My BBQ's better than your BBQ
There are few better ways to spend a warm Saturday evening than a BBQ with your family and a Reds game on TV (especially when they are in a playoff race and winning close games) .
For most people, my parents and my family included, a BBQ means chicken smothered in BBQ sauce, cheese potatoes with grease glistening off the top layer of fatty cheese, and baked beans chunked with the mystery meat our society commonly calls "hot dogs" – my father's secret recipe has a memorable kick on its better days.
A few days ago I called my parents and told them that this Saturday (yesterday) I was going to provide the food for the BBQ. It would look the same, smell the same, and maybe even taste strikingly similar, but it wouldn't have quite as much cholesterol, fat, added hormones, or preservatives with names that most people can't pronounce – all unintentional by-products of the real differences between mine and their food choices – I don't eat meat products and they do.
They were somewhat supportive when I made the change from being carnivorous to vegetarianism. And by "somewhat supportive" I mean they only mildly teased me about my masculinity. When I made the decision to switch to veganism, swearing off the cheese and dairy products I lived off of as a vegetarian, they felt as if they had lost their son (a slight exaggeration). All logical appeals mean very little to them. Meat is part of their way of life.
Commonly people ask me (and I assume other non-meat-eaters) why we do what we do. Sometimes they are genuinely curious. Other times they just want to verbally fight and prove how natural it is to eat meat. I routinely receive Christian lectures from my aging Skyline waitress who can't help but explain to me how God gave us animals to use at our discretion. I never go into it with her.
The truth of the matter is I lost an argument about whether eating meat is good or evil over beers at an Irish pub with my good friend the Dean of Cincinnati (not actually a vegetarian though he accepts the fact that he is wrong in eating meat). At the time I was a militant "circle of life" meat lover who regularly ordered triple cheeseburgers with bacon – cooked as red as possible. But the Dean explained to me, if you accept one simple premise, pain and suffering are bad things, you must accept eating meat as an evil activity.
I went back and forth with the Dean for a few minutes searching for a loophole, but I ultimately accepted that supporting animal agriculture creates more pain for creatures and that there would be less pain in the world if I called a cease fire against the animals that routinely found their way to my plate. That of course is a simple logical argument. When you consider the other outside factors – personal health and environmental well being especially – the argument solidifies itself.
There are a lot of people in the same boat as the Dean of Cincinnati. These are the types who recognize the pain that is caused and the suffering that is endured by the choices they make at the dinner table. However, that knowledge fails to change their destructive behavior.
There are many who refuse to watch videos like Meet your Meat that illustrate the plight of animals who are grown to be abused and eaten. They are well aware of what they will see in these videos, but they don't want to see the consequences of their irresponsible choices. Like ostriches with their heads in the sand, they figure not looking will keep the consequences from actualization.
Then of course there is the crowd who hides behind the horrendously fallible banner of "individual choice" who don't give a fuck what happens to anyone or anything but themselves.
Yesterday we were blessed with beautiful weather and a wonderful meal. The meal consisted of "chicken," "riblets," not-dogs, potato salad (made with veganaise of course), salad, and a chocolate mousse built from tofu. Even my parents, who probably haven't had a meatless meal since I was born, enjoyed the menu. My father, always the critic of my "liberal choices," did attempt to grade some of the food poorly in an attempt to show how wrong my veganism is (though of course he went back for seconds and attacked the leftovers this morning). It was probably the healthiest meal they've had in a while.
Tonight they're having fried chicken.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
View this video and face your choices.
Convinced? Get your vegetarian starter kit here.
For most people, my parents and my family included, a BBQ means chicken smothered in BBQ sauce, cheese potatoes with grease glistening off the top layer of fatty cheese, and baked beans chunked with the mystery meat our society commonly calls "hot dogs" – my father's secret recipe has a memorable kick on its better days.
A few days ago I called my parents and told them that this Saturday (yesterday) I was going to provide the food for the BBQ. It would look the same, smell the same, and maybe even taste strikingly similar, but it wouldn't have quite as much cholesterol, fat, added hormones, or preservatives with names that most people can't pronounce – all unintentional by-products of the real differences between mine and their food choices – I don't eat meat products and they do.
They were somewhat supportive when I made the change from being carnivorous to vegetarianism. And by "somewhat supportive" I mean they only mildly teased me about my masculinity. When I made the decision to switch to veganism, swearing off the cheese and dairy products I lived off of as a vegetarian, they felt as if they had lost their son (a slight exaggeration). All logical appeals mean very little to them. Meat is part of their way of life.
Commonly people ask me (and I assume other non-meat-eaters) why we do what we do. Sometimes they are genuinely curious. Other times they just want to verbally fight and prove how natural it is to eat meat. I routinely receive Christian lectures from my aging Skyline waitress who can't help but explain to me how God gave us animals to use at our discretion. I never go into it with her.
The truth of the matter is I lost an argument about whether eating meat is good or evil over beers at an Irish pub with my good friend the Dean of Cincinnati (not actually a vegetarian though he accepts the fact that he is wrong in eating meat). At the time I was a militant "circle of life" meat lover who regularly ordered triple cheeseburgers with bacon – cooked as red as possible. But the Dean explained to me, if you accept one simple premise, pain and suffering are bad things, you must accept eating meat as an evil activity.
I went back and forth with the Dean for a few minutes searching for a loophole, but I ultimately accepted that supporting animal agriculture creates more pain for creatures and that there would be less pain in the world if I called a cease fire against the animals that routinely found their way to my plate. That of course is a simple logical argument. When you consider the other outside factors – personal health and environmental well being especially – the argument solidifies itself.
