Is this the begining of insanity bubbling up through the streets? Someone has asked Helena Echlin of Chow.com whether vegetarians have the right to ask for a meat free eating environment.

Dear Helena,

A big group of friends and I were trying to figure out a bar to go to. The obvious choice was Zeitgeist, a popular San Francisco bar with a giant outdoor beer garden. But I nixed the choice, because I’m vegetarian and that place always stinks of hamburgers from their outdoor grill. My one friend and I got into a big fight about it. She said, “But you used to eat meat and not mind the smell. You make everybody’s life difficult because of your personal choice.” Yes, it was harder to decide on a bar because of me, but I feel that because the first-choice bar made me gag, that was a legitimate reason to not want to go there. Is it OK for vegetarians to insist on meat-free environments, even if it means distressing nonvegetarians? And what’s the best strategy for getting your way without alienating your friends?—Ooh That Smell

Click here to read the answer.