I am amazed at the ignorance displayed by vegetarians toward the issue of eating meat.

Humans did not work their way to the top of the food chain to sit around and eat salad and soy products.

We are carnivores by nature.

And yes, meat is essential to our diets.

We get essential amino acids and nutrients from meat that cannot be found in or absorbed from dietary supplements.

To the vegans out there who won't eat animal products, you'll be sorry when you get older and have all kinds of health problems due to the lack of nutrients you never get from milk, eggs or meat.

Take an animal science or nutrition class if you won't believe my words.

In Johnathan Grindell's letter ("Vegetarian practices support environment," Oct. 20), he implies that anyone who is not a vegetarian does not have compassion for animals.

After having butchered hundreds of animals growing up farming and hunting, I'm willing to bet I have more compassion and understanding for animals than many of you bleeding-heart tree huggers will ever be capable of. Our farm has helped supply food and habitat for countless wild and domesticated animals.

Some of you have trouble handling the cold hard facts of life: eating meat and animal products is an essential part of human existence.