When one of my daughters went vegan and said she doesn't eat honey, I asked her why. She said it's because some bees die in the process of beekeeping. I told her yes they do, but that I grew up on a farm, and remember how many gazillions of grasshoppers died in the process of combining oats. I left it at that, because she's my daughter and I respect her decisions, and frankly she leads a healthier lifestyle than I do.

But really, if vegans don’t eat honey they should also avoid oatmeal, and any other grain or legume that is farmed - including soybeans, the mainstay of the vegan diet. How many insects die in the production of these products, including the organic ones?

And on a philosophical basis, I'd like to know why it's okay for all the other animals to eat each other but it's not okay for us? I for one feel fortunate to have been born at the top of the food chain, as I know that many of those below me would be more than willing to eat me if given the chance! When I see PETA forming human chains on the Serengeti to separate the lions from the zebras, that's when I will take them seriously.

Eugene Makovec

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