Ms Arthur raises the issue of fear caused by the actions of vegans to family farmers. Is this a tactic to label vegans as terrorists, as our politicians have tried to do? Does she have any evidence that vegans have caused physical harm to any farmer or their family?

She asks "who are these people?". Well, Ms Arthur, vegans are, in general, compassionate people who speak for the 76 billion animals that are needlessly slaughtered worldwide every year merely for a 15 minute meal. We are a voice for the voiceless who, like us, just want to live.

Along with the farming industry association - and some farmers - Ms Arthur claims that animals' deaths are humane. The definition of humane is "having or showing compassion or benevolence." Exactly what is compassionate or humane about slitting the throats of animals - most of them still babies - who do not want to die?

Ms Arthur says vegans should respect the rights of others to eat a diet of their own choosing. I ask Ms Arthur and others this; is your choice to eat the flesh of another sentient being more important than their choice to live? Choices that deprive other living beings of their life are unethical as anyone who has read Animal Liberation by Professor Peter Singer will attest.

When laws are so wrong it is our civic duty to demonstrate against them. The status of slaves and women have, thankfully, changed dramatically as a result of what were then disruptive and violent actions..

Cultural mores and economies have evolved during the course of history. It's time for us to embrace a new compassionate era and move to kinder ways of earning an income.

Read more: Vegetable growers condemn vegan protests  

All living creatures have some kind of social order.

Similarly to ants we are rushing around and performing our daily tasks.

Our view is limited, we can see only a small part of the entire picture.

Instead of solving problems, we are scratching their surface and making them less harsh.

There are many political, philosophical and religious views we can choose from.

Some of them have similar principles, while others vary to a great extent.

To remain free, we must not allow any radical ideology to dominate us.

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