Vegans?

Like any thread, a poster pondering and interested in the views of others I presume.

Why ask?

Are you phoenix in disguise?
I asked because I was interested to know.
Why not ask?

No, I'm me.

I must admit, it's my idea of a panic-stricken dinner party; carnivores, fish-eaters, vegetarians, vegans, lactose intolerant and coeliac. I have catered for all except a vegan.

Aside from those who have to follow a specific diet for health reasons Jalima , most people are considerate and understanding that a host will do their best to accommodate their food preferences, don't you find. Until i came across this thread, I had no idea that vegans and vegetarians were so angry with carnivores! My vegan colleague has possibly been fuming at the other 7 of us for the past 8 years. Who knew!

Maybe you should reread the OP, to find out who has been having a go at vegans.

No, it sounds like a series of questions which is puzzling the OP and ones which it is a good idea to air and open up to discussion.

It doesn't sound as if anyone has been having a go at anyone at all, that seems like a rather defensive reaction.

Some reasoned arguments as to why some people prefer a vegan lifestyle can be quite enlightening.

Go and re read my post and see where I said that I, personally had never known anyone be unpleasant or mean to a vegan or vegetarian. And that includes my DS and DDIL.

I honestly didn't read the OP as "having a go at vegans". I haven't read comments here as "having a go at vegans". Most posters recognise the genuine motivation behind becoming either vegetarian or vegan. Anger is usually associated with meat eaters, rather than non meat eaters

I would cater for a vegan if I invited one to my house for meal, of course I would, but I would need to know in advance what was suitable.

I've often heard vegetarians grilled about their dietary preferences, once or twice quite aggressively. Live and let live.

My vegan colleague seems to have a good selection of foods Jalima and he often offers bits and pieces for us to try. Some of his food is quite spicy, so not to my taste anyway, but the homemade biscuits he brings in are very acceptable! He's a nice chap, doesn't appear to have a chip on his shoulder about vegans v carnivores; just gets on with his life and we get on with ours.

"Shall we go back to trading in beans?", just because vegans object to having animal products used in bank notes?
That's having a go at vegans. Omnivores obviously don't care about having tallow in banknotes. Vegans and vegetarians avoid it because it comes from the abattoir. Now we are either being made to knowingly accept it, or make a fuss about accepting fivers.
Ten pound notes are also going to be made using tallow.
It's thoughtless, and insulting to those who avoid it for religious reasons, not just vegans and vegetarians for "lifestyle" reasons, which was also sneered at in the OP.
What is wrong with becoming vegan for lifestyle reasons?
People can become vegan for whatever reason they want, in my opinion.

My son sometimes gets asked why he's a vegetarian and he just explains why he decided to cut meat and fish out of his diet, but he's never had anyone be aggressive about it. Why on earth would anyone become aggressive about what someone else does or doesn't eat? What's it got to do with anyone else what you do or don't eat?

Indeed you can durham, you can lead any lifestyle you so wish. You can eat meat and fish; or you can refuse to - your choice. No one's arguing with you, that I can see.

So why was this thread started, I ask again.

Dunno durham. Idle curiosity? Interesting subject matter? Quiet day in the office? Who knows or cares really .

Someone saying " I have a bit of struggle with people who . . ." is not getting at them, it is saying that the OP has a bit of a struggle!

Dozens of threads are started every day less mildly than that. Some of your own posts, dj, imply that you "have a bit of a struggle" (to put it mildly) with people who hold views which are not the same as yours. Isn't it just a bit self-centred and over-sensitive to assume that you are being got at when you aren't?

I thought vegans were making a fuss about fivers? Have they stopped because palm oil is no better, in fact it's probably worse and ends up killing causing the deaths of animals that we are not going to eat.

Nowt wrong with a properly and humanely run abattoir and nowt wrong with eating meat either.

Wot Elegran says ( with a few choice bells and whistles added.)

Chewbacca I bet very few people these days have any problems with either vegetarians or vegans, certainly none that I have heard of, and there are many all vegetarian cafes around the place.

There are certainly more vegan and vegetarian cafes and restaurants these days Roses, and also a much greater choice on mainstream restaurant menus for them, I'm glad to say. Years ago, it was pretty difficult to find anywhere to eat with DS, that catered for his choices but that's definitely not the case now. I must try to remember to ask him, and DIL, if they've had anyone being aggressive or negative towards them, regarding their vegetarianism. I'd be surprised if they had.

Teatime, thanks for the info on how Bill Clinton lost weight. I've been bothered by his appearance lately and thought he must have some nasty illness. Doesn't suit him.
I'm vegetarian by the way and have been since the age of four. I grew up in farming and so was surrounded by animals and the reason for breeding them. It was all a bit too close for comfort for me.

Durhamjen, There seems to be misinformation that meat is a recent addition to our diet when, as I stated, there is evidence going back more than 2.5 million years that meat was being used by early man. It probably was a very minor part of the diet but as brain capacity increased the ability to hunt successfully and in time domesticate animals increased the availability of that excellent protein source. I did not intend to suggest than early man did not eat vegetables, presumably the diet was similar to that of a chimpanzee. What is clear is that the introduction of meat coincided with mankind's huge developmental advance which has resulted in where we are today in evolutionary terms.
As for your question to me about how much natural raw meat I eat I don't see any relevance but as you ask the answer is none.

no, me neither, but I am starting to fancy a bacon sarnie.

Clinton changed his diet after two heart attacks, he had to lose weight and avoid the (delicious) fatty diet previous enjoyed.