I knew of all the enviornmental, industrial, humanitarian, and health arguments against eating meat, and though they were pressing on me, it was the slippery raw, cold flesh that pushed me out of my ignorance. It wasn't only that I didn't like eating another creature of the earth, it was the invisionment of it's treatment during the duration of it's pathetic life. To be honest, if I lived on a farm, I might slaughter old Bessie when the time came to survive. But at least I would know she was treated with love and respect untill that time. My respect for animals is growing each and ecery day I view the injustive in which they are treated, and the love in which they are capable of giving. When a pig is slaughtered, does it not squeal? When a cow is hung, does it not call out?

When I go out with friends, and sometimes family, most are aware of my vegetarianism. This is where the interrogation begins. From them. I do not preach to them: "You are evil, cruel, unfeeling, and ignorant because you eat meat." I simply go about my ways of eating "rabbbit food." These are questions that I commonly hear, from people who seem too eager to take the offensive to take the spotlight off of their own conscience .."So why exactly are you a vegetarian?", "What kind of vegetarian are you?", "Hey potatoes have eyes, don't you feel sorry for them?", "Don't you need to eat meat to stay healthy?" "How do you feel about wearing leather, using animal tested products, etc.,etc."

However, I don't get impatient easily. Often times, I warn them, "Do you really want to get me started? Because once I start talking, you just can't turn me off. I can go on and on and on . . ." When I get pounded with questions, seeming to deem me the evil one for being odd, never speaking offensively, much less defensively, I briefly admit. I am not perfect. I may wear the occasional leather shoes, or use the shampoo that tests on animals, but what can I say? I say this: