If you scroll through the posts for the last few months you’ll notice that one called “Eeat M.E.A.T.” has 26 comments–more than any other. That’s because a group of outraged vegans has found a new and innovative use for the Wesleying comments section: starting turf wars.
In reaction to the then upcoming Mankind Eating Animals Together (M.E.A.T) barbecue, several upperclassmen who wish to remain anonymous formed a group called the Vegan Deth Squad (VDS) and threatened to sabotage the event.
“PLAN ON ME SHOWING UP WITH A CAN OF RED PAINT,” one of the members writes in an initial comment.
After a few comments such as “throwing paint at people does not make them eat less meat,” and “the earth will have hir revenge,” Ryan Brill ’10, founder and president of the M.E.A.T. club, responded.
“Are you guys seriously going to hate on the fact that people are eating meat together?” Brill said. “There are two vegetarian clubs on campus, but no one goes up to them and sprays them with red paint, or criticizes them for their choice of food. Please keep an open mind to other people’s diets, and stop criticizing them for a simple lifestyle choice.”
But Brill’s response did not cool things down–comments started getting longer and more ruthless. Here is the VDS’ response to Brill’s comment:
“My all-too-obvious reply: Is slavery simply a lifestyle choice?” they wrote. “The anti-intellectual, anti-critical form of conservatism adopted by the previous poster is eroding our culture as more and more young people choose to simply stop giving a shit, divorcing their ‘abstract’ knowledge of the real world from their daily lives. This ethico-political downward spiral can have no other result besides the continued subjugation of the aforementioned humyns and animals under the myriad forms of slavery we find in Contemporary Amerika, for example…”
Ultimately, the VDS revealed what the problem at hand is: they see the M.E.A.T. club as an unavoidably political statement that disparages vegans and vegetarians.
“This group obviously represents a deliberate attempt to bait the vegetarian/vegan community,” the VDS wrote. “They’re celebrating the fact that meat eaters freely operate everywhere and [they’re] mocking us outright. I dont go into peoples homes and fuck with them when theyre eating dinner, but if a group is explicitly challenging us we arent going to sit idly by.”
Brill responded:
“You guys, I did not start the M.E.A.T. club as ‘a deliberate attempt to bait the vegetarian / vegan community,’ ” he wrote. “I started it because myself and others like eating meat, and I’d like to use that common interest to bring together various groups on the campus. It seems to me that you guys are trying your hardest to vilify us, while we have not made any statements against vegetarianism or veganism…I feel like people should be able to start a cooking club at Wesleyan without a tirade of criticism. Just let us cook.”
Eventually, the Vegan Deth Squad, calmed by Brill’s diplomatic langage, decided to let the grill go on without conflict. But the threat remained.
“The loose network of vegan death squad affiliates talked it over and decided to let this one slide since you’re being so non-confrontational,” they wrote. “[But] if this escalates beyond a bunch of white men eating burgers on the hill and we feel you’ve challenged or provoked us directly then next time the coals won’t burn so hot.”
After the internet hysteria, Brill contacted the VDS and asked to meet with them. In a tense meeting in Fauver Room 107, the VDS made it clear that if the M.E.A.T. club did not change its name, they would have to resort to less diplomatic options.
In response, the M.E.A.T. club has now changed it’s name to (drum roll): The Mankind Eating Everything Together (M.E.E.T) Club.
“The existence of the M.E.A.T. (Mankind Eating Animals Together) club was construed by some to be a political statement against vegetarianism and veganism,” Brill writes on the group’s facebook page. “Making such a statement was not the intent of our club, so we have changed the name to M.E.E.T. (Mankind Eating Everything Together) club. This name is more fitting to the true purpose of the club, which is to bring people from different social groups together over a common activity. I also like the name better.”
