Not ashamed to be a vegan

For better or worse, vegans are given a bad wrap. Herbivore in its 13th issue printed an article by an animal rights activist saying the vegans he knows are confrontational and even elitist. I have never known a vegan like that. Most I have known are quiet about their veganism, afraid to experience the negative reaction to the word "vegan." Well, if the animal rights activist didn't like the confrontational vegans, I think the quiet vegans (probably including myself at times) should accept themselves for who they are. Quiet vegans should calmly proclaim themselves to be a vegan when appropriate. They shouldn't sneer the word "vegan." They shouldn't express themselves apologetically either. They should say, "I'm a vegan," matter-of-factly. To the vegan, it should be a normal circumstance to say it, and to the person hearing it, it shouldn't sound unusual. A born-again Christian would have no problem expressing her beliefs to others. Vegans should be proud of their decision to remove themselves from the industry of animal cruelty, to be kinder to the planet's environment and to minimize the personal risks of numerous diseases. It is wonderful to be a vegan, and we don't and shouldn't have to apologize to anyone for making the choice to be one.