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Vegan Family’s Threatening Note To A Neighbor For Cooking Meat Goes Viral, And The Internet Has Thoughts
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Vegan Family’s Threatening Note To A Neighbor For Cooking Meat Goes Viral, And The Internet Has Thoughts

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There are a variety of cuisines or even just ingredients that end up smelling unpleasant to someone. The durian fruit is notorious for its pungent aroma and some people greatly dislike the smell of seafood. But most of us wouldn’t even consider going up to someone and telling them what they can and can’t do in their own kitchen. Most of us.

A woman shared a somewhat strange note left by a neighboring family. As vegans, they stated, the smell of cooking meat coming from the open window was too much and they were threatening to “report” her for it. They also took offense to the BBQ she had hosted, no doubt due to a similar aroma.
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    What we cook in the comfort of our own homes is generally up to us, unless a nosy intruder decides it isn’t

    Image credits: Paul Hermann (not the actual photo)

    A woman showed the internet a series of notes left by a neighboring vegan family, all demanding that she close her window when cooking

    Image credits: Hey Perth

    Image credits: Hey Perth

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    Image credits: Hey Perth

    Image credits: Hey Perth

    Image credits: Askar Abayev (not the actual photo)

    The neighbors were somewhat insistent, even sending another, longer letter

    Image credits: Hey Perth

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    Image credits: Hey Perth

    Image credits: Hey Perth

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    Image credits: Hey Perth

    Veganism and vegetarianism are becoming more and more common worldwide

    While maybe often associated with modern trends and environmentalism, veganism goes back thousands of years, to roughly 3300–1300 BCE, where the residents of the Indus Valley abstained from eating animals for spiritual reasons. While likely closer to modern vegetarianism than veganism, in that the prohibition was more about the life of the animal than the use of its products, it does cement it as a belief system that surpasses most. More commonly known Greek thinkers also at times expressed a desire to avoid any killing in the pursuit of food, for example, Pythagoras, of triangle fame, ordered his followers to not eat meat and not even associate with hunters and cooks.

    The actual number of vegans is on the rise, with at least one in ten Americans stating that they are at least vegetarian. This number is set to grow as plant-based alternatives become increasingly available. This is particularly true for areas where familiarity with plant-based products is growing. One doesn’t have to be vegetarian just to try beyond meat or an oat-milk-based pudding. This is all to say that attitudes towards meat are likely to shift. But, on the other side, this does not give one the right to actually interfere with what a person does inside their own home. There are a large number of food crimes documented online that you can check out here and here. But this doesn’t mean I can walk into these folks’ kitchens and slap the spatulas out of their hands.

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    Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)

    But one’s dietary preferences end at one’s mouth, not in the kitchen of someone else

    This particular story comes from the land down under so it may be helpful to explore whether the vegan family actually has a foot to stand on in this discussion. After all, a stench, just like loud noise, is often regulated. Well, Australian law will punish the emitter of an odor only in a few cases. If the smell is chemically harmful, like a pollutant, or causes health issues, then the emitter would be at fault. The law also states that “The Act defines ‘offensive odor’ as an odor that, due to its strength, nature, duration, character, quality, time of emission or some other circumstance, interferes or is likely to interfere unreasonably with the comfort or rest of a person who is outside the premises from which it is emitted.” So there is some degree of interpretation regarding what is “unreasonable,” however it seems doubtful that meat would fit the bill.

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    Part of the popularity of this post that ended up going truly viral is that there is a deep-seated veganphobia in many people. Some of the responses, which you’ll find below, argue that the note really wasn’t that inflammatory. It is an unreasonable request, there is no doubt about it. But it’s possible that many people’s initial distaste for vegans ended up coloring their interpretation of the story. After all, the vegan neighbors did ask nicely first, they did not actually do anything inflammatory, and honestly, who doesn’t like a handwritten note these days? Yes, they are in the wrong, but all things considered, it can’t hurt to at least ask.

    Image credits: samer daboul (not the actual photo)

    Most comments thought the note was ridiculous and that there were also good reasons to keep windows open while cooking

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    Other vegans and vegetarians also commented that they thought the request was unreasonable

    Some did believe the note was not exactly a rant and didn’t deserve the hate

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    Justin Sandberg

    Justin Sandberg

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    I am a writer at Bored Panda. Despite being born in the US, I ended up spending most of my life in Europe, from Latvia, Austria, and Georgia to finally settling in Lithuania. At Bored Panda, you’ll find me covering topics ranging from the cat meme of the day to red flags in the workplace and really anything else. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, beating other people at board games, cooking, good books, and bad films.

    Read less »
    Justin Sandberg

    Justin Sandberg

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I am a writer at Bored Panda. Despite being born in the US, I ended up spending most of my life in Europe, from Latvia, Austria, and Georgia to finally settling in Lithuania. At Bored Panda, you’ll find me covering topics ranging from the cat meme of the day to red flags in the workplace and really anything else. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, beating other people at board games, cooking, good books, and bad films.

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

    Read less »

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

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    Riche White
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some people were saying the neighbor was being polite in asking, but when the envelope said "Final warning ", I think that crossed the line of be polite. What's next, telling me I can grow a certain color flower? Paint my trim blue instead of green?

    howdylee
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you live in an HOA, then yes ;) I remember a BP post a while back where a neighbor did complain about the color/variety of flowers planted.

    Load More Replies...
    Richard Wareham
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As the saying goes: "How do you know someone is a vegan? Don't worry: they will tell you!"

    Slondal
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    That cliche lacks logic: how do you know the dietary preferences of that vast majority of people who don't inform you of them?

    Load More Replies...
    A C
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These peeps make fellow vegans look bad.... how obnoxious can you get?!

    Locil23
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes. They're obnoxious because they're obnoxious not because their vegans. For some reasons it's very popular, and false, for some people to post on social media about the apparent uncontrollable and universal urge of all vegans to advise everyone about their diet.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    Riche White
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some people were saying the neighbor was being polite in asking, but when the envelope said "Final warning ", I think that crossed the line of be polite. What's next, telling me I can grow a certain color flower? Paint my trim blue instead of green?

    howdylee
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you live in an HOA, then yes ;) I remember a BP post a while back where a neighbor did complain about the color/variety of flowers planted.

    Load More Replies...
    Richard Wareham
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As the saying goes: "How do you know someone is a vegan? Don't worry: they will tell you!"

    Slondal
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    That cliche lacks logic: how do you know the dietary preferences of that vast majority of people who don't inform you of them?

    Load More Replies...
    A C
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These peeps make fellow vegans look bad.... how obnoxious can you get?!

    Locil23
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes. They're obnoxious because they're obnoxious not because their vegans. For some reasons it's very popular, and false, for some people to post on social media about the apparent uncontrollable and universal urge of all vegans to advise everyone about their diet.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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