My beef with vegans

Do I dare?

Don't take this post too seriously. Lately I have felt off, and it's easy to get a bit judgmental when things seem out of sorts internally. Rather than one more person ripping on Lance for what was obvious, I decided to go in a different direction.

I actually have no problem with vegans. In fact, I applaud anyone who chooses this way of living, especially if the choice is for environmental or moral reasons, not simply because it's in fashion to be one. I'm sure I'm not alone when I freely admit that I'm impressed with how Scott Jeruk conducts his life. The world might be a better place if more people tried to follow his lead when it comes to diet. I realize that generalizations never go over well, so before I jump fully into my post, I will state that the following only applies to a select few in the vegan community. Unfortunately, these few seem to be the most vocal yet the most incapable of presenting ideas and facts in a truthful way.

First let me just put it out there that I don't like when I get so upset that I feel the need to unleash a string of unsympathetic words on someone; however, I get really sick of people jumping on their high horse while incorrectly citing studies in order to support their cause. It's not just vegans, of course, but the number of times I have read an incorrect statement about a study relating to milk, meat or eggs written by a devout vegan is staggering. What amazes me is that sometimes even the study itself, which is often more of a survey, or the authors of the study claim that the results are inconclusive, yet people twist and then spread the news around as if their version of the results were hardcore facts. My feeling is that if you don't know how to read a study and don't understand what the findings mean, don't cite it. Instead, express your thoughts and your opinions on the matter.

Citing a study incorrectly is worse than writing a piece with no references. I don't think people who blindly misuse studies are stupid or anything. Most writers have probably done it at least once, but it shows a lack of attention. I wouldn't be surprised if I have done it in the past, though I attempt to be careful. By the way, does anyone else find it strange that a vegan website or an animal rights activist would cite a study in which lab rats are so obviously mistreated? Dr. Campbell's study with rats exposed to carcinogens is probably one of the most misused and misunderstood experiments I can think of, but it's probably the most (incorrectly) cited in the vegan world. I don't think very many individuals have actually read the study, only the propaganda floating around on the internet relating to it. Unfortunately, people now claim that milk protein causes cancer, which, simply put, is bullshit. The study was inconclusive and none of the rats developed cancer, but I have already gone into great detail with that one. Now non-meat eaters are claiming eating eggs is as bad as smoking. Someone should have told my grandparents who all lived to be healthy and active into their 90's that eating eggs was super BAAAADD for them and could have killed them!

I guess my point in all of this is that one has to be very careful when gathering information, especially from websites and blogs that advertise anything relating to healthy living. Obviously there are informative blogs out there, but anyone jumping on the healthy-living bandwagon is not automatically an expert in health and nutrition. Choosing a certain lifestyle does not suddenly certify anyone as a dietitian either. When I think of healthy living, I can't help but remember the lady who suggested putting sugar-free Jello on EVERYTHING, including carrots, as if that's some kind of well-balance diet. Sadly, some very unwell people can throw a healthy-living title on their blog and get unsuspecting readers to believe that what they present is valid. Here's a good article on the topic of these kinds of blogs possibly not being all they claim to be: Healthy-Living Blogs. 

If you say things like, "I can't believe how easy it is to be vegan and don't understand why anyone wouldn't choose this lifestyle," you probably have never dealt with many health issues. Good for you. Also, the more you imply my choice to eat a more well-rounded diet is due to a lack of intelligence, the more I will point out your inability to properly understand and cite scientific studies.  Again, I have mad respect for those those who choose to be vegan. I have often contemplated the idea of becoming one myself, only my past experiences of being so sick on a vegan diet hold me back. However, I sort of want to try again just so I can NOT shove my lifestyle down people's throats.

Where are the vegans standing up for these guys? 

Well, aren't I the critical one today? 

In other news, I have started to work again on my novel. It's funny how something that seemed so brilliant at one point can seem downright lame several months down the road. Ahh, writing is rewriting, as they say.