everyone thinking your weird

When I say meat I don't mean fish. We shouldn't over fish and we shouldn't far fish but if we don't over consume it it won't affect hunger.
I stated exactly in my post 'as long as distribution insn't interrupted'-that includes goverment interupttion.

 

Why educate those who don't give a shit.

I'm not going to start an unintelligent argument with a simple-minded jackass.

 

My dad paid $30.00 for a 16 piece and cole slaw... It's really no worse than contract killings... paying for death.

 

I can't really say i get people thinkin gi'm weird for having my meat-free ways. In the UK, vegetarianism is somewhat of an institution. Since 1847, vegetarianism has been advocated by the vegetarian society. In their early days, tehy were part of a growing purity movement, shunnin galcohol, meat and other sinful practices, and in latter days, the vegetarian society has grown to reflect the times. Now, it's an advocacy group representing pretty much anyone who doesn't eat meat.

In the 90's, vegetarianism was "in". Pretty much every other person, it seemed, was a veggie. With the popularity of vegetarianism increasing, it was quite hard to view it as the preserve of a few eccentric people, when there were many people you knew who were vegetarian. (Not that there's anything wrong with being eccentric. Eccentricity is quite a celebrated thing in ol' England)

The popularity of vegetarianism in the 90's was furthered by the BSE crisis in the mid-90's. This persuaded me to give up beef, and other meats soon followed. During the foot & mouth crisis in the late 90's, I had trouble acquiring vegetarian food, as omnis were buying it instead of meat.

naturally, vegetarianism has hit a state of decline. With the 90's culture of raving hippies getting drugged up and listening to old school techno music, the era where recycling was in, and an affiliation with greenpeace made you cool coming to an end, and the 00's culture of consumption, and the mantra that it is Ok to have shitloads of diamonds (Just look at the bling craze) taking over, vegetarians followed suit. Vegetarianism is still in a state of decline in the UK, and although many people who went veg in the late 80's or early 90's, as well as some of the mid-nineties converts are falling off the wagon, there are still a few people who have stuck by their vegetarian ideals, and vegetarianism is being reincarnated, not as a mass hippy statement, as it was in the 90's, but as a subcultural punk ideology.

All I can really say is that the market has changed, and quite possibly, people will start to realise that vegetarianism is for everyone. One positive thing is that following the peak of vegetarianism in the 90's, most people are well aware now that protein isn't an issue. However, with vegetarianism being little more than atrend for people to follow at their own discretion, a nasty residue has been left behind, on top of many committed vegetarians, and that is that many people believe that vegetarians eat fish, as their trendy compadres in the 90's will have cheated a little.

Whilst vegetarianism is in astate of decline, I am quite confident that in a short matter of time, the general public will become more politically active. Once a Tory government is brought in, and starts screwing the country over for a while, I believe that many people will begin to become more politically activ, and this may involve more people venturing into typically leftfield areas such as vegetarianism.

But vegetarianism, as it stands now, is comprised mainly of stragglers from the 90's. I'm one myself, a vegetarian since 1997, and the newest vegetarians I know of are those who went vegetarian following foot and mouth. Most people don't view vegetarians as crazy people. That onus, is quite undeservedly, left for the vegans. Most people have known someone who is/was vegetarian, or were vegetarian for a while, so they know that vegetarianism isn't some kind of hippy thing. It's more of a lifestyle.

I find that the british and american perception of vegetarianism is completely different. In Britain, vegetarianism is a lifestyle, and quite a large minority group. Restaurants know that if they are going to serve food, then they should at least cater on a basic level for vegetarians, because at some point, you will get a vegetarian customer or two. Not a matter of "you might". It is a matter of "You will!"

Talking to many americans online, i can guess that in america, vegetarianism is not viewed as a lifestyle by many people, but rather as a political statement. many americans have trouble respecting vegetarianism, perhaps because americans aren't as warm hearted towards people who like to do things a little differently, or because of america's obsession with politics, making your political affiliation akin to a religion, and the attatchment of vegetarianism to politics. many people i namerica seem apprehensive to cater to vegetarians. Burger king have declared that their BK veggie is not a vegan product. mcdonalds are adamant that none of their products are vegetarian. The scene in the Uk is different. Following the fries fiasco, Uk outlets put up posters declaring that in the Uk, their fries are vegetarian.

There is quite a difference between the two cultures. (Although many a yearning mind may view "american culture" as somewhat of an oxymoron.) I do believe that this does change how vegetarianism is viewed. In america, vegetarianism is a radical political statement, the preserve of a few "loony liberal pinkos" or whatever colloquial terms they use in yank-land. In Britain, vegetarianism is the preserve of a few people who have different lifestyles. Alison, the vegetarian who lives down the street isn't viewed as some kind of hippy who'll be out on the streets with a sign at the weekend, but is viewed most likely, as Alison, most likely a civil servant, who drives a car, watches Tv, and goes out for a drink, and doesn't eat meat.

 

where exactly are you getting your views on america from?


I have to ask this, and i dont mean this harshly, but: Do you honestly expect places like mcdonalds adn burger king to cater to veggies? I mean come on, it is a hamburger restaurant. I dont go to a vegetarian restaurant and ask for a slab of meat. Yes, i konw there are boca burgers and all kind of other meat substitutes, but lets be honest, tohse arent hamburgers.