I am giving up on vegetarianism. This diet that espouses kindness but involves egregious animal abuse. I have a caveat – I don’t want to alienate anyone who is sincere in their efforts to cause less harm. A vegetarian diet, when used as a stepping stone to a vegan diet, can only be viewed as a good thing. If that is the path you are taking, or you are trying to be kinder to animals by modifying your diet the best you can, more power to you. I am not judging you, the person, but I am judging the idea that vegetarianism is, by necessity, “less cruel” than some omnivorous diets and, more importantly, that just being vegetarian is morally acceptable in terms of animal welfare.

But if you think vegetarianism is the end all, be all for showing compassion to nonhumans – reconsider.