Taco Bell joins Europe's Horse Meat Parade...- Page 2

[bethnor]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 3:54pm

the reality is, civilization should move towards vegetarianism.

the knowledge that all mammals are our kin is only recent in the history of life, which is why the transition is so difficult. we were ignorant of this fact for tens of thousands of years.

probably religious prohibitions against eating pork is a derivation of prohibitions against cannibalism. you will notice that many firefighters won't eat roast pork, as the smell of burning human is the same. in cultures that still practice cannibalism, the term for human is "long pig." the "aha" moment for one blogger who owned a pig was when she cooked bacon, and her pet loved the smell. apparently, when eaten, we taste like pig.

as many people have pointed out, the distinction as to what is a pet and what is not is completely artificial.

and the truth is, if many of us who ate meat actually saw the conditions under which the animal was raised (unable to move, ****ting and vomiting on each other) you probably wouldn't eat it on that basis alone. much less the sound it makes when it is slaughtered (the dying scream of a pig is very human, apparently). much less watching it get killed.

this isn't a militant call for everyone to be vegetarian. we are the prisoners of history, sadly, and were raised on meat. but it is a worthwhile goal to try to minimize our need for it.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 4:36pm

This is an age old topic, Bethnor, which usually leads to a heated argument! I'm not here to argue, but to ask the question - how do we really know whether humans are meant to eat meat or not. Who decided?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 4:52pm

"the reality is, civilization should move towards vegetarianism."

If the invisible genie in the sky wanted us to be vegan, then he shouldn’t have made creatures that are delicious to eat…

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 4:54pm

Bethnor, I disagree with almost everything you've written but this:

"the reality is, civilization should move towards vegetarianism."

I'll start with the fact that I was a vegan for two years, a vegetarian for five, and now I eat meat once or twice a month, sometimes oftener with fish.

I don't know what to make of your assertion that we have but recently learned of our kinship with mammals. We've known of it since we've known what mammals were. Not sure what difference that makes.

"probably religious prohibitions against eating pork is a derivation of prohibitions against cannibalism. you will notice that many firefighters won't eat roast pork,"

No, it was because of the diseases that were rampant amongst pig that are easier to guard against now. Your anecdotal evidence that firefighters don't tend to eat pork does not match mine at all. I know a LOT of firefighters, and one of the first things that goes on a bbq list is pork ribs.

I agree that most commercial animal farming businesses are inhumane, though people like Temple Grandin have worked to make it a little better. I personally think that anyone that eats meat should not only visit these companies, but should also be capable of killing and preparing their own meat.

" we are the prisoners of history, sadly, and were raised on meat."

Actually, we're prisoners of biology. We are not vegetarians, we are omnivores. We need some meat to remain healthy (yes, it is possible to stay healthy on a vegan or vegetarian diet, but it takes a lot of work and planning, and it is NOT natural).

All that said, we eat FAR too much meat, and it's hurting not only our health, but the health of our planet as well.



Updated On: 3/2/13 at 04:54 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:03pm

In my experience, it is only vegans and vegetarians who are angry and lecture and preach at those who eat meat. But we meat eaters are not bothered by what anyone else eats.

I say live and let live. Or, eat and let eat! (oy, corny)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:06pm

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:07pm

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:26pm

thanks for posting that picture Diva - now I won't rest until I have some of that!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:38pm

Yes, we are omnivores, proven by our teeth structure. We were (I guess the proper word is) designed to eat meat. I too went Vegan for a couple years when I frequented and ashram upstate. Found it hard to supplement the various proteins and vitamins and such a diet with animal flesh provides. Tarted including eggs and cheese into my diet. It was a ham and cheese croissant that finally did me in.
I do not eat meat daily or even weekly but do on occasion beef out. It is a craving, a craving that I believe from my body's need for animal protein.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 6:52pm

I was waiting for lunch today and overheard this at Posh Bagel:

Woman: I need a salad that doesn't have eggs or any cheese.
Cashier: (indistinguishable)
Woman: I'm vegan, so that's a problem.

I wanted to tell the woman that her being a vegan was the problem. It's that attitude I have with vegans that make me want to slap them. Veganism is a choice, and eating establishments shouldn't be forced to cater.

Funny thing is, this place is a bagel place. Bagels, by definition, aren't vegan, so she needs to go somewhere else.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 7:18pm

My cousins have been vegan for as long as I can remember. I forget everything they did, but they made a lot of their own food. I know their mother did a ton of research on how to do it right. Since I was really young when we went to visit them, I thought it was weird. But, they've managed to make it work.

