Meat...is what's for dinner...

I am becoming increasingly impatient with the large number of people who feel the need to impose their beliefs on my life everywhere I turn -  on the news, on social media, hell, right to my face.  Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a pretty easy-going person, and the last thing I would ever do is pass judgment or attempt to steer someone to my way of thinking against their own beliefs.  Bottom line? I don’t really care what you think, believe, or subscribe to in your life.  They are choices, YOUR choices. And while we may agree on some things, it is doubtful that anything you say to me will make me run to your side of the fence, so please, climb down off of your royal soapbox.  This goes for any variety of issues – politics, religion, women’s rights, vegan vs. vegetarian vs. knuckle dragging meat eaters (that would be me.)

Let’s chat a bit about vegetarians.  If you get your kicks from killing poor innocent and defenseless plants that have never done a thing to you, then by all means go for it. (I’m joking about the cruelty to plants part, of course.)  But seriously, do I relish the thought of animal slaughter? Nope, absolutely not.  Animal cruelty? That would be a negative as well.  But, unfortunately for the cow, chicken, pig, or sea-related creature, humans are at the top of the food chain,  and I will take my steak medium rare. If I can find cruelty-free, free-ranging, happy chickens, cows or pigs to eat, then that is even better.  I’m all for what is humane when it comes to animal slaughter.  The only thing that doesn’t really thrill me is veal or lamb…not that I don’t love them both, and certainly not that I’ve never eaten it.  I’m just not down with the whole process to get the lamb or veal from farm to store to my plate.  My decision.  If you wish to have your veal marsala, then by all means, please do. That stuff is damn tasty. 

Here are the people I really love…vegetarians who will eat fish ( believe they refer to themselves as pescatarians), as if somehow the fish is less of an animal to them than say, Bessie the Cow.  Don’t tell the fish that, I bet he feels differently.  If you are going to be strong in your convictions, then don’t be selective.  Animal cruelty is your crusade?  Then it should include all animals, not just the ones you deem important enough to care about. It doesn’t quite work like that, just sayin.

Likewise, posting pictures of slaughtered dogs in Asia on your facebook page is not going to bring me around to your way of thinking.  Last time I checked, as a general rule, we do not eat dogs in the United States, so I’m not all that worried about dog consumption in my backyard. As for what happens in Asia, well, I really don’t have any control over that. We keep dogs in our homes as companions.  For some people they are more like decorations, only to be let out of their kennel cage when the mood strikes their owner. I think that pisses me off even more.  If you are going to have pets in your life, then they should be family members, with the ability to have a happy existence, not locked up in a cage for twelve hours out of the day.  That to me is no less cruel than killing a dog to eat. But it is none of my business how you handle your dog no more than it is any of your business what kind of tasty animal I am serving for dinner in my home. 

Opinions are like assholes.  Everyone has one, and most people have the ability to BE one.  I could take issue with some people’s opinions, but that would require me to care, and for the most part, I just don’t.  Some people are important to me –my family, my friends and a few others I hold dear.  People who think they are all-knowing and the only enlightened ones on the planet?  They mean nothing to me.

Keep your crusades to yourself, or go buy a membership to PETA (like those are some sane people.)  No one really cares anyway. And as for my dinner? Yes, I will be serving meat for dinner this evening – steak in fact.  And NO it is NONE of your damn business. 

NOM NOM NOM.