The M.E.E.T. club will grill from 1-5 today, Friday, on Foss Hill. Though there won’t be any veggie burgers for sale, you can always bring your own, Brill says. If you’re interested in reading the entire controversial comments section, go here: http://wesleying.blogspot.com/2007/04/eat-meat.html
Dear reactionary idiot trashing Peter Singer,Whether you like him or not, there can be no denying that Mr. Singer is an incredibly significant philosopher whom anyone interested in ethics and moral theory ought to investigate for their own edification. As for your confused claims about his moral standpoint, I’ll just let Wikipedia do the talking:”Singer has replied that many people judge him based on secondhand summaries and short quotations taken out of context, not his books or articles. For example, when people hear that Singer thinks that a dog has the same moral importance as a newborn baby, they might interpret the statement as dehumanising, because of the low value traditionally placed on the interests of animals. However, although Singer does not regard the newborn child as deserving the same degree of consideration as an adult, he regards animals as deserving a much higher degree of consideration than they have traditionally been given.Singer experienced the complexities of some of these questions in his own life. Singer’s mother had Alzheimer’s disease, which rendered her, in Singer’s system, a “nonperson”. He did not have her euthanised, saying, “I think this has made me see how the issues of someone with these kinds of problems are really very difficult”. In an interview with Ronald Bailey published in December 2000 he explained that he is not the only person who is involved in making decisions about his mother (he has a sister). He did say that if he were solely responsible, his mother might not be alive today.(Singer’s mother died shortly thereafter.) This incident has led to accusations of hypocrisy. However, Singer has never argued that a non-person who is not suffering has to be euthanised — only that it could be morally acceptable to do so.” (that is, if ‘personhood’ is held to be the only criterion for euthanasia)
Dear reactionary idiot trashing Peter Singer,
Whether you like him or not, there can be no denying that Mr. Singer is an incredibly significant philosopher whom anyone interested in ethics and moral theory ought to investigate for their own edification.
As for your confused claims about his moral standpoint, I’ll just let Wikipedia do the talking:
“Singer has replied that many people judge him based on secondhand summaries and short quotations taken out of context, not his books or articles. For example, when people hear that Singer thinks that a dog has the same moral importance as a newborn baby, they might interpret the statement as dehumanising, because of the low value traditionally placed on the interests of animals. However, although Singer does not regard the newborn child as deserving the same degree of consideration as an adult, he regards animals as deserving a much higher degree of consideration than they have traditionally been given.
Singer experienced the complexities of some of these questions in his own life. Singer’s mother had Alzheimer’s disease, which rendered her, in Singer’s system, a “nonperson”. He did not have her euthanised, saying, “I think this has made me see how the issues of someone with these kinds of problems are really very difficult”. In an interview with Ronald Bailey published in December 2000 he explained that he is not the only person who is involved in making decisions about his mother (he has a sister). He did say that if he were solely responsible, his mother might not be alive today.(Singer’s mother died shortly thereafter.) This incident has led to accusations of hypocrisy. However, Singer has never argued that a non-person who is not suffering has to be euthanised — only that it could be morally acceptable to do so.” (that is, if ‘personhood’ is held to be the only criterion for euthanasia)
Oh yeah, I don’t think the article made this clear. I AM planning on selling veggie burgers next year. I just had meat left over in the freezer from the last barbeque for the one on friday, and needed to sell that first before I got anything new. Amy’s Texas burgers from Weshop has been suggested as a good veggie burger.-Ryan
Oh yeah, I don’t think the article made this clear. I AM planning on selling veggie burgers next year. I just had meat left over in the freezer from the last barbeque for the one on friday, and needed to sell that first before I got anything new. Amy’s Texas burgers from Weshop has been suggested as a good veggie burger.
-Ryan
hippies? liberalism? have you been reading any of this?protesting things that “would be cosidered normal anywhere” in an absurd way is precisely the point. fuck off drew
hippies? liberalism? have you been reading any of this?
protesting things that “would be cosidered normal anywhere” in an absurd way is precisely the point. fuck off drew
Ryan Brill is a great guy, this argument is absurd. If you want to be hippies, PROTEST SOMETHING IMPORTANT. There is SO much wrong with the world. Please, stop wasting your energy. Liberalism loses so much political creedence by linking itself to these sorts of relatively small debates. There are more valuable things you could be doing than trying to bully people who live lives that would be cosidered normal anywhere but here.
