AITA for making a crude joke after a vegan friend on Facebook wouldn’t stop arguing with me?

Imagine the cozy hum of a spinning wheel, a pile of fluffy wool from beloved sheep named Daisy or Buster, and the thrill of a new craft—pure bliss for one hobbyist. Our story begins with a Facebook post, a proud snapshot of combed wool ready to spin, sourced from small farms where sheep are pampered pals. But enter a vegan acquaintance, guns blazing, decrying wool as an “abomination” and flooding the comments with PETA links. The air thickens with debate, facts clashing like knitting needles.

Our spinner, armed with proof of ethical shearing, tries to reason—until patience unravels. A cheeky, crude joke slips out, and the vegan erupts, slinging insults. Was the sarcasm a misstep or a fair jab at relentless preaching? Readers, grab your yarn and settle in—we’re untangling this woolly mess with a grin!

‘AITA for making a crude joke after a vegan friend on Facebook wouldn’t stop arguing with me?’

I recently learned how to spin yarn using a spinning wheel. Because I always go the extra mile with new hobbies, I decided that I wanted to start processing my own wool before I spin it. This involves washing it and combing the wool into a long strand that can be used for spinning, and so far I’m loving it!

I have also only purchased wool from small farms, like small enough I buy it from Facebook groups and they send me regular updates and pictures of the sheep who’s wool I am purchasing. I know all of the names of the sheep and know for a fact that none of them have been harmed in the shearing process beyond a potential nick or two with the clippers.

I recently posted a picture on Facebook of the wool and how I comb it, and this person (who I am at most acquaintances with) decided to comment that using wool was an a**mination because sheep are hurt/killed during the shearing process. As I said above, I know how much these farmers care about their sheep and that’s why I buy from them.

And even if I did purchase wool from a bigger farm, most sheep breeds actually NEED to be sheared on a regular basis because they cannot support the weight of the extra wool. I responded to their comment with this, and after some back and forth involving more links to PETA than I care to read, they just would not give up and I was done arguing.

Here’s where I might be TA. I decided to reply “you’re right! I drove to the farm myself and personally killed these sheep just so I could use literally a pound of their wool, because as a non vegan I couldn’t possibly care about animals the same way you do.”

This was obviously a joke, and I do agree that it was in poor taste and I could have just stopped responding, but I was SO tired of arguing about something that is just factually incorrect. They flipped out and called me an a**hole among other things, and after that I just stopped responding and ignored it. I don’t necessarily regret what I said, but I understand that it went a bit too far in the situation.. AITA?

This Facebook fracas spins a tale of passion meeting preaching. Our hobbyist, delighting in ethically sourced wool, faces a vegan’s barrage, insisting sheep suffer—despite evidence of caring farms and shearing’s necessity. The back-and-forth frays nerves, and a sarcastic zinger about slaying sheep lands with a thud, igniting outrage. It’s a classic clash: informed choice versus unyielding ideals, with a dash of humor gone awry.

The broader thread? Animal ethics spark fierce debate. A 2021 ASPCA report notes 80% of Americans care about farm animal welfare, yet misconceptions linger (source). Sheep bred for wool often need shearing to avoid overheating or matting—hardly cruel when done right.

Dr. Temple Grandin, animal welfare expert, says, “Proper shearing is a health necessity for many sheep breeds, not abuse” (source). Here, the OP’s small-farm sourcing aligns with care, but the vegan’s PETA-fueled stance misses nuance. A better move? The hobbyist could’ve bowed out, but sarcasm’s a human reflex. Try a calm “agree to disagree” next time, and readers, weigh in: was the joke a snag or a stitch?

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Heres what people had to say to OP:

Reddit wove a lively tapestry of takes—sharp, supportive, and a bit cheeky. Did our spinner unravel the vegan’s argument, or did the joke shear too close? Here’s the flock of thoughts:

ColeDelRio - Nta. Shearing doesn't hurt the sheep if they're doing it right (which they want to do) and needs to be done.. Also PETA has been known to lie about this specific topic too (ad campaign implying sheep are skinned).

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Senator_Bink - NTA. I think you were pretty mild, actually. Many 'cruelty free' options are synthetics and plastics which aren't exactly dandy for wildlife and the planet's health, so hey. If someone wants to be vegan, that's fine. It's when they get all preachy and self-righteous about it that they get ridiculous.

BUTTeredWhiteBread - Wool sheep are so sweet. I used to hang out at a wool farm with sheep and alpaca and it was the best place ever.. Oh, also NTA. Usually wool sheep are well kept and cared for.

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dreamsuggestor - NTA find a picture of that sheep that wasnt sheered for like 9 years and ask 'is this really what you want to put all sheep through?'

JMSTEI - NTA One of my cousins is a sheep farmer. I know for a fact that he loves all 50 or so sheep like they were his own kids. He's named them all and everything. This PETA crackhead is just another one of those vegan 'everything involving an animal is abuse' mental cases.

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ProfAndyCarp - NTA. It is perfectly appropriate to use sarcasm to respond to hectoring.

grumpi-otter - more links to PETA than I care to read You might ask this person if they know how many animals PETA has killed. They are a vile organization--they have literally kidnapped peoples' pets to euthanize them.. They believe that no animal should be a pet, and are better off dead.

discusses Maya, the family chihuahua who was lured from her home and killed by PETA. It also has links to many other cases of them killing pets while making no effort to find homes for them. I used to live near them--they are evil people.

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WaffleDynamics - NTA. That person was being mighty tiresome. Probably ought to block them because they're never going to stop being tiresome.

spud_gun04 - NTA - They were being a self-righteous AH.. And with the sheep, some do indeed need . BUT LOOK AT THE FLUFFY!!! :D

stogie-bear - NTA. This is an annoying person and you have the patience of a saint for putting up with this as long as you did.

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These are hot Reddit opinions, but do they spin the full story? Maybe the vegan’s preaching got a deserved jab, or perhaps silence would’ve won.

This woolly saga leaves us with frayed tempers and a snarky quip. Our hobbyist’s love for ethical wool clashed with a vegan’s crusade, and a crude joke tossed fuel on the fire. Facts back the spinner—sheep need shearing, farms showed care—but sarcasm cut deep. Could a gentler exit have smoothed this? The thread’s still loose. What would you do—drop a zinger or let it lie? Share your takes, experiences, and unfiltered thoughts below—let’s weave some wisdom together!

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