Vegetarian Times actually had an article about 20 yrs ago about exactly that: it is impossible to be a perfect vegan (I.e. live in such a way as to avoid all items that might cause animal suffering or death). That doesn't mean that I shouldn't try. No, I don't deny that vegans eat bread that came from grains that may have caused the death of mice in its harvest.

However, your posts have been analogous to me to something like this: it is ridiculous to bike to work and drive a hybrid because you care about the environment because hippies like you are still responsible for global warming. You are a hypocrite because you still have oil on your hands. To imply that what you are doing is any better on the environment than someone who drives an SUV is disingenuous or ignorant.

For the record, I am not making statements on the types of vehicles people drive nor any of their other habits related to global warming. I am just making an analogy here. I don't take terrible kindly to being called a hypocrite which is essentially what at least two of your posts have done. I do see a difference in kind not just degree because there is a difference in approach and intent. It is the same as the difference between the person who kills and eats the stray cats in the neighborhood, to use HK's earlier comments, and the person who accidentally runs over a cat with his car. To claim that they are in essence doing the same thing with one simply killing to a lesser degree is false IMHO. Intent and accident are not the same.

I do apologize that my earlier comment about my assumption as to the reason for nastiness toward vegans came across as judgemental and apparently prompted your post that I found quite offensive. I said that for two reasons: 1) I truly do not preach to people and people only know I am vegan if there is some reason for them to know such as a joint meal. I live with and am married to an omnivore without judging him. I have, none the less, come across people who, once they find out that I am vegan, make all kinds of unfounded and judgemental assumptions about me. They have come across as defensive more than anything to me and I've very much gotten the impression in those instances that they are judging me b/c they think that I am going to judge them. And 2) I am trying to assume the best. I'd rather think that someone is being nasty due to defensiveness than innate jerkiness.


Study Strategies for Accelerated Learners