Veganism is a scam and waste.

Argument #1: Veganism Isn’t a ScamPart of the resolution my opponent came up with states that Veganism is a scam. However, it’s easy to conclude that Veganism isn’t a scam. By definition, a scam is a dishonest and fraudulent scheme (paraphrasing from original definition). Veganism is when someone eats no animal or dairy products at all. There’s nothing dishonest about being a Vegan. Vegans are simply people who have chosen not to eat meat or dairy. It’s not like someone controls Veganism and is ripping off all people who are vegans. In the same way, Veganism is also not fraudulent. Overall, my opponent’s claim that veganism is a scam is clearly not true. Argument #2: Veganism Isn’t a Complete WasteMy opponent claims that Veganism is a waste. By saying that, my opponent says that there is not one purpose of positive thing attached with Veganism (paraphrasing from original definition of waste). However, there are positive things that are attached to being a Vegan. The following is a short list of some positives of being a vegan.a. Not eating dairy and meats lowers the amount of saturated fats taken in. Therefore, cardiovascular health and other aspects of health would improve by becoming a Vegan.b. A diet rich in whole grains would lower your blood pressure. This is another example of how Veganism can improve your health.c. Reduction in dairy, meat, and eggs often results in fewer allergy symptoms. Many vegans report much fewer congestion problems.Now remember, my task isn’t to show that Veganism is better that any other diet. My task, according to the resolution, it to show that there are benefits to Veganism and that Veganism isn’t a waste. I have achieved that by showing positive things about Veganism. I will now respond to some of my opponent’s claims. I will only respond to some of them, and I will respond to the rest of them in my final round. The reason for this is because the character limit is too small for me to fully respond to all of my opponent’s rebuttals. Rebuttal #1: Health of Vegans vs. Non-Vegans My opponent makes many claims about the health benefits of being a Non-Vegan and the health risks of being a Vegan. Let’s take a look at some of these claims. “There are some nutrients that are found in meat, but not in vegetables. Examples are heme-iron, vitamin B12, DHA, and creatine. These are essential for body and brain function” “Vegan food is processed food” “Overstated health benefits. Though you can live as a vegan, you may not have the same quality of health. There are some nutrients only found in meat, or which meat is the best source.” “Zinc, creatine, B-12, etc. Sure, there are supplements, but supplements are unnatural, expensive, and probably come from an animal anyway. Vegan "meats", "milk", and "eggs" are just a feel-good euphemism for PROCESSED FOODS” My opponent can cite specific health risks for Vegans and health benefits for Non-Vegans (which my opponent has). In the same way, I can cite health benefits for Vegans and health risks for Non-Vegans. I have already cited health benefits for Vegans. Now, I will cite some heal risks for Non-Vegans. a. Some meats can cause Cardiovascular Disease.b. Eating meat (specifically beef) can give you Mad Cow Disease.c. Eating meat increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. So, in the same way my opponent can cite health facts to back his claims, I can do the same thing. However, that’s not the point of the debate. My objective is to show that veganism isn’t a scam nor is it a waste. I have shown both of those things to be true. Hence, my opponent’s health facts aren’t relevant. Rebuttal #2: No Such Thing as True Vegans? My opponent claims multiple times that it is impossible to truly live a Vegan life. “There is no such thing as a vegan. Drywall, the microphone in your cell phone, medications, and even tennis racket stringss contain animal products” “If you want to live to Peta's standards, you must give up leather products (even if it is a byproduct), protest animal experimentation (even if it is a cure for cancer), protest all forms of animal entertainment (even movies with dogs in them), and protest pets (even seeing-eye dogs.)" “…it is impossible to live an animal-free lifestyle. Harvesting vegetables and grains inevitably kills insects and worms. Many vegans reject honey, proving they consider bees to be an animal. Not to mention, it is virtually impossible to be a PETA vegan, who doesn't even use anything with animals” Not much to talk about here. First off, these are just more statements that are unrelated to the resolution, and I have held up my end of the resolution. Besides that, Veganism is mainly about not eating meats and dairy due to the fact that those foods come from animals. Some Vegans believe that people shouldn’t use any products with animals in them, such as drywall and medications as my opponent states. However, not all do. It’s mainly about not eating animal products. So, my opponent’s claim that it is impossible to live a Vegan life is false. Conclusion: I have completely defended my side of the resolution. I have shown why Veganism isn’t a scam nor is it a waste. I have also shot down some of my opponent’s arguments. In my final round, I will respond to the claims that my opponent has made that I didn’t respond to yet, as well as claims my opponent will make in round 3. It is also possible that I will build upon my arguments. In my opponent’s final argument, my opponent must show why my contentions and my rebuttals are false. I wish my opponent the best of luck. Sources: http://www.veganurbanite.com...http://www.medicaldaily.com...