Full disclosure: I long for the day when everyone gives up killing and abusing animals for food, but I know it may not come, and am almost certain it won't come in my lifetime.
If I say things like: "well... it'll never happen, so I might as well keep eating meat" then
nothing happens. Statements like: "I'll buy organic/grass fed beef when I can, so I can feel better about myself and add dollars to a sustainable form of farming" might make you feel better about your place in the chain, and I accept that, but to me it's like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
I have chosen not to "speak down" on the issue and do my best not to pull any punches.
Smeth - you fear this undermines such movements, but I can speak from personal experience that it it these kinds of voices that motivated me to make the change, and I feel that those who are turned off/become defensive at the sound of the outspoken were never going to help anyways. I have already motivated 4 people to all but eliminate animal products from their diet. It is my hope that the UN statement will cause some to think twice. Besides... this is an issue where there's nothing to lose - it's not like anyone will go out and open a factory farm or eat more steaks because they are indignant at what the UN has to say.
Charlatan, I am curious about the "per se" in the:
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I don't think there is anything ethically wrong per se with eating meat.
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