Hail to red meat

My response to this outrageously formulated column by Tom Purcell in today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, in which the author claims he can't trust vegetarian scientists telling us a vegetarian diet is better for the environment:

Reading your column, it occurred to me that you were missing an important point.

By condemning these vegetarian researchers that have scientifically demonstrated the environmental impact of meat (which is really not news at all -- visit WorldWatch.org for a recent report, "Happier Meals," with more information on that subject), you are blind-siding yourself and readers. Heck, even all the little surveys in the current Wired Magazine and all the various environmental websites take into account whether you're a meat-eater to determine your footprint on our planet.

Given enough information that a vegetarian diet is healthier for us and our environment, a scientist cannot be blamed for going veg. Now, I'm no scientist, but if I was, and I learned there was not enough research in the field after having my eyes opened by the results of some other studies, I would also likely roll up my sleeves and try to fill that knowledge gap. If my results only support the initial conclusions of my early studies, and those of others, then that doesn't make my results suspect.

Let's take a different scientist. A doctor by the name of T. Colin Campbell. Dr. Campbell is a former meat-eater who has a rural upbringing and a rigorous scientific intellect. He wrote a recent book called "The China Study," in which he pretty much condemns animal protein of all types from the point of view of health. So, if a rational scientific person goes vegetarian based on results of his studies, the logic of your column would have us say, "Oh, but the book was written by a vegetarian."

But of course! If I discovered something important and life-changing, I'd want to tell the whole world, and I'd be an idiot not to take my own advice, too.

I don't expect Mr. Purcell to go vegan after reading this, but I hope he'll rethink his faulty premise and think more deeply before attacking vegetarian-oriented research.

Tags: environment | vegetarian | meat