Opinion: Vegans should let us eat whatever

Happy Veganuary everybody. No, that is not a euphemism for Happy New Year. It’s apparently the month when people are encouraged to try a vegan diet.

I have no problem with anyone trying a vegan diet although it won’t happen in our house because there would be an out and out riot.

It’s bad enough when I refuse to serve meat on Good Friday. I’m sure there are plenty of people quite happily enjoying their vegan diet who really don’t feel the need to convert anyone else.

What I do have a problem with is those extremist vegans who believe they are somehow a more superior person to anyone who dares to eat meat and that they hold the moral high ground.

They seem to feel this gives them the right to attack anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their philosophy.

On Twitter a friend found a quote in which a woman said she felt there was no difference between eating a lamb chop and a piece of a human child! Yes, you read that right. Now, as far as I understand it, being a vegan is not eating meat, but eating human flesh is cannibalism. One acceptable, one totally not.

There is also a push for people to feed their dogs and cats a vegan diet. From everything I have read, it is not advisable. While it is possible for these animals to survive on a vegan diet, they need careful monitoring from a vet, and even then, there are risks. Personally, I can’t imagine not being able to give a dog a bone.

Celebrities are very fond of jumping on the vegan bandwagon. Singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, who has been vegetarian for years, is converting to veganism this month.

Apparently, she made the decision, once she fully understood where meat came from. Would love to know where she originally thought it came from!

What so many of the extremist vegans don’t seem to be able get their head around is how fortunate they are to even have a choice of diet. There are many in the world who are lucky if they even have any food to eat. Perhaps they should consider this before lecturing others on what they should, or should not, eat.

It’s time to live and let live or, more to the point, eat what you want and allow others to do the same.

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