Perhaps those of us who are accustomed to a drastically polarized world should pause long enough to observe some youngsters who are demonstrating the value of diversity through humor.

Students in a Quaker school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, are members of that student body by choice. Admittedly, the majority of those students are liberal-leaning, many being vegetarian or vegan in their lifestyles. However, a few students are not of that ilk, and they began to object to the fact that their school cafeteria menu was becoming more and more vegetarian and served less meat choices at lunchtime.

Some of these students formed a student organization, MEAT, which is an acronym for Mammals Eating Animals Today. Club members designed and wear red T-shirts with the logo, "COW: The world's tastiest renewable resource". The $500 raised from the sale of these shirts has been donated to Heifer Project International, which provides dairy animals to those in third world countries who wish to produce their own dairy products for their families.

So far, no serious repercussions from the vegetarian sector of the Quaker school have been experienced. Perhaps this small demonstration of humorous dissent by a minority is being regarded as a normal response to lack of representation of that minority in the decision making process of those who direct the school lunch program. The T-shirts have not been banned, the students did find a faculty member as an advisor, and the MEAT organization continues to exist and to stimulate healthy dialog. No one is attempting to convert anyone else to the opposite life choices. Both sides recognize the rights of others to practice their cultural preferences, without violence, ridicule, or harassment. Perhaps most importantly, neither side is using its own expression of diversity as an avenue to power over others.

May we all consider this a lesson from good children who have found that it is possible to peacefully co-exist, even while expressing and practicing widely diverse food preferences. Perhaps those of us who observe the whaling dispute, or the anti-sealing campaigns, or the numerous international clashes over fishing and aquaculture, may find ways to be at peace with one another as we strive to feed our own, and to care for the earth's renewable resources.