Fried FoodClaiming that vegetarianism is just about to break through, this time is a classic animal liberationist tactic to peer-pressure omnivores into giving up their milk, bacon, and eggs. We covered a story last week that said all the cool pre-tweens were going veggie—a report that was full of more holes than Swiss cheese. Now the Voice of America claims that the nation’s meat tooth is dying and all the cool newspapermen are “going veg.” (Should they fall off the wagon like Ozzy Osbourne or treat themselves to the occasional meaty snack like NFLer Arian Foster, there doesn’t seem to be the same media swarm as an “I’m vegan now!” declaration.)

But the animal liberationists at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) shouldn’t put down the puppy-killing needles to celebrate the “vegan nation” yet. Economic stresses, namely the ongoing long stagnation and the drought that killed much of the nation’s feed-stock, are responsible for much of the decline in meat consumption. If those pressures lift, expect Americans to resume normal, meaty dinner service.

It’s clear that even if we’re eating a little less meat, Americans aren’t falling in line with Humane Society of the United States Food Policy Director and ex-PETA flack Matt Prescott’s repulsive view farmers are running concentration camps. Meat is more expensive and consumers have less money, so they’re scrimping and saving. At the same time, cheese consumption is nearing record highs. Certainly, if people want to be vegetarian it’s their free choice, but it doesn’t look like the PETA/HSUS lifestyle is calling the masses to the vegan sliver of society.