Vegans . . .

Vegans, along with vegetarians, are scum.

Meat is God's gift to the working man.

I'm a vegan. One of the main reasons is because I don't want animals to be exploited for the food in which I eat.

Veganism, the same as vegetarianism is about the deliberate harming of animals. Unfortunately, as you had said, animals and insects are killed in a number of ways, but many of these instances are accidental, not deliberate.

Vegans, along with vegetarians, are scum.

Meat is God's gift to the working man.

Also, I have pet cats in 'captivity'; would vegans consider that unethical? I like to think they lead very good, comfortable lives and they are well loved. I adore my cats and treat them with respect but there are some people who say I'm wrong for keeping them.

Like someone else metioned, aren't animals on organic/free range farms often better off?

Your points are all correct.. pretty much everything we do involves killing in one way or another. There are hidden deaths in everything.. unfortunately hidden human deaths too (coca-cola/shell oil etc etc).

Its always a case of being "as vegan as you can be". Its impossible to avoid suffering you know isnt there, or thats involved in products you actually need... but it is possible to avoid dairy, eggs and all derivatives, animal susbstances in products, cosmetic animal testing...

You can always be more ethical than you are, but I find veganism (from an animal right point of view) a good balance between hypocracy and extremism.

Keeping pets is not unethical as such but its a common debating point among vegans. I personally am uncomfortable keeping pets, and would at most foster a rescue animal if it had nowhere else to go.

And why is that exactly?

I see what you mean.

The thing is, what about people who can't afford all of the vegan substitutes for things? I mean, some people just can't afford to buy loads of organic stuff.

He doesn't know what he is talking about, that lad.

Anyway, I am a vegetarian... I think veganism is a little too 'militant' and I would be probably putting my health at risk if I did subscribe to veganism because I am very thin and aneamic as it is, so my maion source of Iron (meat) is already ruled out I have to look to cheese and eggs etc. But even so, I just wouldn't be a vegan. I am a vegetarian because I disagree with animals being killed for our food tables and that's it.

What's wrong with it though?

Like I keep saying, please don't think I'm having a go. I'm just curious to find out about veganism.

You dont need all that. My shopping consists almost entirely of fruits, vegetables, pulses, spices and grains, which I buy from markets and whole food shops. The only slightly pricey ingredients I use are oils, nuts and seeds... even soya milk is cheaper than cow's milk if you pop into Aldi. I have and can easily live on less than £8/week.

Hmmm. You never get meat-eaters telling you they're meat-eaters.

Why do veggies et al feel the need to impose their ill-founded politics on everybody else?

Ah, that's cool.

Erm, let me get this straight, do you think I'm complicit in the deaths of animals for consuming eggs and milk? I met a vegan who accused me of that.