TED Conversations

greg dahlen

Alumnus, academy of achievement

TEDCRED 30+

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Should Staples have gone totally vegan for a night?

The rock singer Morrisey recently appeared at Staples Center here in Los Angeles. Morrisey is vegan, and he asked that for one night all the food sold in the venue be vegan. Instead, Staples made all the food stands vegan except for one, up on the second floor, that still sold meat. I think they should have gone 100% vegan for one night in honor of Morrisey and his cause. What do you think?

I'd like to somehow make Staples slightly "pay" for not going 100% vegan. I could vow to never attend a concert there again, but that's going too far. Yet if I just phone and say their decision displeased me, I don't think it will matter to them because it has no practical repercussion. How could you slightly "punish" a venue in a way that has some teeth?

0
Share:
progress indicator

  • george lockwood 30+

    • +1
    Mar 14 2013: So - He had a contract, but I assume that was not specified. Mostly Vegen is pretty good if that's your thing. So what - most agricultural land is only good for livestock.
    Okay, I've read Gandhi's autobiography, and he is very specific. I understand what he's saying, but that doesn't make it true. Again most land is only suitable for livestock. I would be more impressed with your arguement if you criticized grain feed meat and confinements.

    • greg dahlen 30+

      • +1
      Mar 31 2013: Well, I myself am quite fine with eating meat, george. I'm just thinking that it wouldn't have killed Staples to go vegan for one night, I also respect the vegan position and I think Staples could have honored Morrisey's cause for one night.
  • thumb

    Kate Blake 50+

    • 0
    Mar 13 2013: Hi Greg I would definitely let Morrisey know what happened - he might have more teeth next time!

    What would be the harm if they went vegetarian one night every week? You could strongly suggest that. As a vegitarian i don't eat out very often as my diet is not catered to in this country, as opposed to India where the majority are veggo. So if I knew an establishment would be veggo every Wednesday I might be enticed out.

    • greg dahlen 30+

      • 0
      Mar 17 2013: well, I imagine he knows, Kate, that his team and Staples had some discussion, but you're right, maybe he doesn't. He might be somewhat limited in his power, too. After all, he wants to perform at leading venues like Staples, and he can't 100% dictate to them, true?

      If they wouldn't go vegan for one night, I don't think they'll go veggie once a week.

    • greg dahlen 30+

      • 0
      Mar 18 2013: Thinking some more, Kate, wouldn't Morrisey have seen, from the stage, people bringing meat dishes, such as hamburgers, back to their seats? So he definitely would know meat was being sold.
      • thumb

        Kate Blake 50+

        • 0
        Mar 18 2013: Greg I have absolutely no idea what Staples is? I thought it was a huge eating place but then you refer to Morrissey playing there? So I really have no idea what so ever.

        Frankly I think all eating establishments should go veg once a week so people like me can eat out but then maybe in US they actually have a few veg dishes on the menu ... Here I seldom eat out and if I do it's usually a small salad and chips. Real veg food is scrummy and a huge variety so if/when I find a place that does veg well, yum!

        • greg dahlen 30+

          • 0
          Mar 18 2013: Kate, Staples is a big office supply retail chain here in the states, and they have paid to put their name on an arena in downtown Los Angeles. The L.A. Lakers basketball team play their home games there, the L.A. Clippers, Los Angeles Kings hockey team. Many concerts there, such as Rihanna. They would have several places where attenders could buy food to eat during whatever they were watching, a game, concert, etc. Morrisey asked that they all go vegan for a night, which I think is rather cool, why not expose his fans to this different way of eating, after all you go to a concert to have some new experiences and step outside your normal life. But, as I say, Staples wouldn't do it 100%, I sort of get it, they were trying to please every person in the audience, but I think meateaters are flexible enough that they wouldn't mind going vegan for one evening. I would think Morrisey came to an agreement with them that this is what they would do, he also has to compromise, but I wish they'd been willing to go with him 100% for one night. I want to slightly "punish" them, well, I wouldn't say I'll never go a concert there again, that's rather extreme, but somehow I'd like to sting them a little for not going 100% vegan for one night, am I wrong there? I'm certainly glad Staples exists and gives us a place to go for entertainment.

          I really admire you for being vegetarian. How'd you get into it? As you know, I live on milk, which makes me a vegetarian, although I have nothing against people eating meat, I just find it makes me tired so I refrain. But obviously the cause matters to Morrisey and many others. What is your bio, where were you born, went to college, what studied, working?
      • thumb

        Kate Blake 50+

        • 0
        Mar 19 2013: Well you started this conversation on TED, why not write a letter to the editor of your main newspaper there too? Became a veggo many years ago when I first went to Asia, couldn't handle the way they slaughtered the animal on the road side in front of you. It's blood draining everywhere and black and alive with flies.

        It's not so unusual, many people are veggo now. Even the smell of meat cooking can make me nauseous after so many years but still miss eating seafood. My profile tells most of it Greg.

        • greg dahlen 30+

          • 0
          Mar 19 2013: yeah, I'm still thinking that writing a letter has no teeth, in other words it doesn't sting them in the pocketbook, that's where people respond, don't they?

          so is it actually caring about animals, or more the aesthetics of the slaughter?

          No, not unusual, and I believe vegans/vegetarians get more respect now, too.
      • thumb

        Kate Blake 50+

        • 0
        Mar 19 2013: Greg money and fame have little to do with it. If Staples get some negative feedback they may want to do something about it. Action speaks much louder than words - you decide what you are able to do and then do it?

        • greg dahlen 30+

          • 0
          Mar 31 2013: Well,that's the rub, Kate, just me saying I'm critical I'm thinking won't affect them much, it will roll off their backs. I think they'd respond more to something that hurt them a little in the pocketbook, cost them a little money.
  • thumb

    Lawren Jones 10+

    • +1
    Mar 13 2013: In the same way that they refused to quite go all the way, you say it would be "going too far" to boycott the Staples Center. You just don't want to pay the full price for your cause.

    • greg dahlen 30+

      • 0
      Mar 18 2013: Well, Lawren, it's that if I boycotted Staples, it might involve twenty nights, I might refrain from going to twenty concerts. Whereas the situation I'm complaining about only involved one night. Thus I don't think they're exactly commensurate.
Showing all 13 comments