[Enderland](https://workplace.meta.stackexchange.com/a/3683/325) and [jpmc26](https://workplace.meta.stackexchange.com/a/3681/325) have already given good, thorough answers.  I'm here to address "silent".

Yesterday I left the following [comment](http://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/66767/how-to-answer-professionally-to-coworkers-who-tease-me-because-i-am-vegan#comment183971_66767) on the question:

> People who want to discuss the pros and cons and facts and rumors and media references and whatnot of veganism should [get a room](https://workplace.meta.stackexchange.com/q/2691/325).  That way you can have your discussion -- which does not belong in comments -- without it being deleted over and over.  – Monica Cellio♦ 17 hours ago 

It's been upvoted; it's visible.

Since that time, another 13 comments were posted on the question, and many more have been posted on various answers -- some of which *also* have chat links, including a conversation that was [moved to chat](http://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/66767/how-to-answer-professionally-to-coworkers-who-tease-me-because-i-am-vegan#comment183832_66789).

A few of the **198 deleted comments on the question and its answers**<sup>1</sup> are constructive *discussion*, but comments are not for discussion.  The vast majority of the comments that have been deleted are *not* constructive in any way.  Enderland has already addressed this, and yet it has continued since then.  There have been, as of the time I started writing this post, **62 flags** on this page.

A bunch of those comments are from the OP, responding to comments *instead of editing the question*, which is also problematic.  Clearly a bunch of people want to *discuss* veganism and what counts as preachiness and other stuff.  Fortunately, we have a great place on the site for doing just that.  I suggest you use it.

<sup>1</sup> Which, by the way, have been deleted by several different moderators.