Animal rights group urges Sharon to go vegetarian

It may be too late for this, but a good idea.

Animal rights group urges Sharon to go vegetarian

joseph flesh, THE JERUSALEM POST Jan. 4, 2006

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Israeli group Anonymous for Animal Rights has sent a letter to PM Ariel Sharon urging him to become vegetarian. Included with the letter was a pamphlet called Easy Vegetarianism (Tzimchonut B'kalut).

Sharon's doctors recently announced in a medical conference that he suffers from gout, a form of arthritis often caused by consumption of more rich foods than the liver can handle. Switching to a vegetarian diet could alleviate his symptoms.

Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the joints. The liver produces uric acid as a byproduct of consumption of rich foods, such as red meat, cream, and red wine.

"The slogan 'Vegetarianism Saves Lives' refers not only to the lives of the millions of animals that vegetarianism saves, but also to human lives-refraining from eating meat improves one's health," Anonymous wrote in the letter. "In addition to gout, the consumption of large quantities of meat, as is customary in Western society (and only in Western society) raises the risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer."

Anonymous for Animal Rights has previously succeeded in several campaigns to improve animal rights in Israel, including banning animal dissection in all schools and prohibiting the use of wild animals in circuses.

"We want to show the PM that a transition to vegetarianism can be gradual and enjoyable, though we know that it is sometimes difficult to change one's habits," said Reut Horen, a spokesperson for the group. "If [Sharon] accepts our recommendation, his body as well as thousands of animals will be thankful."