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Opinion: The myth of vegans fighting vegetarians

Patrons sing together at a vegan Thanksgiving meal at Cafe Gratitude in Venice.
Patrons sing together at a vegan Thanksgiving meal at Cafe Gratitude in Venice.
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)
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To the editor: Vegans and vegetarians can and mostly do get along just fine, notwithstanding Brian Kateman’s suggestion to the contrary. (“Can’t vegans and vegetarians just get along?” Opinion, April 2)

The stereotypical vegan is often described as preachy, judgmental and bombastic. While some of us are those things, I think that most of us try hard to be true to our veganism without alienating all who are not vegan. The contempt described by Kateman really is at odds with trying to live more compassionately — a goal to which many vegans aspire.

Yes, vegans tend to be a passionate bunch. We have to be to maintain our commitment to sparing animals harm and suffering. But like many vegans, I encourage any effort to reduce the slaughter of animals. From “meatless Mondays” to the “vegan before dinner” diet, I believe that small changes can lead to longtime shifts in how we live.

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Alienating folks who are not 100 percent vegan only increases the chance that they never will embrace ethical veganism. To suggest any widespread animus toward nonvegans does a disservice to our movement for a kinder, more compassionate world.

Loretta Kane, Quaker Hill, Conn.

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To the editor: The vegans who boycotted a pet store because it sold a flea remedy containing flea extract should ignore Kateman and continue preaching to the choir. They’ll never persuade average Americans to get excited about “insect exploitation.”

Left-wing activists seem to revel in finding new victim groups for whose sake the rest of us must alter our lifestyles. Now that we’re down to fleas, one hopes we’re near the bottom of the list. What’s next, mistreated microbes?

Michael Smith, Cynthiana, Ky.

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To the editor: The dynamic of horizontal hostility, where people target those whose ideology is close to their own, is not limited to attitudes about diet. Perhaps it can help to explain why Donald Trump is in the White House.

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The two Democratic primary candidates had essentially the same political views and priorities. However, many citizens who opposed President Trump’s manner and message found it more important to align themselves with the most ideological opposing candidate and to eschew the more qualified one as too flawed or compromised.

By refusing to vote for Hillary Clinton when they couldn’t have Bernie Sanders, they made it possible for Trump to prevail.

Renée Dernburg, Los Angeles

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