Ryan Brill is a great guy, this argument is absurd. If you want to be hippies, PROTEST SOMETHING IMPORTANT. There is SO much wrong with the world. Please, stop wasting your energy. Liberalism loses so much political creedence by linking itself to these sorts of relatively small debates. There are more valuable things you could be doing than trying to bully people who live lives that would be cosidered normal anywhere but here.
There is no such thing as a book by Peter Singer that is a “great book to read.”FYI: Peter Singer spoke here several years ago. He supports aborting babies AFTER birth. But not killing animals??? Also, he supports Euthanasia- which, to him, includes killing off people with Alzheimer’s disease- yet he hired nurses to care his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. If he truly believes such ridiculous shit, why didn’t he have his mother killed?
There is no such thing as a book by Peter Singer that is a “great book to read.”
FYI: Peter Singer spoke here several years ago. He supports aborting babies AFTER birth. But not killing animals??? Also, he supports Euthanasia- which, to him, includes killing off people with Alzheimer’s disease- yet he hired nurses to care his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. If he truly believes such ridiculous shit, why didn’t he have his mother killed?
Mmm… chicken!
Mmm… chicken!
Jacob,I disagree with your statement that Most people don’t go around kicking Cats. It’s that kind of small-minded thinking that makes it so hard for the Cat-kicking club to get WSA funding.-Adam Schlesinger, President of the Cat-kicking club.
Jacob,
I disagree with your statement that Most people don’t go around kicking Cats. It’s that kind of small-minded thinking that makes it so hard for the Cat-kicking club to get WSA funding.
-Adam Schlesinger, President of the Cat-kicking club.
A bunch of people have written things like:”what the fuck is wrong with eating a hamburger? if you have a problem with it, don’t eat one. let those who choose to do so, do so.”The reason vegetarians care about a group of people getting together to gorge themselves on meat for the hell of it is that it supports an industry that causes needless pain to animals. (Almost everyone agrees pain to animals counts for something – most people don’t go around kicking cats…)For many vegetarians, the decision to not eat meat isn’t because we don’t like the taste of it, but because we don’t think our enjoyment from eating a hamburger instead of a boca burger is important enough to justify an animal living its entire life in extremely painful and unpleasant conditions. So the problem with a bunch of students getting together to eat meat as a political statement against vegetarianism is that their political statement is actually doing a good deal of harm.If you’re interested in learning more about these issues, Animal Liberation by Peter Singer is a great book to read.-Jacob
A bunch of people have written things like:
“what the fuck is wrong with eating a hamburger? if you have a problem with it, don’t eat one. let those who choose to do so, do so.”
The reason vegetarians care about a group of people getting together to gorge themselves on meat for the hell of it is that it supports an industry that causes needless pain to animals. (Almost everyone agrees pain to animals counts for something – most people don’t go around kicking cats…)
For many vegetarians, the decision to not eat meat isn’t because we don’t like the taste of it, but because we don’t think our enjoyment from eating a hamburger instead of a boca burger is important enough to justify an animal living its entire life in extremely painful and unpleasant conditions. So the problem with a bunch of students getting together to eat meat as a political statement against vegetarianism is that their political statement is actually doing a good deal of harm.
If you’re interested in learning more about these issues, Animal Liberation by Peter Singer is a great book to read.
-Jacob
apathetic hippies: go off yourselves. you are an embarassment.
apathetic hippies: go off yourselves. you are an embarassment.
Dear jesus lord. Good post.
Dear jesus lord. Good post.
-VDS
-VDS
Ezra’s article enrages us further by continuing MEATs ongoing provocation. Until the appearance of this article we were willing to accept a name change even if it did not fully satisfy us. With its condescending tone and gross fabrications, his post has made it clear that the VDS must resume operations immediately.The VDS has been purged of its moderate elements (a founding member deemed too ready to compromise has been expelled) and the remaining members are committed to upping the ante in the fall semester. Ezra mistakenly believes that the VDS is few in numbers and assumes that nominal concessions will quiet us all, but we see through the thin veil of single letter replacement. MEAT/MEET has not changed in any meaningful way, and the existence of WSA funded groups dedicated to meat consumption is still plainly unacceptable. We scoff at your notions of respectful discourse and your “live and let live” policy. All the liberals in the world can’t stop us from forcing our opinions on the hordes of meat eating sub-humans. A cease-fire of sorts might be reached if MEET were willing to publicly denounce Ezra for his slanted propaganda.
