Hello.
I was thinking about an incident this year. While teaching at a school for the Cognitively Impaired I came across a woman with no sense of humor. A speech therapist so green she refused to joke with the students because it might not be politically correct. Trust me, these students are funny and have a great sense of humor. One of the aides for the class I was working in felt sorry for her because she had no friends. The aide wanted to take her out to dinner. The problem was this ST was apparently heavily into organic food. I suggested a local restaurant that caters to vegans, raw foodists and only serves organic food. When I suggested it to the ST, she went off. And by off, I mean I was grilled mercilessly for fifteen minutes. How do I know it’s organic food? She asked with a sneer that suggested reasons why she might not have any friends. I responded with “Uh, I personally have never eaten un-organic food. Plastic doesn’t digest well.” She was not amused. Eventually, I gave up and offered her a flip response about being a run of the mill vegetarian and walked away. I don’t feel bad about it either.
I couldn’t care less what other people eat. And that’s the way it should be. Yet, if you mention having a diet different from what most people consider normal, oy vey! Suddenly you are the weirdo with the salad, wearing hemp sandals, about to offer a speech on why a Prius is the only car to drive. And all the omnivores will gang up on you, pelting you with bacon and reasons why you shouldn’t be so strange.
I’ve been vegetarian on and off for over twenty years. I can go either way. I’m a food swinger you might say. I prefer a vegetarian lifestyle. I feel better and my weight doesn’t fluctuate so wildly. Less Giantess. However, I live in a house of carnivores who will snarl if not regularly thrown carcass. Sometimes it’s an eat it or starve situation. Eh, whatever.
What I don’t understand are those who feel their entire moral being is tied to what they eat or don’t eat. They want a medal and a standing ovation for not chewing the fat. PETA comes to mind here, as do several celebrity vegans. It’s food. Fuel for the body to make sure you can get from here to there without passing out from lack of nutrients.
I’ve never seen a vegetarian diet as all that strange or abnormal. I just take the veggies and leave the ham behind. It’s a choice. No wailing needed. Those, like our speech therapist un-friend, who set up social barriers with regards to their eating habits, have issues. Deep, therapy required, issues. I think for them it’s less about health than about identifying with a group. Perhaps a need to feel as though they belong and thus are morally superior. They’re not, just more difficult to please and less pleasant to talk to. And I hate it that I regularly get confused with these people.
I don’t belong to PETA. Not because I don’t like animals. I do. Particularly the fuzzy ones who bark you awake at 4 am because they need to pee. I don’t support PETA because I couldn’t consciously support a group that rants on about animal cruelty and regularly euthanizes more animals than the Humane Society. Hypocrites.
I won’t talk you ear off about harmful chemicals in your food, become rhapsodic about the benefits of a soy based diet, or shriek in horror when you steam a vegetable. I just don’t care enough, I’m afraid.
Eat what you want. Leave the attitude at home.
And if you see me with a giant plate of Baba Ghnoush, you really don’t have to stop and tell me what you think it looks like I’m eating. Honestly.
Dogwoman
