Monday, November 13, 2006

Eatin' Meat

The following appears as a probably much too wordy comment on "Agnostic Mom." I figured since I spent a good deal of time on it (well, I did!,) I might as well load it up (some would say that it is, indeed, a load,) and schlep it over here, for what it's worth.

I suppose, as we evolve, our taste for meat, and our need for other animal-derived products will wain. My older son once proclaimed that he was seriously considering become a vegetarian, but it occurred to him that he didn’t really like vegetables, but DID like meat. Now there’s a quandry.

There certainly exists solid evidence that properly balanced vegetarian or vegan diets can provide all our nutritional needs. I won’t argue that. However, I am 60 years old, and have eaten meat for virtually my entire life. Generally, I don’t eat as much of it now as I used to, but it is very unlikely that I will ever swear off of it entirely. Certainly, not because someone casts accusations at me for being an animal killer. I believe the history of man eating meat goes back a ways. There is precedent.

Still, I understand that the ethics regarding our use (or exploitation, if it suits you) of animals for food, clothing, pets, laboratory testing, etc., is a hot button issue. Only time, science, and proper education will ultimately resolve it.

I do believe that extreme animal rights activists are no less nutballs than religious extremists and anti-abortionists, among others. That any of them have resorted to violence, including murder, and/or the destruction of property makes them terrorists by any definition. They are “true believers” who take the position that their particular cause is, above all others “holy,” and any tactics they use in the advancement of it are justified.

I find that to be a load of guano.

As it stands today, the five or so billion people on earth could not survive without the use of animal products. Animal activists who condescend to meat eaters are self-righteous prigs. If they believe it, by all means, they should live it. But, just as with religion, they should not presume to demand that all others must follow suit, or be subject to their violent judgement. (It is my belief that many of the people who involve themselves in such crusades would just find another, if their current passion could no longer be pursued. If memory serves, that is a central part of the discussion of Eric Hoffer’s “The True Believer.” Such people tend to jump from one cause to another. It helps them to sustain their sense of moral superiority and self-righteous indignation toward society.) To actually harm or kill other human beings for such a cause is counter productive and, frankly, evil.

I will defend to the death my right to gnarl on pigs feet, Spam, and ooh, pass me those Vienna Sausages.

TLS

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooooo... Spam. I love spam. Especially fried (did I mention I'm from the south and we eat EVERYTHING fried) with catsup (or ketchup -- I wish someone would make up their mind on that one). Throw in some french fries that are homemade. Now my mouth is watering and, dammit, we don't have any spam at home.

Terry S said...

Add and RC Cola and top it off with a Moon Pie, what the hell, make it two.

TLS

Anonymous said...

I've made up my mind...it's ketchup! ;)

Terry S said...

Zoe,

That's owing to your northern penchant for big words.

Catsup works fine for us southern folk.

I know, I'm from Indiana, not Alabama. However, it's all relative.

Back in the 1960s, when they first introduced the soft drink Mountain Dew, the local radio advertising always included the phrase "Yahoo, Mountain Dew!" coupled with "Made in the hills of Kentucky (or sometimes, Tennessee.) We used to visit my oldest brother, who for several years lived in Michigan - Port Huron and later Flint. Mountain Dew was also being marketed there. The tag line on the ads, though, was "Made in the hills of Indiani." Who is a hick and who is not, I guess, depends on your particular geography, especially when somebody is trying to sell something.

Whooo doogies!{:~)>

TLS

Terry S said...

Something I should clarify which caused a lengthy mis-understanding over at Ag Mom's where I originally wrote this post.

In the opening line I used the word "evolve." I didn't mean it! Honest, I didn't mean it! Not in the biological sense an any rate. The "evolving" I was alluding to was social and cultural.

Noell made note of some evidence that humans are, in fact, not currently evolving owing in large part to how much we have removed ourselves from the normal influences of nature. I suppose that could actually become an evolutionary ceiling of sorts. Could be bad for us, no? We are biologically stagnating.

I won't go into all the blather I left with Noell (Agnostic Mom for the unitiated.) But, suffice it to say that I apologize to all to whom the topic of evolution is kinda touchy. I shouldn't throw words around thoughtlessly.

TLS

P.S. I will be VERY surprised if ANYONE reads this. This is like being published at the bottom of page 29 in the newspaper. Only the hardiest of bloggers will ever get here.