Sorry to diverge further, but aren't we all Protozoa (just going from old science books here I skimmed through one day).. on the evolutionary chart I mean (which is probably always changing..*drops a subtle pun)
I agree that most vegetarians probably aren't even aware of what happens with dairy farming *with some exceptions on here*.
I was vegetarian for 12 years and was extremely ignorant. Honestly, I thought that by not eating meat was enough.
I used to get fired up when when omni's used to insult me or make me feel bad about eating dairy. When I look back now I know it was GUILT. I was a HYPOCRITE.
Once you know what goes on it's up to you alone to take a stand.
I've already given my 2 cents but thought I should intervene.
I really think that the debate here has gone beyond disgusting. As Jesse has stated, there is no need for name calling.
This is an animal rights forum. It's a place to support people, not to demoralise them for their choices.
It's great that people have gone straight from meat eating to veganism, but not everyone can do that. Not everyone is aware of cruelty in the dairy industry. We were all ignorant at some point. BEANYXVX, you said that you were a vegetarian at some stage, so you were ignorant too. If you want to bully people because they are vegetarian then we can be just as harsh and whine about why it took you so long to become vegan, or vegetarian for that matter. Why have you been ignorant for so long? And why do you feel the need to attack those who are in the same shoes as you once were?
To be honest, vegans who bully vegetarians for their 'cruel' choices is what put me off being a vegan. That attitude is absolutely disgusting!
Hmmm... I am vegetarian, and tbh, I didn't know a thing about the dairy OR meat industry before, until I started reading. I don't eat dairy unless it's in food or whatnot, [it makes me sick generally], but I want to go vegan when I'm older. It is a bit hard at the moment because I don't live at home [boarding school, woo -.-] and it is incredibly difficult to have just meat-free meals, let alone dairy free as well. I don't like when people judge by saying 'vegan or nothing'... because some people aren't in a position to. That does not make them 'ignorant' or 'selfish'. I think lots of vegetarians would like to go vegan in the future, it just depends on the person and how long it takes them.
The thing that annoys me is the vegetarians who know about the dairy and egg industry and don't try and make any further changes to their lifestyle or diet at all because they think that being vegetarian is good enough, or being vegan is too hard. I fully understand that not everyone is in a position to go fully vegan, which is fine, but I am sure that most people are in a position to make small changes working towards a vegan lifestyle. For example you may still live at home and your parents may do all the shopping, cooking etc, but you could always try making vegan meals for the family where possible or you could try only drinking soy milk at home. I don't believe 'vegan or nothing', though I do believe that once aware of the cruelty within the egg and dairy industries that all vegetarians should be working towards becoming vegan whether they do it in small steps, or just make the leap.
