Dr Chris Brown

Not one here is going to send you hate mail, at least, I'd hope they wouldn't.
But why do you rule out becoming vegetarian? It might be a "trend", but that doesn't  mean people do it to be trendy. The benefits to health, environment and animal welfare can't really be disputed.

No hate mail from me, I just find it incomprehensible and will simply quote what I posted earlier in this thread, because I think it is relevant again.

So, may I ask what are your reasons for continuing to eat meat / ruling out ever being vegetarian? This is purely a question I ask because I want to understand.

I think being vego stopped being a "trend" a number of years ago. It certainly hasn't made me trendy, cool or anything along those lines.  

While people say the health benefits of being ''vego'' are indisputable, it is also indisputable that our bodies NEED meat, fish, chicken etc. For literally thousands of years, people have eaten red meat, as its the best source of iron, protein and so much more! Omega 3s are important from eating fish regularly, etc. No, I wouldn't become vegetarian, because I'd rather my body receive all that nourishment and goodness naturally- rather than buying ''supplements'' in a jar at the chemist.

An extremely high percentage of some countries are vegetarian, as well many religions, etc..
If we need meat, why aren't they dying out? You can get every nutrient you need from plant based foods, and I don't take supplements except for vitamin c when I have a cold.

It really sounds like you've bought into to anti-veg propaganda, have you considered the fact that your family of butchers have influenced your thinking in some way and there may be another side to the story?

Trend? Yea its only a trend to the stupid people who go veg for a few weeks because it's 'cool'.

My pop called me being vegan a fad. I felt like punching him. Something you're committed to for the rest of your life is NOT a trend.

It is also indisputable that I am alive and healthy, after nearly 20 years of not eating meat (which includes chickens and fish, they are not plants), and not taking supplements. Carl Lewis won several Olympic gold medals, and he's vego - what more evidence do you need?

For literally thousands of years, people have kept human slaves, burned witches, denied women the right to vote, stoned adulterers, mutilated baby girls, yada yada... Notice how these things are still happening in many parts of the world? If we don't protest against what we believe to be wrong, the injustice is simply perpetuated.

Like what others here have said, nobody is going to send you hate mail Bonbear - it's just curious to find someone defending their right to eat animals on an animal rights forum... so please don't be surprised if you get some negative responses from some of us. I can completely believe that you do love animals, as you say, and that you are passionate about animal welfare... as are many omnivores. I'm not normally argumentative like this, but if you're here to try and persuade us (or yourself) that slaughtering animals for food is okay, then please don't be so defensive when we question that choice.

The wonderful thing of being a omnivore is that we can choose what to eat, as a zoologist student with quite alot of biological education I know that for a fact and you can double check if you must that HUMANS are omnivores which doesnt mean "we must eat meat and veg" it means our bodies  through evolution have adapted to eating what is available and can get nutrition from that.  Plenty of religions and cultures are vegetarian and through history alone proves that it isnt necessary to eat meat.

I understand why you came to this site because it is here to help and support animals, but unless your vegetarian or vegan your doing nothing other than single scale events. (saving one dog, or one sheep, not large scale)

For instance did you know being a vegan is more helpful for the environment than owning a prius, having solar panels and heating and eating organic food put together?

I dont want to attack you because I hate people who attack over the Internet. Its really a problem these days  But this site is for vegetarians as Animals Australia sole meesage is to be vegetarian or at least cut down meat. Otherwise People are truly committing carnism and specism (the belief that it is ok to eat some animals and not care for their welfare but love and adore others )

I will add though, Vegetarianism isnt a trend. I get riddeculed constantly because of it, even by my family I fell left out.  IRL (not through the internet) I dont know anyone other than my boyfriend who is vegetarian. Its a trend and sadly might always will be  "the accepted way" to be a true omnivore.

its only a trend if you follow it to be cool and look like others. Im doing it because now the thought of meat disgusts me.

I'm the daggiest person I know!

I always find it interesting when people claim that being vegetarian/eating soy products/not basing your diet around animal protein is just newfangled and impractical. A fair few subsets of people have being doing it for a very long time, with no attributable side-effects. Sure, these people aren't European, but their experiences still count, gosh darn it!

@Bonbear - How about trying a vegetarian diet for a month? My b/f, who tells me ALL THE TIME that he will NEVER be a vegetarian, tried a vegetarian diet for a month and said that he felt a lot healthier, and he lost weight. He did go back to eating meat afterwards.

It's not a 'conversion' as some people say, but it might give you an idea of how easy and fun it is to be a vegetarian, and you might learn a few things. I hope you will consider

EDIT: Btw, I have been a vegetarian for over 8 years and a vegan for almost 5 months and I haven't needed to take supplements. Just like any diet or lifestyle, if you do it right then there should be no problems. Meat-eaters can suffer from health problems if they aren't taking care of themselves, just like veg*ans can too if they don't take care of themselves.