I have been a Vegetarian for about 20 years now. There probably is not a joke I haven't heard.
I had wanted to vegetarian for a long time previously, but it was a Club Sandwich (Paul's Fun Club Magazine, at the time) had Paul and Linda touting vegetarianism. I read about all of the cruelty that goes on, and I couldn't bear it, so I decided I would try for a week or two and see how it went. Here I am some 20+ years later.
I can see situations where it is necessary to eat meat. Almost two years ago, I took a trip to Alaska and we drove through areas where it would be very difficult to farm sufficiently to feed yourself. Don't get me wrong, there is a surprising amount of farming that goes on in Alaska, but wildlife is sustenance.
So I am not against eating an animal, I just feel strongly that the animal should be killed humanely. The slaughterhouses are horrible places. The animals scream before they go in, as they smell the blood, and they get scared.
Hunting for food may be necessary.
I encourage anyone to become a vegetarian. I have probably saved a lot of animals.
Paul encourages "Meat Free Monday". So if you could only do it for one day a week, it would be good.