I'm not saying this justifies the ethical problems and environmental impact, but I think we cannot dismiss the emotional significance that meat-eating has to ma

I'm not saying this justifies the ethical problems and environmental impact, but I think we cannot dismiss the emotional significance that meat-eating has to many cultures. Cooking is a major way in which families bond and connect with their ancestors. Traditional cuisine in Italy, France, the American South, etc. all prominently feature meat. I remember talking to my mother about the ethical issues of animal farmimg once (we're both meat-eaters). She looked like she was going to cry as I explained to her that all the recipes she'd learned from my grandmother and then lovingly cooked for us for years were rooted in dystopian animal misery and environmental destruction. I have huge respect for vegans and vegetarians. From a moral point of view, you folks are doing the right thing. That said, I'm more interested in reducing my meat intake and sourcing meat from hunters and small-scale local ranchers than I am interested in eliminating my own meat intake.