Persuasive speech about becoming a vegetarian?

Question

Im writing a persuasive speech about why you should be a vegetarian. Im writing about the cruelty, health benifits, environmental benifits, and so on. What are some other points i could use? Can anyone reccomend some websites with good information on this? Anything else on the subject would be great, thanks:]

Answer 1

I recommend Vegetarianism in a Nutshell:

http://www.goveg.com/veganism_health.asp

Click on the sections on the right-hand side. I love this (under the Conclusion):

"Please ask yourself: 'Would you want to work on a factory farm, searing the beaks off of chickens or castrating pigs and cows without painkillers, and so on.' 'Would you want to work on a factory fishing trawler?' 'Are other areas of your life where you participate in practices that would repulse you if you had to watch them happening.' You know, most of us could watch grains being tilled or even spend an afternoon shucking corn or picking beans, fruits, or vegetables. Seriously, how many of us would want to spend an afternoon slitting open animals’ throats?"

Animal cruelty: http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp

Health: http://www.goveg.com/healthConcerns.asp

Environment: http://www.goveg.com/environment.asp

World hunger: http://www.goveg.com/worldhunger.asp

Worker rights: http://www.goveg.com/workerrights.asp

Other good sites are:

http://www.chooseveg.com/

http://www.tryveg.com/

I would focus on animal cruelty issues. Most students aren't old enough to really care about their health, but animal suffering is an issue that a lot of people care about.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You've chosen a really tough subject that a lot of people have strong objections to. I would try to focus less on animal welfare (maybe include how how they are fed growth hormones, antibiotics, etc), and focus more on the health benefits, as that is something more students will care about. Just be ready for the redneck hunter in the back row to start talking about the bambi he hunted last weekend...don't lose your cool. Try not to be too passionate, just intellectual. I've included some resources for you below.  Good luck!

Good opening quotes:

Einstein:

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the

chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the

evolution to a vegetarian diet."

Paul McCartney:

If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.

K.D. Lang:

We all love animals.  Why do we call some "pets" and others "dinner?"  

P.S. I would use PETA as a resource, but I wouldn't mention them in my speech, as most people have a negative opinion about them.

Answer 3

k here the thing it is not heathly to be a vegatarian trust me ive asked at least 10 docs and they said to me that sabout the worst thing u could do especail ive ur tryin to loose weight and plus if u think about its not like we are makin animal extict they breed faster and faster everyday so think bout dat

loves,

Kenzie

Answer 4

HHHHHHHEEEEEEEYYYYYY IM VEGGIE!!

OKAY SOMETIMES MEAT CAN CAUSE CANCER AND IT CAN BE BAD FOR YOU!!

wen u eat meat its like eating a dog except a different animal

Answer 5

colorful p**p and never having a tasteful meal again, oh wait that last one wont work so well.

Answer 6

** Physiological reasons -- differences in dentition, length of intestine, limited hydrochloric acid, bone structure between humans and predators -- which is not to say that humans, the most dangerous animals on the planet, are not predatory.

** Issues of human hunger and the starvation of millions of men, women and children each year at home and abroad all over the world .

** Biblical reasons:

Genesis -- Behold the earth bearing trees these shall be for you as meat.

Leviticus and the laws of Kosher -- you can have your pound of flesh but not a single drop of blood.

Ten Commandments – Thou shalt not kill.

(Please notice that there is no human bias in that statement. It                              does not say Thou shalt not kill humans.)

**   Literary reasons: Shakespeare - The Merchant of Venice / Portia's defense of Shylock based on Leviticus and the laws of Kosher -- you can have your pound of flesh but not one drop of blood.

** Issues of human hunger and the starvation and death of millions of men, women and children each year at home and abroad due to starvation and politics.

(by the way this one segues into the latest US crime against humanity which is, in our greed for energy and conspicuous consumption of bigger faster cars – SUV’s and HUMMERS and the bigger uglier houses which require more energy to heat and      cool replacing the tear-downs of beautiful human sized homes.

The issue? Ethanol. Does it really make sense to any of us to put corn in gas tanks when people are starving?  

** Hunger hurts and is 100% preventable



** Health Issues: (to add to what you already know)

1976 McGovern's Congressional Committee Report to the Congress on Dietary Goals for the United States demonstrated that America’s health was being impacted by our diet.  They said that the 8 of the 10 most devastating diseases causing the highest rate of death in this country are directly due to the eating of too much flesh foods, too much fat, and too much refined flours and sugars. There was an immediate and forceful reaction by the meat and poultry, grain and sugar industries which demanded a retraction. They got a minimal watering down of the language but the committee did not back down. Prior to this committee’s work the only nutritional information on any package of food was on animal feed. This committee’s work has had a tremendous impact on the food industry in the sense that it has raised the nation’s awareness of the importance of nutrition – even if the public doesn’t elect to use that information or use it well.  

By the way that was 1976 before the aggressive corporate take over of the Governmental Watch Dog Agencies: FDA, USDA, etc. Take a look at this review of Andrew Kimbrell’s important book Your Right to Know

http://www.your-vegetarian-kitchen.com/y...

Hope that helps.

Answer 7

I think you've got it all covered. I would focus on the cruelty as that would be a strong argument for a persuasive paper. Try PETA.com. Good luck!

Answer 8

It is normal and healthy for people to eat meat. I hope that you include this truth in your report. Otherwise your report will lack objectivity.

Answer 9

ooohhh like nachos, no meat, but with cheese and jalepenos !!!!!!!!

ask the class about the sweetest thing they eat, like fruit smoothies.

make a point about how sweet like can be without meat.

and about all the barbeques you wouldnt have to go to, and if you like barbeques then eat greenbeans and patatoe salad, fruit salad and other things. no one will  be able to force anything onto you

Answer 10

Really hit hard of the Health Benefits.

-Cancer

-Food Poisoning (Meat/Fish is one of the easiest places to get food poisoned, they spoil etc)

-Fat  (To cook many meat/fish, their is a fatty way of cooking

-For the ladies who are worried of vanity, skin problems associated with meat

Answer 11

look on google for examples and essays written by others about vegetarians to get some ideas and to help you write one.

Answer 12

well if meat is so bad for you, HOW COME IT'S FOOD?!?!?!?!?!

'nuff said

Answer 13

why? a person has got to love the taste of a nice juicy steak.. i just dont get it

Answer 14

www.peta.com

Talk about how when people eat meat, they only see the finnished product. If slaughter houses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians.