I do not understand the need for some omnivores (no one is exclusively a carnivore - although I know a few people who come close) to undermine or criticize destructively the vegetarian or vegan dietary choice. It is a sound choice not only for personal health reasons, but for increasingly apparent reasons concerning environmental health, and very importantly, the humane aspect of animal treatment and so forth.

Having expressed my respect for these choices, that begs the question on why I haven't completely abandoned meat from my diet. Well, I have scaled back considerably over the past few years, and that is related to the three reasons outlined above. As of this point in my life, I can't quite make the leap to quit eating meat altogether - it's not just because of flavor, or a feeling that I can't live without it - it's also the power of habit and the ease of access and meats' prevalence. If something is readily available, I tend to eat it (hence the reason I have banned ice cream from the freezer - it has helped me lose weight to do so). I suppose these theories could be dismissed as excuses or personal weaknesses, but I figure by at least reducing my meat intake, I acknowledge that I am not completely powerless in changing my diet, nor in helping the environment or stopping animal cruelty.

The most important thing, however, is that I have never stopped considering a vegetarian diet. I have not used the reasons in the preceding paragraph as excuses to give up the idea. As long as the idea remains viable, and possible, it makes sense for me to educate myself on vegetarianism/veganism, instead of deriding it.

Yes, I realize there are people on both sides of the dietary wars who aggravate and annoy the other camp, but since I eat meat, I feel I should only speak up on what fellow meat-eating omnivores get wrong. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson's defense of free religious choice, a person choosing a vegetarian/vegan diet neither picks my pocket or breaks my leg. Can we meat-eaters say the same about our choice?

I will continue to ponder my choice, and as I do, will seek dialogue with vegetarians/vegans, not confrontation and derision.