Anyway, I thought it would be fun, maybe educational and probably a great mind tidying process, to compile some of the questions and try to come up with answers that can make sense.
I'll start by saying that this is all based on my current set of beliefs and that I'm always challenging them and questioning them and that they can evolve at any time to something a bit different. Let's just call this a "snapshot" of my beliefs and principles at this point in time.
1 - Are you a vegetarian?
I usually present myself as being a vegetarian, but in fact I'm not technically one. Although in some ways I surpass the definition of vegetarian, in others I fall a bit short. This happens because I still eat cheese and free range eggs (and sometimes eat products that use milk or cream or other dairy products, or even caged chicken eggs).
Let me give you a quick explanation on types of vegetarians:
Vegetarian: person that that doesn't eat any kind of product that comes from animals. That not only includes meat and fish, but also milk, eggs and even gelatin. There are also those who don't even eat honey since it comes from exploitation of bees (although usually this is a vegan approach).
Lacto-Vegetarians: vegetarians that also consume dairy products.
Ovo-Vegetarians: vegetarians that also eat eggs (usually free range).
Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarians: well.. guess :)
Vegan: it's a vegetarian that goes beyond the care for a vegetable diet. He/She also doesn't use any kind of products that come from animal's exploitation. That counts for wearing any clothes that use animal skin, wool, silk, furs, etc. Not even older camera films that contained animal gelatin.
I consider myself (up until now) some kind of Ovo-Lacto-Vegan, since I also don't buy anything that comes from animals (no leather shoes, no wool, etc) up to the best of my knowledge. I hope one day I can become a full vegan. That would be awesome and it's a great goal for me.
2 - Don't you like meat?
You will probably never meet anyone that likes eating meat more than me :)
3 - Why are you a vegetarian?
I think a lot about that. I'm always questioning myself about this and why.
I spent a lot of time in the past taking care of abandoned animals, either directly taken from the streets, of just to help animal associations. I even built an infirmary at home to hold ill animals to take care of.
I also participated in rallies and demonstrations for animal's rights.
It was suddenly very obvious to me and at the same time made me feel very stupid to come home after those activities and eat a steak from an animal that spent a miserable life to end up on my plate.
I really don't want to feel that my existence is the cause of any kind of suffering.
4 - But if the animal has a great life, do you care if he dies?
I have to confess, and this is one point that can change later: to me, if an animal has a great and peaceful life, and if he dies in a truly non-stressful way and without any kind of pain, and if it's death doesn't cause suffering to another animal (like from the same family), then it's just like a plant. This is the rational thought I've been struggling up until now. Anyway, up until today none of this is possible (for what I know). I really care a lot about not creating suffering.
5 - But why animals, why not people?
If you know me, you know the answer. If you don't, I can tell you that I didn't only work in the past to save and care for animals. I also volunteered for some time (and I am expecting to continue) to help homeless people. As I said before, I am against any kind of suffering. I will always try not to use animal tested products, as I will also always try not to buy products from sweatshops (like child manufactured products).
6 - I think your position is a bit fundamentalist
We can't just call a principle of never doing something we consider wrong as being fundamentalist. Would you call someone that, by principle, will never kill another human being, a fundamentalist? Or someone that will never rob, or hit someone. If you call this being a fundamentalist, then maybe I am.
7 - How do you know plants don't suffer like animals?
I can't be sure. But to the best of my knowledge, and from what I know of current science, they don't. Everything I do, and all my beliefs and principles, come from the best use I can make of my current knowledge, and I'm always trying to learn more.
If you think there are more constructive question I could add to this post, just shoot it in the comments or by email.
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