Society Debate: The meat eater’s battle against a Vegan

Meat is a blessing!Somebody asked me the other day whether I know the number of vegetarians in the country. I happily answered that although I couldn’t ascertain the exact total, they cannot exceed 10 Rwandans. Moreover out of these 10 Rwandans, only one or two have never tasted meat and its products. The other eight are as guilty as charged; they either became vegans after a long period of spiritual meditation or simply because they had eaten too much beef in their lifetime that they needed a break, a temporary one, at that. The society we live in tells the whole story; look around all the restaurants in Kigali, even before you make your order, they have zingalos and other brochette types on standby. Don’t quote me wrong. I’m not ridiculing anyone’s personal decision to become vegan after thirty years of omnivorous behavior; all I’m saying is that I find it hard to believe that somebody who has tasted grilled beef, roasted pork, chicken or those tasty fish fingers, can wake up one morning and prove to me that they made a 100 percent U-turn decision that they quit nibbling at meat! Maybe I’m just overreacting… perhaps everybody doesn’t find the taste of meat as addictive as I do. But from my experience, I can’t imagine a life without meat, not just white meat, but red meat as well. I always tell my friends that the only way I would ponder on being a vegan, is if they invented cereals and vegetables that smell and taste like meat. Fortunately, we don’t have vegan scientists looking into this, so I can still indulge. I can’t imagine living in a meatless society; what would be in the restaurants or what would be served at cocktails? Too many disturbing questions… either way, it would be such a weird society, dull and boring. To those who are vegans simply because they pity animals and think that animals deserve their right tio not be eaten, I have just a few questions. What rights are these? The right to live, you may say. Without sounding sarcastic, let’s take this matter into context; what rights does a hen deserve to not be fried and served as chicken nuggets? If anything, chicken living in a poultry farm are well fed, live with buddies and are given enough lighting and warmth. If they are not eaten, they will soon die anyway because they don’t have a long lifespan. So for me, many domestic animals have one sole right; to be eaten! I think they know it in their subconscious minds…if they have one. My request is this; please don’t leave earth before you taste at least one choice of meat. If you are allergic to some meats, you can take the chance by tasting all meats until you land yourself one that won’t hurt. I know some people will try to convince you that meat is unhealthy and fatal to your health but don’t listen to them; all they are saying is, “stop travelling on motos because they are dangerous.” mugishaivan@yahoo.com