Ok I want to bitch about something. So if you don't want to hear bitching... this might be a good day not to read my journal. Don't worry , I'll still love you 
So I don't care if people are vegan or not. Ok that's not entirely true, for the sake of animals, I would certainly like it if everyone happened to be vegan. But I don't parade around trying to convert everyone I see. I don't refuse to eat dinner with people who eat meat and I definitely understand that there are a lot of non-vegans in the peace corps or who donate thousands of dollars to Romanian orphans who are a lot better than me.
I don't care if your clothes were made in China, some of mine were. It happens.
I don't care if you really don't give a shit that a HUGE percentage of people on Pine Ridge are living in poverty, that teen suicide rates and alcoholism are ridiculously high there, and that over half the adults have diabetes.
I dont even care if you care or not. I don't even really care if you don't know about these things. At one point, I didn't know about them. I realize there are a lot of things I probably still don't know about. There is no requirement for perfection. I could live in a smaller house and give more to charity, but I don't.
But heres my deal. Why do people feel the need to be total ass monkeys about the fact that I and various other people DO CARE? And why when someone tries to explain reality to them do they deny it? Not just say "I dont give shit," but deny it? Don't try to tell me vegans don't get enough protein, we do. Don't try to tell me that Native Americans don't live in poverty, I've been to South Dakota, it would blow your mind.
Well.. that sounds a lot angier than I meant it to. I'm not really angry at all. Thanksgiving has caused me to think of a lot of these things and since this is a forum for sharing, I thought I would share
So I don't care if people are vegan or not. Ok that's not entirely true, for the sake of animals, I would certainly like it if everyone happened to be vegan. But I don't parade around trying to convert everyone I see. I don't refuse to eat dinner with people who eat meat and I definitely understand that there are a lot of non-vegans in the peace corps or who donate thousands of dollars to Romanian orphans who are a lot better than me.
I don't care if your clothes were made in China, some of mine were. It happens.
I don't care if you really don't give a shit that a HUGE percentage of people on Pine Ridge are living in poverty, that teen suicide rates and alcoholism are ridiculously high there, and that over half the adults have diabetes.
I dont even care if you care or not. I don't even really care if you don't know about these things. At one point, I didn't know about them. I realize there are a lot of things I probably still don't know about. There is no requirement for perfection. I could live in a smaller house and give more to charity, but I don't.
But heres my deal. Why do people feel the need to be total ass monkeys about the fact that I and various other people DO CARE? And why when someone tries to explain reality to them do they deny it? Not just say "I dont give shit," but deny it? Don't try to tell me vegans don't get enough protein, we do. Don't try to tell me that Native Americans don't live in poverty, I've been to South Dakota, it would blow your mind.
Well.. that sounds a lot angier than I meant it to. I'm not really angry at all. Thanksgiving has caused me to think of a lot of these things and since this is a forum for sharing, I thought I would share
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But...If you really were interested in an answer to your question...I wonder if the source of Why do people feel the need to be total ass monkeys about the fact that I and various other people DO CARE? might depend on the presentation of And why when someone tries to explain reality to them do they deny it? Not just say I dont give shit, but deny it?
I think that makes people defensive, because they may not be in denial...but may not actually agree with the facts. Having been raised in Montana, and having known many people involved with cattle and chicken ranches...and also having seen the PETA videos...most of what I saw in the PETA videos is actually illegal. Meaning, if a ranch operated that way, they would pay fines and/or be shutdown.
I mean, I dont eat much meat for health reasons...but I have no issue with it. Now, my choice when I eat meat is free range over standard corporate...for both health and I do think the animals are much better treated...but if you were telling someone who eats meat Its OK to be in denial. and Its OK that you just dont care what happens to animals. ...I mean, are you really surprised they get defensive :-)
Just thoughts :-D
I would never call someone an ass monkey to thier face. Since I have yet to have one of these encounters with someone on SG I don't consider this journal entry really saying it to their face.
I'm not actually surprised that people are defensive and I fully understand that sometimes things sound preachy when they are not meant to be. I also grew up on a cattle ranch 0 on of those last few where the cattle actually do run free (until, of course, they are killed) and I know a lot of the shit in PETA videos is illegal -- that's part of the point is that regulations don't do what they are meant to do.
I would not ever say that or anything like it: Its OK to be in denial. and Its OK that you just dont care what happens to animals. What I don't like is when I've known someone for awhile and then one day they offer me a cheeseburger. And I say "no thanks" and they say "why" and I say "cause I'm vegan, but thanks for offering" and they say "OMG YOUR VEGAN? Why didnt you tell me? Why are you vegan? Do you get enough protein? You like cant eat ANYTHING? Are you one of those PETA wackos? OMG thats so WEIRD!!!"
Curiosity I can handle, defensive even I can handle, rude I cannot handle.