On dealing with hostility

Fortunately this is something that, until yesterday, I had yet to encounter, but I understand that it happens fairly frequently in some circles.

First, we must understand that someone else's anger (I suppose towards veganism?) is not directed at us and we can't take it personally. I have no idea what would move someone to say ugly things to strangers, whether it be directed at a vegan, a homosexual, a minority...whomever, but I do know that the object for the game is to elicit a reaction.

Forget the notion that good manners are antiquated and ask yourself this question:

What would Miss Manners do?

No. Seriously. Stop laughing.

It's never appropriate to meet rudeness with more rudeness, and getting down in the mud with the sort of people who would lash out at someone for choosing to live peacefully isn't going to help your cause in the slightest. Our only reasonable option in this situation is blissful indifference, the same thing your mother taught you when you were young, dealing with the same ignorant bullies.

Ignore them, and I promise you, they will, in fact, go away.