Thanks for an interesting point of view. As an atheist, I don't expect to stand in front of any god, yours included. Since most of our family was murdered by
the Germans during WWII, if there were a god, it would have made more sense for that "being" to do something to help prevent the murder of 26 million
people. But I don't intend to digress.Your dietary choices DO affect me. (As well as if you are a smoker, alcoholic and/or substance abuser).
The costs to society are shared by those who don't abuse. These costs include higher health, disability life and worker's compensation insurance rates. Substance abuse while driving costs many lives. (not to mention Princess Diana's). If you take part in dangerous activities like sky diving, mountain climbing without insurance and have a terrible accident, it is I who will be paying for it when you go on welfare for the rest of your life. These include costs of your health care as well as your livelihood. Head injuries while
riding motorcycles (without helmet) are another excellent example.
In a modern society you cannot divorce yourself or be a true individualist if you are a consumer of services. What YOU do will probably cost ME.
Eating meat causes many forms of cancer--particularly prostate and breast cancer--mostly due to the excess fat intake. There is excellent data on this, and yes, I am a doctor. So if you want to continue eating large quantities of meat--fine, but remember, I will be paying for part of your cardiac bypass surgery, even if you have health insurance.
Michael M. Rosenblatt
