Personally, I have NO problem with a vegan or vegatarian diet, I love to eat all of it and that is my choice. I think what a lot of people (correct me if I am wrong) run into and their frustrations start with the fact that a lot of vegans/vegatarians insist that their way is the only way to live or else we are all gonna die from some sort of disease from being meat eaters. I know I am generalizing that statement and in truth there is a lot broader and even more forceful views in this catagory.
For me personally, I feel I am basically a good person who chooses a healthier way of life, but I do include meat in my diet and just choose to raise my own. I have had protesters show up at our driveway after we did a 4-H event and I live in the BOONDOCKS. I see what the kids go through at fair if they enter a market animal.
So it is truley a case of being more like a religion like someone else said who warned this is a touchy subject. I believe diet choices should not be forced based on someone elses opinion and reasons. And people, like me, who have had bad experiences with people who choose a vegan or vegatarian lifestyle gets fed up being the bad guy. It will not stop what I am doing, however and I wish both parties meat eaters and non meat eaters realize this fact.
I truly believe that we as omnivores have a variety in our own genetic make-up that determines what type of nutrition our bodies will thrive on and I believe wholeheartedly that is the avenue an individual should decide for themselves. The problem is a lot of people who don't want to eat meat for political reasons, often don't thrive on an all vegan diet and I have had personal experience with that in our own relatives.
My biggest problem is being a hypocrite! If you choose a life style of do no harm to animals, don't pick and choose what makes your life more bearable. I see more protesters that wear leather shoes or drive nice cars, sometimes with real leather seats, etc... and that is what personally sticks in my craw.
I think as a species we need to look at the real problems with our food systems, here at home and nationally. We have bigger fish to fry then just to eat meat or not to eat meat. We are only one generation and look at us, what will it be like in 5 more generations???
JMO for what it is worth.