[Char-x]

All the below quotes are from Cherish.

I feel no guilt whatsoever, because I eat meat and animal products.
I am perfectly happy to look at a lovely little deer, skipping merrily and frolicking about the fields... and then serve dear, sweet little Bambi with a selection of freshly grown vegetables the next day.
Just because you feel guilty about it, doesn't mean I do.
I'm actually rather proud of the fact that I can cook a rare steak to perfection.

Who are you trying to proove this to? Us or yourself? It really is beginning to sound like you are trying to convince yourself. The whole sweet little Bambi thing...now that was very immature comment wasn't it on a pro-vegetarian board. That won't gain you any respect here and if you DO think you are debating well, you just ruined that for yourself.

Secondly, are any of you doctors? Do any of you have a medical degree? No?
Come back and challenge what real doctors and professionals who actually know what they're talking about have already told me when you do, then.

No, I'm sorry do I need to be? I think you are getting confused with the people who actually KNOW what they are going on about with food - that would be a trained nutritionist Out of all the years doctors train they get about 1 week on nutrition and thats basic biology stuff. I would be very concerned if I was you if your doctor is trying to act like an expert in these fields.

Lastly, I am glad that the person that started this thread has apologised, and realises that both the thread title and her first post are highly inappropriate.
I am sorry that one girl was rude to you, but that does not give you an excuse to be rude to everyone that does not share your views.
Saying that the "common omnivore" are "all the same" heavily suggests that they are somehow inferior to you.

Well you know what? Just because some omnivores have met some vegetarians or vegans they see as unhealthy annoying drama queens does NOT mean they need to constantly play on it, and believe me they do. Infact you used one of the very common attempts at getting as us, the whole "eating Bambi". It's so pathectic. Afterall what HARM are we doing NOT eating meat? Oh thats right NONE. Whereas eating meat and producing it like you're parents does, causes ALOT of harm especially enviourmentally. Omnivores can be MUCH worse for taking the pee and talking about stuff that have no clue on.

But I'm glad that you have realised your mistake and apologised, and that you know that not all omnivores are alike.
Much in the same way that I do not believe that all vegetarians and vegans are as preachy as some of the ones I have previously spoken to.

I'm glad you realise that because maybe it's another generalisation - and feel free to shoot me down for it because I believe it to be true in my experiance - but 90% of omnivores I know categorise and stick vegetarians in the same little group.

There is a difference between discussing philospohies, and preaching at people or insinuating that they should feel guilty because they don't agree with you, as a couple of people in this thread have done.

If pro-vegetarian talk is making you feel guilty then I think thats something you need to think about, not us.

What is the point in having a 'discussion' if all you want is a chorus of "yes! me too!" and agreement?
Polite, mature discussion of opposing view points can be very enriching; some you should try it some time.

I agree, I'm up for mature discussion but some things you have said has not been mature. Bambi? Pshh
I think you will find people say yes me too because they are a vegetarian/vegan for the same reasons - ethical/health, again this is a pro-vegetarian forum I think it has a tendancy to attract more vegetarians than omnivores.

Maybe the reason you have to keep repeating yourself, is because you were wrong, and you caused offence. Don't like it? Be more considerate in future.
And, yes, I still find the word "most" offensive.

Or maybe it's because it seems it isn't getting through to you. It seems that the other omnivores here have accepted the title was a mistake and have moved on from that, you should do the same. Do you mean you would find it offensive if she said most omnivores are like the girl? I would find it perfectly alright for her to say that, no not because I'm vegetarian, but because MOST omnivores DO feel the need to make rude comments regarding people being a vegetarian in my experiance and in many others aswell. SOME however are mature enough to ask reasonable questions and find out more, or just leave it - members on here do just this. Unfortunatly in places like schools/work most people who eat meat get defensive in a rude way and start telling you about how you are going to die or get skinny.

In my own life experience (that actually spans beyond school dining tables) there are far more rude vegetarians than there are rude omnivores.

Wow how extremely patranizing! Polite, mature, discussion you say? Ironic. So now because she goes to school she has little knowledge or experiance of anything like this? You have no idea what life experiance she has had so I suggest not even going there. More rude vegetarians than omnivores? I have to disagree, while SOME vegetarians and vegans can be rude in the randomist of places, so can SOME if not MOST omnivores be rude. Infact
I find that when you are in a non-bias area (this is a pro-vegetarian forum therefore people are passionate and have the right to preach what the want) and you mention you eat meat nearly all vegetarians won't care and keep quiet. You dare mention you are a vegetarian and BANG you get omnivores preaching to US about how we are going to die, get skinny, loose vitimins...which just shows how ignorent and little they know. You may feel vegetarians are more rude than omnivores because you are an omnivore and never had to be a vegetarian in a room with them, but since I have been both I can gurantee you omnivores are more likely to begin tormenting vegetarians than a vegetarian is to start preaching.

If you had actually taken the time to properly read my post before climbing upon the shaky foundations of your soapbox, you would have noticed that I was not talking only about protein, but mostly about iron and other vitamins, but iron first and foremost.

And before you jump on her about reading propally prehaps you should try and INCLUDE that in you're post. You never mentioned iron so don't start acting as if people aren't reading posts right when you don't seem to be even adding in the information.

However, I don't want to go veggie, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other people out there who have the same health problems I do, that would go veggie if they could.

And with a well planned diet they probably could. They would need to see their nutritionist though not a doctor.

But hey, most omnivores are all the same, and all eat processed meat from supermarkets, right?

Yeah most do. Thats a fact if you live in the USA or UK. I know in the USA 90% of money spent of food is processed. Again not all, but a good enough amount for me to claim, that yes most do.

Yes, I was intentionally insensitive, for the purpose of making a point, but impolite? No.
Impolite would be to generalise "most" people who live by a certain philosophy, based simply upon one person's negative reaction.

Why do you feel the need to be "intentionally insenseitive" to make a point? Can you not do so without being that way? Again before you lecture others on their debating skills take a good look at you're own. Oh and I think this wasn't ALL based on this one persons reaction...it's probabaly alot of pent up anger at many rude comments and many rude reactions that vegetarians get daily because they choose not to eat a living being. Weird isn't it? We choose to kill nothing and get crap for it and people torture and kill animals and don't expect a reaction back although it is seldom given unless you seek it out on places such as here - a pro-vegetarian area. Again untill you have been a vegetarian you cannot comment on how much s**t to put it bluntly we get. So don't even attempt it.