan until I was in my late 30's. I can't pretend I didn't like meat when I ate it so I don't feel I have the right to tell other people how to live their life any more than they should be telling me I shouldn't be vegan. However, if a meat-eater asks me about veganism and what made me change, I have no qualms about telling them!

[Festered]

I only get angry at meat eaters when they say they eat meat because they don't care. They are indifferent to the suffering of others. They felt no compassion when they watched a video like Glass Walls.

I can't get as angry at that. If someone doesn't think it's wrong I get less annoyed than someone who does, but carries on anyway. It's similar in the way I don't get so upset at people who like the taste, or eat their steaks rare, as folk who claim they can't live without meat but live off processed additive-filled stuff and/or cover their food with sauce etc. These people could easily switch to a veg*n diet.

[Charley333]

I feel as someone has said on this forum that the key is getting veganism taught in schools to children as an alternative to the conventional food pyramid. In a way, my anger cannot be directed at meat eaters themselves if they have been educated in schools that meat and dairy is intrinsic and necessary to their diet. Look at the "got milk" posters... To a lot of people this is the end of their curiosity about the food they eat. I feel grateful that it wasn't for me, that I watched Earthlings and became a vegan. I do however, feel bad about not just quitting meat cold tofu to start with, I dithered, but when it clicked, boy did it click and now, I'd never go back. What's funny though is that my occasionally meat eating partner calls it "your vegan thing" as if it's a completely alien concept and you can't call him a crazy vegan just because he eats vegan food with me!

My anger, however, comes when people do educate themselves about the way animals are treated and instead of taking the step to not consuming them, they satisfy themselves with eating "free range" eggs or "humanely killed" meat. To me there is nothing humane about breeding an animal so it can be killed for our purposes. However, the blame cannot necessarily be laid at the feet of meat eaters but of companies that promote these products as better alternatives. PETA is guilty of this, it lifted a boycott on KFC Canada because it decided to gas chickens rather than slit their throats, not only that, but it called it a victory - http://www.v4a.org/?q=node/601 This means that people looking at the PETA website might think, oh, ok, I don't have to go as far as not eating chicken, I can just eat chicken that died a better death, which I find hugely problematic. How can it be called a victory when people are still eating meat? Or Jamie Oliver who did a superb programme called "Jamie's Fowl Dinners" about the treatment of egg laying hens and chickens bred for meat, and really got to the crux of the issue before cooking free range chicken and saying, it's ok guys don't feel bad about those chickens on factory farms, as long as you buy free range, your guilt can be assuaged. Ultimately, I think until veganism is promoted and taught as an alternative, vegans are going to be seen as the extreme and "humane" meat is going to be seen as the compassionate option.