I became a vegetarian a dozen or more years ago not because it was more healthy or even more ethical, but because I did not want to add to the anguish in the world. I have never regretted that decision, or even seriously questioned it.

But what if every one was a vegetarian? What if overnight some switch was thrown and no one ate eat meat any longer?

Sounds great at first. But what would happen to the billions of animals raised for food around the globe? Would they starve? Would we have massive euthanasia because we couldn't afford to feed them?

And suppose it was a gradual transition, no massive change, just fewer and fewer animals slaughtered. That would certainly mean fewer and fewer animals raised. Is it really better for them never to live than to live a while?

Take away the quality of life issues: if the life was comfortable and the death painless, which would be better-some life, or none? If you had to make that same choice for yourself, or your family, which would you choose?

Animals cannot choose the life we give them. But they can't choose the life we don't give them either.