Ezra’s article enrages us further by continuing MEATs ongoing provocation. Until the appearance of this article we were willing to accept a name change even if it did not fully satisfy us. With its condescending tone and gross fabrications, his post has made it clear that the VDS must resume operations immediately.
The VDS has been purged of its moderate elements (a founding member deemed too ready to compromise has been expelled) and the remaining members are committed to upping the ante in the fall semester. Ezra mistakenly believes that the VDS is few in numbers and assumes that nominal concessions will quiet us all, but we see through the thin veil of single letter replacement. MEAT/MEET has not changed in any meaningful way, and the existence of WSA funded groups dedicated to meat consumption is still plainly unacceptable. We scoff at your notions of respectful discourse and your “live and let live” policy. All the liberals in the world can’t stop us from forcing our opinions on the hordes of meat eating sub-humans.
A cease-fire of sorts might be reached if MEET were willing to publicly denounce Ezra for his slanted propaganda.
Hey, I actually asked one of the members in the VDS to make sure that person (I assume VDS still wants to maintain anonymity) was OK with the name.-Ryan
Hey, I actually asked one of the members in the VDS to make sure that person (I assume VDS still wants to maintain anonymity) was OK with the name.
-Ryan
the VDS is a joke, is everyone in the world fucking stupid?
the VDS is a joke, is everyone in the world fucking stupid?
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLEDON’T YOU HAVE FINALS TO STUDY FOR OR SOMETHING?
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE
DON’T YOU HAVE FINALS TO STUDY FOR OR SOMETHING?
If any of you knew Ryan, you would know he is one of the nicest people at this school. So VDS, I know you are bored people but maybe you should try doing something positive for your cause.
If any of you knew Ryan, you would know he is one of the nicest people at this school. So VDS, I know you are bored people but maybe you should try doing something positive for your cause.
this post/article/whatever is biased. also, the group’s new name, “mankind eating everything together,” still pisses me off.also, VDS is most definitely not all upperclassmen (myn?). don’t assume.CONSUME EVERYTHING, LET’S FINISH THIS PLANET OFF ALREADY!<3 VDS female underclassperson
this post/article/whatever is biased.
also, the group’s new name, “mankind eating everything together,” still pisses me off.
also, VDS is most definitely not all upperclassmen (myn?). don’t assume.
CONSUME EVERYTHING, LET’S FINISH THIS PLANET OFF ALREADY!
<3 VDS female underclassperson
what the fuck is wrong with eating a hamburger? if you have a problem with it, don’t eat one. let those who choose to do so, do so
what the fuck is wrong with eating a hamburger? if you have a problem with it, don’t eat one. let those who choose to do so, do so
Man, it’s pretty funny when people make entire paragraphs of seemingly intellectual jargon in an attempt to look smart, and then casually slip “shit” in.Why do people not chill the fuck out and just let each other do whatever?Also, this post is probably the best written I’ve seen here, so great job.
Man, it’s pretty funny when people make entire paragraphs of seemingly intellectual jargon in an attempt to look smart, and then casually slip “shit” in.
Why do people not chill the fuck out and just let each other do whatever?
Also, this post is probably the best written I’ve seen here, so great job.
i think it’s pretty obvious that M.E.A.T was created in response to veganism – or vegetarianism at least. and to the eating-everything hippie who posted above: take no offense, but from my standpoint, you (and many many many other meateaters) simply dont realize or are not aware of the arguments for veganism. typically, vegans arent vegan just to be hippies or liberal or to make a scene (though, unfortunately, many are). rather, for me at least, the essence of veganism is realizing that just because humans and non-human animals cannot communicate via language does not mean that non-human animals are subordinate to humans. it seems like meat eaters are just unaware of what it is like to be an animal destined to be eaten.basically, there’s soooo much i could say right now in response to this, but i think essentially what i am trying to say is that ,hopefully, most vegans and vegetarians have rethought the idea of eating meat which society has thrown at us (or at least i have). for this reason, non-meat eaters are usually pretty firm in their beliefs and when i see meat eaters believing what i used to believe (ie that it’s okay to kill and eat animals) it just breaks me heart knowing that they are perhaps oblivious and too stubborn to realize it.sincerely,not an extremist, used-to-be meat-eater, vegetarian, not really a hippie.ps i seriously am not intending to start a brawl on here.
