Vegan Family’s Threatening Note To A Neighbor For Cooking Meat Goes Viral, And The Internet Has Thoughts
There are a variety of cuisines or even just ingredients that end up smelling unpleasant to someone. The durian fruit is notorious for its pungent aroma and some people greatly dislike the smell of seafood. But most of us wouldn’t even consider going up to someone and telling them what they can and can’t do in their own kitchen. Most of us.
A woman shared a somewhat strange note left by a neighboring family. As vegans, they stated, the smell of cooking meat coming from the open window was too much and they were threatening to “report” her for it. They also took offense to the BBQ she had hosted, no doubt due to a similar aroma.
More info: Facebook
What we cook in the comfort of our own homes is generally up to us, unless a nosy intruder decides it isn’t
Image credits: Paul Hermann (not the actual photo)
A woman showed the internet a series of notes left by a neighboring vegan family, all demanding that she close her window when cooking
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Askar Abayev (not the actual photo)
The neighbors were somewhat insistent, even sending another, longer letter
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Hey Perth
Image credits: Hey Perth
Veganism and vegetarianism are becoming more and more common worldwide
While maybe often associated with modern trends and environmentalism, veganism goes back thousands of years, to roughly 3300–1300 BCE, where the residents of the Indus Valley abstained from eating animals for spiritual reasons. While likely closer to modern vegetarianism than veganism, in that the prohibition was more about the life of the animal than the use of its products, it does cement it as a belief system that surpasses most. More commonly known Greek thinkers also at times expressed a desire to avoid any killing in the pursuit of food, for example, Pythagoras, of triangle fame, ordered his followers to not eat meat and not even associate with hunters and cooks.
The actual number of vegans is on the rise, with at least one in ten Americans stating that they are at least vegetarian. This number is set to grow as plant-based alternatives become increasingly available. This is particularly true for areas where familiarity with plant-based products is growing. One doesn’t have to be vegetarian just to try beyond meat or an oat-milk-based pudding. This is all to say that attitudes towards meat are likely to shift. But, on the other side, this does not give one the right to actually interfere with what a person does inside their own home. There are a large number of food crimes documented online that you can check out here and here. But this doesn’t mean I can walk into these folks’ kitchens and slap the spatulas out of their hands.
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)
But one’s dietary preferences end at one’s mouth, not in the kitchen of someone else
This particular story comes from the land down under so it may be helpful to explore whether the vegan family actually has a foot to stand on in this discussion. After all, a stench, just like loud noise, is often regulated. Well, Australian law will punish the emitter of an odor only in a few cases. If the smell is chemically harmful, like a pollutant, or causes health issues, then the emitter would be at fault. The law also states that “The Act defines ‘offensive odor’ as an odor that, due to its strength, nature, duration, character, quality, time of emission or some other circumstance, interferes or is likely to interfere unreasonably with the comfort or rest of a person who is outside the premises from which it is emitted.” So there is some degree of interpretation regarding what is “unreasonable,” however it seems doubtful that meat would fit the bill.
Part of the popularity of this post that ended up going truly viral is that there is a deep-seated veganphobia in many people. Some of the responses, which you’ll find below, argue that the note really wasn’t that inflammatory. It is an unreasonable request, there is no doubt about it. But it’s possible that many people’s initial distaste for vegans ended up coloring their interpretation of the story. After all, the vegan neighbors did ask nicely first, they did not actually do anything inflammatory, and honestly, who doesn’t like a handwritten note these days? Yes, they are in the wrong, but all things considered, it can’t hurt to at least ask.
Image credits: samer daboul (not the actual photo)
Most comments thought the note was ridiculous and that there were also good reasons to keep windows open while cooking
Other vegans and vegetarians also commented that they thought the request was unreasonable
Some did believe the note was not exactly a rant and didn’t deserve the hate
Some people were saying the neighbor was being polite in asking, but when the envelope said "Final warning ", I think that crossed the line of be polite. What's next, telling me I can grow a certain color flower? Paint my trim blue instead of green?
