I think we should have"How to Answer Obnoxious Anti-Animal Rights/Vegetarian Statements" Repository.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

We get the same statements time and again. The "all pit bulls should be executed" crowd. The "people are made to eat meat crowd" The "People Eating Tasty Animals" crowd. Etc. Etc. Etc. I think since we *know* the statements, we should pool our resources and create well structured answers complete with references to them. Then when they come up every week or so, we can just refer said poster to the link. I think it would be a good project to work on and a good way to handle certain posters.

[yewberry]

1. Absolutely.

Elad started one, but it didn't get too far.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=231x13102

Never even got around to the 'people eating tasty animals' crap, though. Oh, how I do hate that stupid remark.

[WillParkinson]

9. My answer to the "what does P.E.T.A stand for?"

Isn't it People Eating Tasty Animals?

Oh, no, that's not it. It's People Educating Total Assholes. But I can understand why you were confused.

[yewberry]

10. I kind of like that approach, but I don't think I could actually use it.

I try to keep the snark set on low for those conversations.

Just for fun, though, here are some other responses to "I'm a member of PETA...people eating tasty animals."

More like...

...pathetic excuse for a thoughtful argument
...perfect example of trite absurdity
...pinheads envenoming this acronym
...people enamored of total anthropocentrism
...posting expressly to aggravate
...pointless, enervating, tired attitude
...potshot endlessly taken appears!

[flvegan]

2. Okay, let's pause for just a minute...

My friend SCQ has posed a most intriguing idea. One that I have personally danced around, suggested, and been dismissed over.

Coming from another, I'd like to really, really throw any support I can behind it.

An AR wiki of sorts. We could EASILY do this here at DU, with Elad's blessing. Well, not "easily" but it can be done. Not a DU wiki, as we don't represent the entirety of DU, but a sticky. An AR Stickypedia in this forum.

Oh, flvegan likes.

[LeftyMom]

3. Anybody want to start compiling the list of potential questions/concerns?

I'd volunteer to do my share of the researching and writing replies. I'm a comm studies major and have a lot of debate experience, so I do that sort of thing almost in my sleep. :D

[Annces]

4. That would be a good thing

I often don't know if I should even bother with the cruelty factor on DU, where people just say mean things and laugh. There are some people who just don't know the facts though. I think posting basic information would help, to educate.

[Robeson]

5. I think that's a great idea....

...make it a warehouse of information for easy referral and a vault for resources....:thumbsup:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

6. We can do a page a week. That way it doesn't get too overwhelming.

What should the first topic be?

[flvegan]

7. I think that there should be a new thread

and we could list the topics, and vote on which topic comes up first.

Your idea SCQ...start that thread.

[yewberry]

8. My vote for a first topic: what is vegetarian?

I totally understand why people want to call themselves vegetarian if they give up beef or pork or chicken or whatever. I don't want to take anything away from them.

At the same time, it's damned inconvenient for real vegetarians or vegans to have to deal the fallout from those folks. Sure, they may be serious about the decisions they make and they may be on the path toward being vegetarian, but they're not vegetarian.

I know that no one among us wants to turn away people who are on the path toward vegetarianism, but there has to be a way to make those folks understand that their public food choices are the reason I get chicken caesar salad or fish as a 'vegetarian' meal.


Next topic: what does 'vegan' mean?

[LeftyMom]

11. What animal rights does mean and what it doesn't

We don't want to give your cat the vote, etc.

[defendandprotect]

12. Was just reflecting on that last night . . . actually, I think the "news"

over another hamburger recall just shows their outrageous statements to be height of stupidity!

If we have informed posters here . . . why doesn't the issue of saving the planet interest them at all?

Why does the discomfort . . . general abuse . . . and TORTURE of animals not effect their emotions
at all?

And, even in the interests of their own health, why do they ignore undeniable evidence that animal-
eating causes many illnesses --- ?

[NMMNG]

13. Cognitive dissonance

If we have informed posters here . . . why doesn't the issue of saving the planet interest them at all?

Why does the discomfort . . . general abuse . . . and TORTURE of animals not effect their emotions
at all?

And, even in the interests of their own health, why do they ignore undeniable evidence that animal-
eating causes many illnesses ---

Cognitive Dissonance