On the other side, I had a friend who went vegan and did not do research. She just refused to eat anything with animal products in it and would give up anything if she wasn't sure what an ingredient was, but she was convinced it was probably an animal product. Our senior year of high school, all she ate at lunch was a protein bar and that blue colored Pepsi they made for awhile. it was disturbing. We are no longer friends, but for more reasons than her psycho animal rights views.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 7:24pm

My roommate is vegan except she's cool about it. She'll sometimes share her food with me and it's always good. She uses a lot of tofu but also portobello mushrooms, which are pretty meaty in their own right.

I keep telling her I'd be vegan if I could still eat chicken.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 7:31pm

"I was waiting for lunch today and overheard this at Posh Bagel:

Woman: I need a salad that doesn't have eggs or any cheese.
Cashier: (indistinguishable)
Woman: I'm vegan, so that's a problem.

I wanted to tell the woman that her being a vegan was the problem. It's that attitude I have with vegans that make me want to slap them. Veganism is a choice, and eating establishments shouldn't be forced to cater.

Funny thing is, this place is a bagel place. Bagels, by definition, aren't vegan, so she needs to go somewhere else."

Not knowing what the cashier said, that actually is a reasonable request. For all you know, that vegan is allergic to eggs and lactose intolerant. I have a sibling who is allergic to balsamic vinegar to a life-threatening degree. It's surprising how many things that it is in. She always has to ask.

There are very few vegan restaurants even in as cosmopolitan city as new york. Requests must be made sometimes.

Updated On: 3/2/13 at 07:31 PM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:14pm

I get that but the woman didn't say that first. The cashier didn't know this customer was vegan. What irked me is that the customer made it sound like the cashier was wrong for even suggesting that this "poor customer" eat meat or diary. I wish I knew what the woman said, but I didn't catch it.

After being a server, I understand people have allergies but I can't read minds so if you don't ask questions or you don't tell me something, I can't fix it. And don't even get me started on those gluten free people. For the most part, diets are a choice.

I'm reminded of a buzzfeed thing about the Kosher diet and this woman went on and on, whining, about how hard it is to be Kosher. She could always say no and eat that lasagna.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:26pm

"I'm reminded of a buzzfeed thing about the Kosher diet and this woman went on and on, whining, about how hard it is to be Kosher. She could always say no and eat that lasagna."

Not if she's following the laws of kashrut.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:46pm

"I understand people have allergies but I can't read minds so if you don't ask questions or you don't tell me something, I can't fix it. And don't even get me started on those gluten free people. For the most part, diets are a choice. "

I'm honestly not trying to be argumentative, but as a server have you really had a lot of people allergic to things and have them tell you about it only after the fact? That sounds very odd.

As to the vegan incident you sort of overheard, I'll say this: salads are usually made with greens. Often other things, usually other vegetables, but not usually eggs or cheese. I certainly wouldn't expect cheese or eggs in a salad unless I ordered them.

"And don't even get me started on those gluten free people. For the most part, diets are a choice. "

You think being gluten-free is fun? It's a huge pain in the ass, and makes it very difficult to dine out. I've been cook for people who are required for health reasons to maintain a glutain-free diet and it is quite challenging to come up with variety.

Perhaps you should look a little harder into this before you make such harsh judgements. You may be fortunate that for you, your diet is a choice. For some, it can literally be life or death.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:51pm

Well, if you were on the fence...
Here's What They Do To Animals So We Can Eat Them

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:07pm

One of my friends works for the FDA and one of his jobs is to travel around the country and inspect slaughter houses and those kind of things.

He said he's not pretty. In order to eat pork, the pigs have their faced pulled off by giant spinning spike things.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:10pm

are you saying their faces are pulled off while alive?

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:13pm

You know, I don't remember if he specified.

Let's assume they're killed first.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:20pm

Taco-Taco-Taco Taco Bell!

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:21pm

Well, given he said "In order to eat pork, the pigs have their faced pulled off by giant spinning spike things.", I think I'll take the whole thing with a grain of salt. Despite assertations in this thread that pigs eat each other (which they can do under stress), I'd think it would be awfully damn difficult to eat anything with your face pulled off.

Can we just stick to provable facts here and not anecdotes?

eta:




Ever wonder why that taco bell on 6th ave nevre re-opened? Updated On: 3/2/13 at 09:21 PM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:32pm

Fair enough.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:38pm

OMG, I remember seeing that!!!!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 9:58pm