letters.

I really appreciate the goals, values and hard work of you folks in the VRG office. I became a vegetarian in the mid-70's, at the age of thirteen, solely because I did not want to eat dead animals. At that time the traditional wisdom was that being a veggie was OK, as long as you got enough protein. Partially because of taste and habit, and partially out of concern for protein, I began my veggie life on a diet primarily of pasta, dairy, and eggs.

I was looked upon by most as an oddball. While this did not really bother me ... sometime in the late eighties I started getting the Vegetarian Journal. It was wonderful to feel downright mainstream--even decadent--compared to your vegan outlook. It was also great to see that ... there is considerable evidence that vegetarianism has numerous health benefits, as well as other benefits to the environment. While your magazine was certainly not the only influence on my eating habits, I slowly started moving toward a vegan diet, largely due to your continued, reasonable sounding discussion of the benefits of no animal products. I have now been a vegan for close to a year, and I'm actually finding food more interesting than before, and I am feeling really good about what I am eating.

Over the years I have been giving away your magazine and cookbooks to friends and family. Much to my surprise and delight, many of these people have either become veggies, or moved to a more vegetarian diet. Even more to my surprise and delight, some of these veggie converts or pseudoconverts have told me that my veggie example inspired them. I want to let you know that your vegan example inspired me.

Sharon Strauss via e-mail

I cannot tell you how happy our family is to be leaving Korea--an ethical vegetarians nightmare of a country! We will definitely be the happiest family in Colorado, and I can't wait to try all the new vegetarian products that must have come out in our two-year absence!

At least I did my part for Air Force vegetarians at Osan Air Base. Although it took my husband and me almost a year and a half, we finally got the commissary here to begin stocking Morningstar Farms veggie burgers, ... veggie hot dogs, veggie soy cheese, and veggie "bulk sausage and hamburger." They can hardly keep it in stock! There aren't many vegetarians in the Air Force over here but there are a lot of people who are trying to lose weight because the major form of recreation is to go out and drink until they drop, but not before eating the very fattening, greasy, and questionable food available off-base.

Am I happy to be leaving here, or what?! Colorado here we come!

Deb Wolusky Osan AB, ROK