Vegetarians condemn IVA campaign promo video

The Malta Vegetarian Society has condemned a promotional video by the Yes to Spring Hunting campaign, depicting a vegetarian declaring her intention to vote Yes in the upcoming referendum.

“I am a vegetarian, so of course I don’t eat meat, be it hunted or otherwise,” the vegetarian, identified only as Charmaine, says in the promo video. “However, I respect other people’s choices and I’m not ready to stop people from doing they what they love in a sustainable manner.”

However, the Vegetarian Society said that it is “unbelievable, utterly queer, and contradictory” to hear a self-declared vegetarian declare her support for spring hunting.

“Although there may be exceptions to every rule, the Committee of The Vegetarian Society of Malta has never met any vegetarian, whether in Malta or abroad, who approves of hunting or any other form of animal cruelty,” the Vegetarian Society said in a statement. “The principle of no cruelty to animals is fundamental to vegetarian ideology.

“We have met a few people who consider themselves vegetarian while in reality they are not, because they think that vegetarianism excludes only beef from one's diet.”

They added that any killing, injury or painful exploitation of animals especially for sport is ethically and morally wrong and against vegetarian principles.