Why I am vegetarian
Contributed by VeggieGirl
A chicken saved my life.
It's only a slight exaggeration, and that's what I tell people when
they ask me why I don't eat meat.
Actually, that's only partially true. I already had stopped eating red
meat before that fateful day when I was 16. Years before, I had
developed a fondness for cows and their big eyes and peaceful
demeanor, and decided I couldn't eat them anymore. Or pigs. Well,
"Charlotte's Web" had cured me of that long ago.
But for some reason I was able to separate poultry from the other animals.
Then I met Chicken.
She didn't have a creative name because she wasn't meant to be a pet.
My high school boyfriend Tom acquired the hen as a chick to feed to
his pet python. It was awful. This baby chick was cute and fluffy and
made sweet little chirping sounds. Even Tom had a hard time putting
the chick in the snake's lair, but he did it anyway.
But this little chick was a scrapper. She kept running from the snake
and eventually wore him out. Impressed, Tom removed the chick and
decided she was meant for better things.
...
It became clear to me then that there are many misconceptions about
these birds. Since, I have learned that chickens are smart, social
creatures that form bonds with each other and protect their families.
And I am living proof.
Jennifer Rotundo is Weekend Plus editor for the Observer-Dispatch.
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read full article:
http://www.uticaod.com/lifestyles/x194403215/Why-I-am-vegetarian
Approved by andyba on June 17,2008 | 08:32:18
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