C. James Strutz wrote:
>>Those of you who've insisted on calling me vegan despite my personal
>>objections to the term can finally stop. You can call me a flexitarian,
>>pescetarian, or, better yet, just call me "usual suspect." I don't have
>>time for mixing food with politics unless it involves civil conversation
>>OVER a meal, not uncivil conversation ABOUT it.
>
> Being that this is usenet, civil conversation OVER a meal isn't possible.
> That leaves only uncivil conversation ABOUT it. :^)

And how ironic that you're the one to offer it.

> I wonder if you also
> enjoyed the increased risk of hepatitis,

The last major outbreak of food-borne hepatitis in the US involved GREEN
ONIONS. Most food-borne illnesses in the US are caused by produce.

> bacterial contamination,

Most food-borne illnesses in the US are caused by produce.

> and intestinal parasites.

Not related only to meat consumption. More people become ill from
tainted produce, not from tainted meat.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/parasite.htm

>>I enjoyed sashimi -- raw fish -- with my sushi today for lunch. I await
>>all your nasty replies expressing outrage that I contributed to the death
>>of *one* tuna, because I'd love the opportunity to point out that the rice
>>in my sushi was responsible for far more animal deaths than the little bit
>>of fish I ate (on second thought, it was a couple generous helpings). You
>>wouldn't give a shit if I'd had my usual *vegetarian* sushi today, even
>>though it would've *still* caused animal deaths.
>
> You can buy native wild rice that occurs naturally and is harvested without
> involving ANY animal deaths.

Wild rice would be horrible wrapped in seaweed. The wild rice of which
you speak is also not widely available.

>>So I really must ask, Why do you only object to the death of *ONE* tuna?
>
> Because it's at least one less death.

Objecting only to 1001st death. Why be so cavalier about the lives of
the first 1000?

>>Face it, you only object to the actual eating of animals. You don't give a
>>damn if they're killed in the billions. If one dead tuna or steer gets
>>eaten, you say it's bad; if thousands and thousands of animals killed for
>>rice or other grain production, you find it fully acceptable or even pass
>>the buck and blame the farmer for farming in a manner you financially
>>support. Your worldview is so utterly ****ed, and you're so hypocritical.
>
> Feel the love....

Feel the *truth*.