If you live in an HOA, then yes ;) I remember a BP post a while back where a neighbor did complain about the color/variety of flowers planted.
What is a hoa and what sanctions can they implement? Can they legally request something?
And does polite matter? If someone kidnaps your child, does it matter if the ransom note is very graciously written? "Polite" harassment and threats are still harassment and threats. Go the cops. Phrases like "Final Warning" are stuff they take seriously. Or see a lawyer and get a restraining order.
Not the first time I tell this anecdote on BP but I witnessed once an intercation at the bus stop between a probably 16 or 17 yo girl and 30 something man. He asked her phone number, she refused. He complained "but I asked nicely!!!". I was just about to interfer when this teenager went "you have a nice shirt, can I blow my nose on it???" When the guy, horrified, refused she complained "but I asked nicely !". He left. I will always remember her as a Queen.
Here's another phrase: false equivalence.
Nah. It’s an unreasonable request. If a request is unreasonable then manners are largely irrelevant as the presumption trumps the (ostensibly polite) tone.
Here's one for you: no supporting argument.
No, I'm allergic to bees so no you cannot have flowers. Apparently, that's how life works according to the neighbor.
As the saying goes: "How do you know someone is a vegan? Don't worry: they will tell you!"
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
That cliche lacks logic: how do you know the dietary preferences of that vast majority of people who don't inform you of them?
It's a cliché because it's true. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a cliché. Vegans will let you know they're vegan at the earliest opportunity.
And sometimes even earlier.
No. Vegans who let you know let you know. Vegans who do let you know are ones about whom you don't know their diet.
These peeps make fellow vegans look bad.... how obnoxious can you get?!
Yes. They're obnoxious because they're obnoxious not because their vegans. For some reasons it's very popular, and false, for some people to post on social media about the apparent uncontrollable and universal urge of all vegans to advise everyone about their diet.
Some people were saying the neighbor was being polite in asking, but when the envelope said "Final warning ", I think that crossed the line of be polite. What's next, telling me I can grow a certain color flower? Paint my trim blue instead of green?
If you live in an HOA, then yes ;) I remember a BP post a while back where a neighbor did complain about the color/variety of flowers planted.
What is a hoa and what sanctions can they implement? Can they legally request something?
And does polite matter? If someone kidnaps your child, does it matter if the ransom note is very graciously written? "Polite" harassment and threats are still harassment and threats. Go the cops. Phrases like "Final Warning" are stuff they take seriously. Or see a lawyer and get a restraining order.
Not the first time I tell this anecdote on BP but I witnessed once an intercation at the bus stop between a probably 16 or 17 yo girl and 30 something man. He asked her phone number, she refused. He complained "but I asked nicely!!!". I was just about to interfer when this teenager went "you have a nice shirt, can I blow my nose on it???" When the guy, horrified, refused she complained "but I asked nicely !". He left. I will always remember her as a Queen.
Here's another phrase: false equivalence.
Nah. It’s an unreasonable request. If a request is unreasonable then manners are largely irrelevant as the presumption trumps the (ostensibly polite) tone.
Here's one for you: no supporting argument.
No, I'm allergic to bees so no you cannot have flowers. Apparently, that's how life works according to the neighbor.
As the saying goes: "How do you know someone is a vegan? Don't worry: they will tell you!"
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
That cliche lacks logic: how do you know the dietary preferences of that vast majority of people who don't inform you of them?
It's a cliché because it's true. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a cliché. Vegans will let you know they're vegan at the earliest opportunity.
And sometimes even earlier.
No. Vegans who let you know let you know. Vegans who do let you know are ones about whom you don't know their diet.
These peeps make fellow vegans look bad.... how obnoxious can you get?!
Yes. They're obnoxious because they're obnoxious not because their vegans. For some reasons it's very popular, and false, for some people to post on social media about the apparent uncontrollable and universal urge of all vegans to advise everyone about their diet.