Too many teens are losing sight of what vegetarianism should embrace - nonviolence between animals and humans. Rude conduct by adolescent vegetarians offends people, doing nothing to help our cause. Going veggie is a wonderful opportunity to express oneself; it's a strong statement against a corrupt world. Being a vegetarian takes discipline, motivation, and yes, sometimes courage. It is a lifestyle. Depending on how a person is raised, this lifestyle may come easily, or it may be an impossible challenge. I believe it is every vegetarian's duty to demonstrate this lifestyle in a positive manner.

What does this mean? It means, first and foremost, not to alienate other people. Do not go around accusing them of being "carnivores." Do not criticize their eating habits, or badger them constantly. Do not harass them. No matter what beliefs you hold, they won't do anyone any good if you dispense them in a hostile manner. Too many vegetarians insist on nagging people, expecting instant results, or instant enlightenment. It's essential to move in small steps.

Small steps? That means it's time to swallow your pride, vegetarians, and learn to tolerate! Learn to influence people through gradual means. I think that, before we expect the majority of people to drop their hamburgers and abandon the meat-eating diet, it's crucial that we instill awareness. We must take it upon ourselves to do only that - make people (gently!) aware of what's really involved in the meat industry. Ignorance is curable! Suggest to people (without deliberately trying to make them feel bad) that perhaps it is the process involved in obtaining meat, rather than the meat itself, which must be eliminated. If more "carnivores" switched over to free-range or organic meat, it would make a difference in the meat industry's treatment of animals. Reforming slaughtering methods would be more humane for animals, still maintain meat-industry jobs, and allow people safer, more humane meat. Yes- vegetarians don't eat meat. We're against it, even if it is organic. But understand that switching to organic meat is a feasible option for many people; if enough people switched to organic meat, it would make a difference and lead us one step closer to a cruelty-free world. There are several other vegetarian issues that can be dealt with in a similar fashion. If enough small "baby steps" are made, it will bring more reform than one long, radical battle over extreme ideas. And yes. For many people, vegetarianism can be extreme.

But not as extreme as it used to be, however! There are increasing numbers of vegetarians today - it's becoming quite common and respected. Let's keep it that way! An integral aspect of doing so is simply to take care of yourself. If you are a vegetarian, or want to raise vegetarian children, it is extremely important to maintain good health. Why? Because a major complaint against vegetarianism is poor health! There are many "junk food" vegetarians, and there are many vegetarians who don't maintain enough body weight. These people aren't healthy- they may be protein-deficient, severely underweight, stunted or sick. This shouldn't be so! People will lose respect for vegetarians if they can't maintain proper diet-related health. That is one of the ideals of vegetarianism - better-than-average health. It is the responsibility of every vegetarian to maintain (as much as possible) a healthy weight and diet, showing people what a healthy lifestyle the meat-free one can be. Nothing could be more encouraging.

And lastly, be sane. Don't force people to talk about vegetarianism, but rather, invite them to discuss it. Don't argue; debate. Be rational and of course, do your research! Make sure what you say has credibility. Don't make up outrageous facts, or get into complicated theories. Be simple and direct; don't gross people out. In fact, I'd steer away from using scare-tactics during everyday conduct. Don't try to overwhelm other people, and really, don't try to make them feel crappy about themselves. Nobody wants that.

Does this mean one should stop feeling passionate about vegetarianism? Of course not! This article was intended as a guide for everyday conduct, to prevent teens from inadvertently spreading a bad image of vegetarianism. There is a time and a place to get into arguments, discuss horrifying, gross slaughterhouse facts, to make a scene, to be fervent, to be verbal. Just don't do it in normal social situations. There are forums, protests, demonstrations, organizations, clubs and chatrooms all dedicated to vegetarianism, and here is where heavy discussion and activism should take place. Sometimes, to be effective, we vegetarians have to be a bit pushy. But never set out to alienate people. It will do no good for you, the animals, nor the rest of us vegetarians.

On an ending note, always keep in mind the basis for vegetarianism - to promote nonviolence between animals and humans. Please, please (and don't tell me nobody does this, because I hear it all the time) don't say that "you'd rather eat human flesh" or "you'd rather kill a human." Joking around is one thing, but when you say something like that (whether you really mean it or just want to sound animal-rightsy), remember that you are undermining what vegetarianism is all about! Humans are animals. Albeit stupid animals, but as a vegetarian, you should cherish this type of nonviolence. Look deep down inside yourself and think about why you've adopted such a lifestyle. When someone asks "what would you rather do? Kill a human or kill an animal?," tell them the only true and correct answer - "neither."

DISCLAIMER: This article deals with everyday conduct! I'm not suggesting that you dilute your beliefs; I'm just suggesting that in certain situations to take caution. You could be offending some "carnivores," which could give you a bad image. I know that most vegetarians aren't like this. But I've seen it happen too many times, so I wrote this article (which is, ENTIRELY unresearched except by informal means) to help find ways to spread reform to stubborn people. --Laura has been a vegetarian since the fourth grade. She says she is a vegetarian-going-on-vegan, hoping to become a vegan by college. She is starting a vegetarian activist club in her school.

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Feedback:

I'm a new vegetarian (going on 29 days now) and this article, along with others on VegetarianTeen.Com, has really helped to give me the support I need to choose a more healthy and compassionate diet. (However, I disagree with your statement that "humans are animals.") Becoming a vegetarian has had a very positive impact on my life, and it's good to know that there are more vegetarians out there than I had thought.
--Kristi (17)

I enjoyed reading your article. I hope you will continue with your writing. This sort of touches on one of my complaints about PETA - I feel they alienate normal people. I live in Puerto Rico. We have 5 dogs.