Any Vegetarians/Vegans here?

[bennyboy]

What is the logical foundation of anthropocentrism? What makes us morally more valuable than other species? What makes animals morally deserving of being caused to exist, to suffer, and to be eaten, when we expect for humans a life of opportunity and liberty?

Morals are subjective. We decide what they are. You obviously decided to put furry critters on the same level as yourself. That's fine with me but I don't intend on doing the same.
My morals say it is alright to eat them. I don't need any "logical reason" to justify it. I don't need a reason to breath air or fart when I want to even if it causes global warming.

The same also goes for all the morals we do not accept now. Ultimately, ideas about slavery, genocide, child abuse, women's equality, etc. are all subjective. With regard to all those issues, a person in a position of strength has always had recourse to the non-debate statement: "It's better for me, and I just don't care beyond that. Why should I change?"

I agree with you to a certain degree. I'm sure some of the things I do would horrify others, now or in some other day and age. And nobody can be perfectly free from effect without completely sacrificing themselves. However, at least some of the animal suffering is so unnecessary, and so easily avoided, that it seems to me callous not to take the steps to avoid it. If people would reduce consumption to their actual dietary needs, and supplement their animal protein intake with vegetable-sourced ones like beans or yeast, we could reduce the net suffering in the world without depriving people's health, or their ability to sometimes enjoy eating flesh. Instead, America is a nation of out-of-control fatasses, overeating to the point where they find it difficult even to move around freely, and expecting more and more animals to die for their habit. This is sick-- and not only for the animals being eaten.