Vegetarians and hunters

So, I've been a vegetarian for somewhere like 7 years. A lot of people ask me why, and I tend to give a lot of different answers because I don't have just one reason. When they ask, it almost seems like a gauge of my sanity, like they're daring me to go off into a rant about "the MAN" and the atrocities animals face in all of their gory detail.

I don't like doing that. Why? Because I don't think guilting and scaring people into doing something isn't a good way to spread your ideas. I think you have to mention something that is interesting, but not condemning or damning to the general public, so that it begins the conversation. You have to give people the tools to figure it out for themselves.

Truthfully, the first time I tried vegetarianism (7th grade), it was because Benji Madden was a vegetarian and I thought it was cool. I failed because (after a particularly stressful basketball game) I forgot I was a vegetarian. My mom offered me a chicken nugget from McDonalds and I took it. I then remembered, felt bad, but stopped being a veg because I missed gyros and chicken nuggets.

I think a couple months later, after seeing one of those disgusting PETA videos, I became a vegetarian again. But I've stuck with it because it's something I care about. I'm not going to go around pouring red paint on people. Sorry. I'm all about protesting, but you have to do it in a way that furthers your cause, not that makes you look like a crazy person.

I've kept with vegetarianism because I don't see the point in eating animals when we don't have to. Why cause pain when you don't have to? I don't think killing anything (except stinkbugs, centipedes and mosquitoes. They can go to hell) should be taken lightly.

People may have the power to reason, but I don't think that separates us from animals. I think that in trying very hard to become "civilized" we can show how truly like animals we are. Want a funny but true example? The fountain scene from Mean Girls. Furthermore, I think my hamster is more intelligent than some people I've met at IUP.

I don't know how we can kill animals (or people for that matter) without identifying with their pain. We also have to realize that nature was around before us and it will be around after us. We have to learn to work with it, not try to conquer it, and to leave it alone when necessary. Bad things happen when we don't.

I have less of a problem with humanely getting your meat, but most people just don't care how they get their meat. I'm not going to try to gross you out because I don't think that's an effective way of getting people on board. I guess I'm just saying think about it. It's really not that hard. And if you find reasons that go against mine, that's fine. At least you're thinking about it.

I've tried going vegan, but it's too hard to do at school or when I'm at home for break. I'd have to be able to shop and cook for myself. I have no money and no oven. So, until then, I'll be enjoying pizza and ice cream.

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Now for hunting....because hunting's a big thing in Indiana, and in Pennsylvania in general.


I'm not okay with hunting because it's a business. It makes killing a business. You're not doing it for food, because there are all kind of other ways to get your food. So why?

I've heard a lot from my step-dad about overpopulation, that allowing deer to overpopulate creates a hazard for drivers. This is kind of true. You can't drive anywhere in Western PA without seeing dead deer on the side of the road. Certain species are overpopulated. But let nature take care of it. Nature always seeks to maintain balance, and it does a pretty good job most of the time. Drive slower. Pay better attention. And if you don't want to wait it out till the population balances itself, start humanely sterilizing the females of that species. Hunting them is short-term and largely ineffective.

Some overpopulation is artificial because people are making money off of hunters staying in the region. Animals are being born to be killed. Some hunters only wound animals, then they hobble around in pain before dying. You can even pay to essentially have animals put in front of you to shoot. There's also the whole gun control issue. Is it really worth the risk of having a gun in your home, especially if you have kids?

I just don't understand how you can see a beautiful thriving animal and thing "Hmmm, that would be great on a dinner plate." Or "That would look great on my wall."

I'm looking at you Sarah Palin.

I get the "thrill of the chase" crap, but go somewhere and shoot paint balls. Don't kill animals for fun. I understand killing animals as a food source in places where the access to food is limited. But I don't think anywhere, in this day and age, should have to deal with food shortages. It's insane that people that work hard can't buy bread and people like Paris Hilton can buy thousand dollar only-half-covering-her-ass dresses. But that gets into the whole mindblowing realm of how we allow people to be in poverty. That's a post for another day.

I'm probably going to do more posts about nature and such because I'm in an environmental lit class right now and things are going to come up that legitimately piss me off.

As a side note...there is always at least one crazy person in all of the English major classes I've ever taken. Crazy in the sense that they have no idea what they're talking about, (not just I don't agree with them. Like, they are factually wrong) or they know what they're talking about and want to make sure everyone else in the room can see how smart they are. I don't care if you argue with a professor or don't like one of the readings, but know what you're talking about.

Hasta la vista.