Preaching veganism as a form of classism.

And here my two interest worlds collide: social justice and food politics. I disagree with veganism on many grounds, most important being health. But I don't fight, I try not to comment or preach. I keep it to myself when I deal with vegans. (especially that two of my close friends are vegans, one for ethical and health issues, the other health only, I think).

But I really get annoyed when veganism is preached as a cure-all medicine for our society. Will cure poverty, free animals, end wars and of course stop obesity (because that's the our enemy number one). Veganism is not cheap, and people who think it is, are simply ignorant and privileged middle class assholes. I found an entry on a blog not dealing with food at all, but with racism and social justice. It was a response to the following text by a vegan:

Being a vegan doesn’t discriminate, and no one/nothing has to suffer. Veganism is FREE. You can walk outside and find good food for you to eat. You can have 76 cents and get a banana and an orange from Trader Joes. How much nutrition and sustenance can you get from 76 cents of raw meat? And if you DO find meat for 76 cents, how much of that is fatty, processed crap. All struggling people can benefit from a vegan diet, maybe then poor neighborhoods wouldn’t be overrun with with McDonalds and faced with an obesity epidemic.

First - pretty obvious where this person lives, as Trader Joe's are mostly in suburban, richer areas. Second, banana is not a food, it's a snack or nice dessert. And when you are poor, crappy but still nutritious food is better than an empty dessert with some potassium in it.
The author of the blog wrote a great response:

Calories in an banana: about 105.

Calories in an orange: 62

Combined, you’ll have less than two grams of protein, and no fat.
Calories in an 89-cent (you’ll have to find the other dime somewhere, or maybe the cashier will spot you if they’re kind) Cheeseburger from BK: 300, with 16 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat.If you can afford to bump up to an entire dollar and get a Whopper Jr, you also get a slice of tomato and some lettuce, adding enough vitamin c to prevent scurvy.

If you can only have one of these meal options in your day because you are desperately poor, the latter is more nutritionally sound. Calories: They keep you alive.

From other comments it's pretty obvious - being vegetarian or a vegan is expensive, time consuming and is a choice for privileged people. Fine if you want to - but don't preach it's "Free". And don't get me started on the stupid argument that "food is everywhere for free". really? so what will you eat? Grass (well, technically grains are grasses)? Tree leaves or wild raspberries (yay! meal a few times a year!)? Because if you want a vegetable or a fruit, you have to either plant it yourself in your back yard (paying first for the seeds/samplings) or steal from someone else's garden. There are no "free" fruits or veggies out there anymore. Agriculture took care of it. And while this agriculture works for producing soy for crappy "healthy" vegan "chicken" wings, masses of animals are killed in the process - dying b/c of devastation of their natural habitats, killed by poisoning chemicals and brutally murdered through harvesting machines.

Even people in the "wild" areas, probably idealized by Westerners can't just go and eat. Because what used to be nature's garden "for free" (not really, everyone pays in some way in the cycle) is now a corporation's corn field, or tea processing plant or banana or cocoa plantation where slave workers can't even eat the fruits they work on.

I am sick.

I think it's strep, but because it's weekend I am the only one to judge. It is quite interesting that admitting to catching a cold or other infection seems to be a blasphemy in the Paleo world. You are not supposed to get sick on Paleo! But well, I am now. Yesterday I was truly miserable with temperature spiking at 102*, and I can't remember when was the last time I had such a high fever.

So even though I do not consider succumbing to bacteria as blasphemy against the Paleo god, I do wonder why my immune system cracked. And I blame stress and anxiety. We know how devastating cortisol is to our bodies, so I think I can throw my misery at this villain as well. I've been looking for a job for the past two months, being anxious, worrying and nervous all the time. I slowly get depressed and in the "whatever" mood. I feel like the great achievements of the past two years in fighting severe anxiety and depression are in danger. Chronic stress is devastating. Not knowing about the future is terrifying. I can't schedule my annual check up, because they don't allow one in less than 12 months since the last one. (Don't get me started on the idiotic health care system in the US.) I am losing my insurance in the end of June and can't afford buying one. it sucks.

oh, and I want to get the kid who spread these vicious bacteria to me ;-)