In response to Greg Allard's reply ("Thirty Years Later, Becoming Vegetarian ‘Best Decision' of Life," 4 Oct. 2011) to Sami Main's article ("Vegetarian Options Should Not Be Feared," 4 Oct. 2011), I would like to send high praise to both Allard and Main for speaking out about the benefits of a vegan diet.
Modern medical studies have proven that meat is unquestionably linked to heart disease, strokes, multiple types of cancer (including colon, prostate, bladder, ovarian and breast cancer) and many other diseases.
The American Dietetic Association and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are just two of the many leading health organizations now urging everyone to adopt vegetarian or vegan diets.
Billions of animals are killed in the most barbaric of ways for profit in the meat industry.
It has been scientifically proven that these animals feel pain and suffer, just as we do.
Yet chickens have their beaks barbarically cut off when they are only a few days old, piglets are castrated and have their teeth cut off, and cows are skinned and dismembered, often while still conscious.
All of this is done just so that we can eat their flesh, when we'd actually be healthier if we didn't.
Thankfully, with so many delicious and cruelty-free foods, such as vegan barbecue riblets and vegan pizza available at most grocery stores, and with chain restaurants like Denny's and Ruby Tuesday adding delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes to their menus, it's never been easier to boycott this kind of cruelty.
For more information, visit peta2.com, where you can order a free vegetarian/vegan starter kit.
Amelia Jensen
College Campaigns Assistant
peta2.com
