Al Gore's Veganism: Bananas, If Not Evil

According to Forbes, former Vice President and environmentalist filmmaker Al Gore (An Inconvenient Truth) has done, for at least a few months now, what a lot of leaders who are concerned with any combination of the environment, animals and their health have done - he's embraced a vegan diet. The article that revealed his new diet was about Hampton Creek Foods, creators of Just Mayo, Eat The Dough, and other products that utilize an exciting futuristic egg successor that is being invested in by the like of Bill Gates. In the article, Forbes says: “Newly turned vegan Al Gore is also circling,”.

This was the first mention of Gore's switch to veganism, and since then it's caused a flurry of press and speculation from the LA Times and NPR, to HuffPo and The Washington Post. While none of the articles themselves are scathing, one quick look at the comments section reveals a lot of people who think Gore is bananas, if not evil. "Don't read the comments," they say. But whenever a powerful male goes vegan and it makes the news, the haters seem to crawl out and launch into a flurry of what can be sorted out as: defense of mainstream masculinity, climate-change denial, pseudo-expert study citations, anger at the Clinton administration (Bill aspires toward a plant-based diet), proclamations for their love of meat, and general resistance to change. So in this case, if you want to LOL, do read the comments. Here are some of my favorite Gore-Hater comments from the last few days:

• • Bruno26: What about eyelash mites, Demodex folliculorum, vegans kill these poor little animals indiscriminately with the simple rub of their eyelid, who sticks up for these animals? or are you saying some animals are more worthy than others?
• • Ron_Hi: We already know how this twatwaffle has ripped off the "Green" movement selling Energy Credits to allow companies to pollute. Since he is going vegan, I have an suggestion of where he can stick his next carrot.
• • CliveBixby: How do you know if someone's a vegan? Don't worry....they'll tell you.
• • libertysanders: So while Gore flies around burning more fossil fuel then I'll use in my lifetime giving speeches about imaginary "global warming" he's eating bean sprouts? Wow, that is SO green! Be still, my beating heart!!
• • ohiomark: With his hoax falling apart, NOW he stops eating meat?
• • jgtch: Bill Clinton and Al Gore going vegan to extend their time on this planet. Think I will eat steak twice a day and take up smoking.
• • newwtrick:If Al Gore goes vegan the way he went green, there are many cows who better watch out.
• • gayle5: Let's do a survey of how many vegans have had abortions.
• • newg8tr: It would be an even bigger contribution to the universe if he just went ahead and died.
• • bgh308:'Bout time ole AL lost some weight. He invented the internet and man made global warming--now he's gone and invented veggie diets!
• • FaunaAndFlora:Al Gore flies back and forth from his 10,000 square foot mansion in Belle Meade, Tennessee to his luxury apartment in San Francisco, or to New York, New York where he has a standing reservation at the Regency. For holidays and special occasions, his family flies in from the east and west coasts to gather at the Gore farm in Carthage, Tennessee, yet the best Mr. Gore can do to reduce his own carbon footprint is to go vegan?  Really? How about cutting back on all those frequent flyer miles? Or turning that Belle Meade mansion into a multi-family? After all, Mr. Gore could reduce his carbon footprint by living in the guest house. Even better, he could live on the Gore family farm. I've been to Carthage, Tennessee. It's good grazing land. Since Mr. Gore already leases his pastures to local beef farmers, there's no reason why he couldn't use that land to raise a steer for his own consumption. The beef from that animal would have a much smaller carbon footprint than buying quinoa from Peru.