So, the socknitters list is going bonkers again. This time it's veganism.

One woman (who has probably unsubbed in disgust) innocently asked about yarns that would be appropriate for her daughter who is vegan. There were a few helpful messages about cotton and soy silk, but largely, the list has erupted.

I'm not vegan (not even vegetarian), but I'm kind of disgusted at the attitude people have been copping about vegans. (I can only guess that they have had dealings with "militant" vegans, perhaps - people who give in to the busybody impulse to criticise other's lives rather than explain their own choices)

My attitude is: if you choose to be vegetarian, vegan, raw-foodist, whatever, that's your choice. It's not my choice, but that's fine. I'll let you eat what you want, you let me eat what I want. All I ask is that you not make snarky comments on my food choices. And I will gladly do the same. In fact, if I know you are vegan and we go out to eat, I will happily defer to your beliefs for one meal.

I wonder if once the Arabs and Israelis have killed each other off, if our next big wars will be over people's choices of how they live: the environmentalists vs. the SUV drivers, the vegetarians vs. the meat-eaters, the shoppers vs. the simple-living folks, the separation-of-church-and-state people vs. those who want moments of silence and the Ten Commandments posted in every school and court.

sometimes people drive me nuts.