i think it’s pretty obvious that M.E.A.T was created in response to veganism – or vegetarianism at least.
and to the eating-everything hippie who posted above: take no offense, but from my standpoint, you (and many many many other meateaters) simply dont realize or are not aware of the arguments for veganism. typically, vegans arent vegan just to be hippies or liberal or to make a scene (though, unfortunately, many are). rather, for me at least, the essence of veganism is realizing that just because humans and non-human animals cannot communicate via language does not mean that non-human animals are subordinate to humans. it seems like meat eaters are just unaware of what it is like to be an animal destined to be eaten.
basically, there’s soooo much i could say right now in response to this, but i think essentially what i am trying to say is that ,hopefully, most vegans and vegetarians have rethought the idea of eating meat which society has thrown at us (or at least i have). for this reason, non-meat eaters are usually pretty firm in their beliefs and when i see meat eaters believing what i used to believe (ie that it’s okay to kill and eat animals) it just breaks me heart knowing that they are perhaps oblivious and too stubborn to realize it.
sincerely,
not an extremist, used-to-be meat-eater, vegetarian, not really a hippie.
ps i seriously am not intending to start a brawl on here.
Direct Ryan Brill quote from the M.E.A.T. Facebook group:”Ambassador to vegans!? That’s like being the ambassador to the criminally insane.”Yeah dude, some diplomat…
Direct Ryan Brill quote from the M.E.A.T. Facebook group:
“Ambassador to vegans!? That’s like being the ambassador to the criminally insane.”
Yeah dude, some diplomat…
maybe you commenters dont understand what a dumbass brill is. he is uysing diplomatic language because he is afraid of the controversy he started. he most certainly started the m.e.a.t. club as a response to veganism. anyone who knows him knows this.the senseless fighting is not the fault of the vegan death squad. the vds is primarily a joke. only when it is provoked by anti-intellectual activity does it act.
maybe you commenters dont understand what a dumbass brill is.
he is uysing diplomatic language because he is afraid of the controversy he started. he most certainly started the m.e.a.t. club as a response to veganism. anyone who knows him knows this.
the senseless fighting is not the fault of the vegan death squad. the vds is primarily a joke. only when it is provoked by anti-intellectual activity does it act.
That’s a shame you felt the need to fold, Brill. Keep your club name and tell the vegans to channel their energy into something positive. I’m ashamed of this bullying happening at my own school. People need to lighten up. Wesleyan has plenty to offer those choosing a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Unfortunately, certain vegans (not ALL Wes vegans) have decided to be complete assholes and not take a joke. You’ve all really sort of made me lose faith in my fellow student.
That’s a shame you felt the need to fold, Brill. Keep your club name and tell the vegans to channel their energy into something positive. I’m ashamed of this bullying happening at my own school. People need to lighten up. Wesleyan has plenty to offer those choosing a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Unfortunately, certain vegans (not ALL Wes vegans) have decided to be complete assholes and not take a joke. You’ve all really sort of made me lose faith in my fellow student.
The world is just too grand and beautiful to waste on such fighting.-An everything-eating hippie
The world is just too grand and beautiful to waste on such fighting.
-An everything-eating hippie
It is this kind of senseless controversy that makes people think Wesleyan is out of touch. Why do the vegans feel the need to boss everyone around?And btw, when was the last time thtey organized against the stoop labor conditions that gets THEIR food to the table?Peace.
It is this kind of senseless controversy that makes people think Wesleyan is out of touch. Why do the vegans feel the need to boss everyone around?
And btw, when was the last time thtey organized against the stoop labor conditions that gets THEIR food to the table?
Peace.