What's the beef?

Note: This is all in response to the pink slime craziness of the past week.

I don't eat meat. However, I'm not AT ALL opposed to people who do. I like to think of myself as a non-dogmatic vegan, someone willing to participate in the conversation about food without letting my own personal biases come into play. I'm vegan for various reasons, and you don't have those same reasons, so I'm not going to preach to you about the wonders of veganism. It's not for everyone.

Here's the thing: food is for everyone, and everyone deserves to eat real food that doesn't make them sick. We deserve to eat food that hasn't been fertilized with E-coli, and we deserve to continue to live our lives without all becoming organic farmers. I truly believe that.

There should be room in the world for everyone to participate in whatever way they choose. I'm terrible with food production, and I make use of my foraging skills when necessary. Now that I write that, I realize that there are probably edible plants on my lawn. I should go check that out -- dandelion salad anyone?

You deserve better than what you're being given, and you deserve to have your voice heard. Vote with your dollar. Buy real food. And while you're at it, bring in other people. Don't let the message get segregated to those who are able to hear it because they have the time and education.