Vegetarian offended by letter

As an Ohioan, and a vegetarian, I am greatly offended by the article and letter to the editor that appeared in the last issue of The Swanton Enterprise.

I understand that this state is agriculturally driven and especially in this area it is our way of life. In fact, even though I am a vegetarian, I honor and support the small family owned farms in our town. I have no problem with anyone who consumes meat. My family, friends and coworkers all eat meat, it is just a personal choice of mine that I do not.

So no, I do not belong to this supposed "anti-meat, anti-livestock, vegetarian society." But I do, pridefully belong to a society that cares for the well being of all living things on this planet....yes, even the ones who will end up as "part of the food supply." Even though I do not consume meat, everyone close to me does, so excuse me for having a "vegetarian agenda" (whatever that is supposed to mean) when it comes to the health and care of the animals that my family will be consuming. I do not feel comfortable having people I care for consuming animals that have lived in squalid conditions, shot up with drugs and growth hormones, and killed inhumanely in dirty agonizing ways.

I am not saying all farm animals are treated this way, which is why I suuport family farms. But unfortunatly, the way this issue works is that large, abusive factory farms will be given the power to continue doing what they've been doing all along. And trust me, it has nothing to do with animal health and welfare. I know this letter will appear after everyone votes, which is a shame. A shame because no one in this town of mine was given a second opinion or a "broader" way of looking at it as Mr.LaBarge promised. No, all we got was a one sided newspaper article and a letter to the editor written by a man who obviously never met a vegetarian in his life.

Greer Weaver

Swanton