I couldn't agree with you more. This is exactly why I don't go around preaching to people. The thing is though, this is a veggie forum. I come here to hang out with like-minded people. If meat-eaters want to come here and attack us, you have to expect us to strongly defend our point of view. Would you barge into a church, shout about how god doesn't exist, and then expect the people there not to argue with you?
Okay ... so let me get this straight ... not to be a jackass or anything, but ... you go visit some vegetarian forums, and start talking about how meat-eaters should not insult vegetarians, and begin to explain that as a result, we will leave meat eaters alone? Great conclusion! FFS, YOU are in a vegetarian forum; it's not like we're bothering you (or any omnivore) in any way, shape, or form. We're not out on meat-eating forums going on about how we wish you'd leave us a lone; *you* are *here.* I haven't met a single vegetarian/vegan that goes around making trouble for omnivores, and you'll soon find out that if you judge ANY of us by the terroristical PETA stereotype, that it's a mistake to do so. I mean, I know a ton of people who don't even bother to say that they're vegan anymore, they just avoid answering the question like Bush avoids answering yes/no to whether or not he did cocaine! The reality of it is that most omnivores think lowly of veg*ns, and start trouble with us; we rarely start trouble with them. If you want veg*ns to leave you alone and be nicer, then you know what you have to do. Side Note: I've had to live with several inconveniences as a vegan, but at length, dealing with omnivores (particularly the kind that can't [not don't--can't] think hard enough to even remotely grip why we are veg*n; those are the worst) is the most annoying and displeasing thing about being vegan. It surpasses the trivialities of discovering exactly what I'm eating by looking at labels, and you can't just rid yourself of the problem; there isn't even a cold-turkey solution. (Disclaimer: This note isn't aimed at Doodlebug, it's just an observation I'm making)
As to the cold thing, I've been veg for close to 18 years now and have had colds something like four or five times at the most during that whole period.