There are a lot of people in the same boat as the Dean of Cincinnati. These are the types who recognize the pain that is caused and the suffering that is endured by the choices they make at the dinner table. However, that knowledge fails to change their destructive behavior.
There are many who refuse to watch videos like Meet your Meat that illustrate the plight of animals who are grown to be abused and eaten. They are well aware of what they will see in these videos, but they don't want to see the consequences of their irresponsible choices. Like ostriches with their heads in the sand, they figure not looking will keep the consequences from actualization.
Then of course there is the crowd who hides behind the horrendously fallible banner of "individual choice" who don't give a fuck what happens to anyone or anything but themselves.
Yesterday we were blessed with beautiful weather and a wonderful meal. The meal consisted of "chicken," "riblets," not-dogs, potato salad (made with veganaise of course), salad, and a chocolate mousse built from tofu. Even my parents, who probably haven't had a meatless meal since I was born, enjoyed the menu. My father, always the critic of my "liberal choices," did attempt to grade some of the food poorly in an attempt to show how wrong my veganism is (though of course he went back for seconds and attacked the leftovers this morning). It was probably the healthiest meal they've had in a while.
Tonight they're having fried chicken.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
View this video and face your choices.
Convinced? Get your vegetarian starter kit here.
Ok...I will admit it. I am an ostrich. I am one of those people who refuses to watch the videos because I know what they contain, yet I still eat chicken. I have always had internal conflict when it came to this and I know that if I cannot face it, then I shouldn't be condoning it. I feel it is time to try and make a personal change and to stop being dishonest with myself. Wish me luck!
Posted by Maureen | 2:06 PM
You don't need luck. It's easier than you would ever think.
Congratulations on doing the right thing.
Posted by Andrew Warner | 2:10 PM
You do oversimplify my situation, Andrew.
Firstly, veganism is much cheaper if you are not on a budget.
Secondly, raising a growing child as a vegan takes a knowledge base I do not currently have.
Thirdly, in a household where the other partner (my wife) does not wish to become a vegan -- the meal situations can become rather complex and stressful.
None of these excuse my destructive eating habits. I merely wish to clarify that my excuses have more meat to them than you described.
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati | 5:59 PM
Small sacrifices if you actually believe that animals are suffering.
If you truly believed in stopping the suffering of animals enough to slightly inconvenience yourself there are plenty of budgetary cutbacks most families could make. Cable, cell phones, cheaper cars, riding public transportation to save gas money – solutions are endless if stopping suffering really means that much to you... I'm sure there are some people who just can't afford it and if that's the case, that's the case (though there are plenty of cheap vegetables).
Of course when I am president I will subsidize organic, vegan food so that it is cheaper than McDonald's because I do understand what you are saying in regards to price.
Properly raising a child as a vegan could be learned from a small book (perhaps even a pamphlet). If you wanted to take up veganism and stop the suffering, you could pick one up or make a brief phone call to PETA who I'm sure would happily help you.
As far as significant others go: You provide your meals and let them worry about theirs if they are unwilling to care about something you are passionate about.
I don't mean to sound militant, but it is not nearly as inconvenient as people like to pretend that it is.
Posted by Andrew Warner | 6:24 PM
Dean,
In case you were curious where to start, there is a whole website dedicated to raising vegan children:
vegfamily.com.
Posted by Andrew Warner | 6:43 PM
Great move taking over the picnic, I should do the same for my next family get-together. I always bring my own "version" of dinner and they usually try it, but only one bite and then they go back to their greasy steaks.
So you were a pasta & cheese vegetarian eh? Any personal tips for making the switch? I was vegan for about two months but was eating reeeally poorly because I'm not a big fan of fruits & veggies and I'm a lousy cook. I know these are just excuses but they are serious roadblocks for me. I can't get away from Cheez-Its, ice cream, and alfredo sauce!
I like how you explain veganism with a simple philosophy, "all suffering is bad." It's crazy how some people really can't grasp a life without meat. Or they really trust that meat is raised humanely and quality is never sacrificed for efficiency and profit. I like to tell them "there's a reason that bacon cheeseburger is only a dollar." And by the way-- I used to live off those things too. I ate some really god-awful meat back in the day (I'm talking Speedway hotdogs here), I think my body is choosing veganism in an attempt to save itself.
I find it very interesting the whole universal veggie experience of having to justify our actions to omnivores. I made a whole page on my website about it, hoping at least one person will read it and begin to understand the logic.
One last note, speaking of ostriches, have you seen Rise Against's new video?
P.S. Good luck Maureen, if I can do it, you can do it! Your conscience and the animals will thank you!!
Posted by Laura | 11:51 AM
Thanks! I got 3 days so far and don't feel inconvenienced at all actually. I am quickly becoming a pasta and cheese vegetarian though...I need to learn how to cook too!
Posted by Maureen | 6:59 PM
Dean, et. al.:
I'm very glad that you've taken the first step in acknowledging your "destructive behavior." As you suggest, making ethical choices can at times be "complex and stressful."
American slaveowners, for example, were faced with just such a situation in weighing the oppression of their slaves against their own economic stablity. Nonetheless, owning slaves was and is wrong, and is to be condemned, regardless of the hardship one might face as a result of freeing one's slaves.
Of course, owning slaves and eating meat are not morally equivalent. And, fortunately, it's much easier to be a vegetarian than it was for slaveowners to release their slaves! Refer to the websites already mentioned and try it out for a few weeks. You'll find that it's a slight change in lifestyle, but not one that will come at significant cost or inconvenience.
Posted by Ross | 10:39 AM