Just say no to meat

by Rachel Pugh
Weekender General Manager
Times Leader Director of Community Relations

Drop the fork. Before you shovel that next piece of flesh into your mouth, consider some asparagus. OK, so maybe asparagus is too severe at first. How about corn? Choose a veggie and stick with it. The animals will thank you. Or at least that’s what the vegan population would say.

A vegetarian for the past 15 years, I’ve dabbled with the vegan way of life, off and on trying to balance the proper amount of protein and nutrients. Placing only fish in and out of my diet for the past eight years, I omit meat and try to be conscious of what I eat, including where it comes from. And after my recent review of the documentary “Food Inc.,” I am even more conscious than ever. Still, watching others eat meat has never bothered me and others’ choices to consume meat and animal by-products has never been a concern of mine. After all, it’s really none of my business (except of course for my disdain towards my brother’s chicken consumption. A man who raises chickens on a gentleman’s farm for organic eggs should not be able to eat a plate of chicken tenders.)

I think I’m somewhat in the vegetarian minority due to the fact that I could care less about others’ meat eating habits. It just doesn’t rattle me. Perhaps this is because I wear antique fur, which makes me a total hypocrite. And I’m fine with that mainly because I love mink stoles from the 1940s. In my book, if it’s been dead for over 30 years, it’s fair game. I just wouldn’t kill anything now for an accessory. I should add, of course, if it dies of natural causes today, this is also fair game which is the case with my recently purchased water buffalo bone ring. See? There are exceptions to every rule but a girl has to have standards.

But for some diehard vegetarians, they have a message they want others to hear loud and clear. And those messages can be seen on the clothes that they wear (no leather though, of course). I’ve seen “I love tofu shirts.” Which I do love because, well, I do love tofu. And I own a shirt that says “Vegetarian,” given to me as a gift from my cousin. I am all for supporting the things that we love. These vegetarians that I’m referring to, however, don’t just embrace their love for all that is healthy, but sport messages, not just personal preferences.

For example, alternativeoutfitters.com, a vegan online boutique, has T-shirts that tell the public they shouldn’t test on animals and flat out says you shouldn’t eat meat. They have PETA lines which support the animal rights group mantra and condemn things such as wearing fur and enjoying a slab of bacon. Herbivoreclothing.com is another online vegan boutique which sells hoodies and T-shirts with messages such as “My body is not a graveyard,” “Bacon had a mom” — which is pretty damn funny — and “fur is f*cked,” a more aggressive view on the act of fur-wearing. Also carrying light-hearted brief underwear that states “Vegenism is for lovers,” the company obviously likes to have a little fun with its lines.

So if healthy eating is your bag, and you absolutely can’t stand the sight of seeing someone down a Big Mac, check out these two sites to get behind a statement and way of life. Just don’t throw paint on me when I’m sporting my vintage white rabbit shawl. I eat lettuce and cereal bars for Pete’s sake. Cut this sinner some slack.

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