Vegetarian? Vegan? I Love Me Some Meat and Cheese!

So, about an hour ago, there was a young lady who came up to me while I was eating my lunch and asked if I would be willing to sign a petition to have more vegetarian/vegan-friendly choices for students at my school.  I am happy to sign a petition to show my support of vegetarians and vegans.  They deserve to have several choices of food too.  I agree.  So upon my signature I was given a pamphlet, from PETA2, claiming to tell me "everything I need to know about animal rights."  As I read through it, I found it to have good information, but it was obviously biased towards animal cruelty and why we should all be vegetarians and vegans.  I honestly didn't see a list of "animal rights," or anything related.  

This is my question for you:  "Is it a hypocritical way of life to be a 'meat-eater,' but then promote no cruelty to animals?"  

restated:  "Just because someone's a 'meat-eater,' doesn't mean that they endorse animal cruelty - does it?"

To continue, the pamphlet went on to say...

• Pigs are smarter than dogs and young children. They are affectionate and like to play video games.
• Hens and their chicks talk to each other ...even while the chick is still in the egg.
• If you give an apple or a small ball to a group of turkeys, they'll play with it together, kind of like they're on a football or soccer team.
• Cows are excellent mothers - they even take turns babysitting for each other!
• Fish grow underwater algae gardens.  Using their mouths like we use our hands, they weed out algae they don't like so the tastier kinds can grow. 

 So, as you can see, the authors are personifying animals, and discussing their lives as if they are, on the whole just as important (if not more important) than human beings.  This is a tactic to easily sway a reader on pitying an animal. 

My Physiology of Interpreting professor said (multiple times), "the only real difference between humans and animals is our thumbs," that move up, down and side to side.

I am one of those strong believers that everything that God put on the earth was put here for a purpose and I believe that animals serve various purposes and overall - they are to serve humans (in various forms).  I mean, I highly doubt that God just put animals on earth because they are pretty to look at.  And at the same time that I sit in a steakhouse with my medium-well 8 oz I am not thinking I hope that this cow was brutally slaughtered, abused or forced into stalls. 

Oh, and I just loved how the pamphlet used quotes from popular TV teen idols and their comments about how it's cool to be vegan or vegetarian.  Did you catch my sarcasm there?

Are all places that provides meat and animal bi-products really so violent?  Or is PETA just telling us about the few that are cruel to animals?

What's more, as I did some online searching for PETA, the first images that come up with their articles and on their official website could be considered pornographic, or at least inappropriate, in nature.  I'm guessing that PETA is putting a sexy-spin on their cause in order to gain more attention.  Not cool, not moral, not family friendly.  Nada. 

Now, my rant is done.  I am hoping that I get feedback from ya'll.  Tell me how you feel about being vegan/vegetarian.  Tell me what you know and how you feel about how some animals are treated in the mass production of meat and animal bi-products. Give me good links and sources so that I can be more informed in my opinion.  Because, for now, I am sticking with my Genesis reference of the King James Bible.  (Genesis 1:24-25 & 6:5 through 8:19).  I mean come on people, why would God ask Noah to bring animals aboard the ship he built, when the earth was going to be flooded for 40 days and nights, if not to preserve them for our use?  (LDS Primary Lesson) 

All I have to say for now is, "I love me some meat and cheese!"