Friday, November 9, 2012

The Thanksgiving Day Massacre

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and millions of Americans prepare to dine on millions of turkeys, I sat down to write a blog post about the inherent cruelty involved in this annual turkey massacre. I'm always seeking opportunities to engage people about veganism, and I fully intended to put together a list of reasons why you should choose compassion and kindness this Thanksgiving and leave the turkey and other animal products off the menu. I thought, as Communications Director at the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, I can easily compile a list of environmental reasons to forego the turkey this Thanksgiving. As an abolitionist vegan, however, I have a hard time making the case for veganism on strictly environmental grounds. Not that a compelling argument can’t be made from an environmental standpoint. Fact is, whether you are concerned by biodiversity loss, deforestation, fresh water scarcity and pollution, or that animal agriculture creates more greenhouse gas emissions than driving, environmental concerns absolutely compel some people to go vegan.

However, going vegan for environmental reasons alone is a basic misunderstanding of what veganism is at its core. The basis of veganism, I submit, is recognizing the inherent value of animals as individual beings unto themselves. For this reason, I want to recognize and understand that the environmental implications of raising animals for food are severe, alarming, and taking a growing environmental toll, but put them within the larger framework of exploitation.

I make this argument because I believe that our actions should be bolstered by theory. For example, someone who is vegan only for health reasons has no real reason to be 100% vegan all the time. One could eat small amounts of meat, dairy, eggs or fish and still be healthy. The only philosophical position that results in full-fledged veganism is one that recognizes animals as sentient beings. There’s absolutely no convincing reason not to be fully vegan if you accept the notion of animals having a right not to be treated as property.

Consider the following: 46 million turkeys will be slaughtered and eaten this Thanksgiving, with another 22 million birds killed and eaten for Christmas, and 19 million more at Easter. More than 219 million are killed annually. Before they are ruthlessly slaughtered in the name of tradition and palate pleasure they are kept in the most horrible conditions, the majority in tiny battery cages, (very often deprived of sunlight and exercise) where they are cramped together so tightly that they can't move or get away from each other. As you might imagine, there are numerous fights among normally peaceful birds and they suffer from immense injuries. To keep turkeys from injuring one another, their toes and beaks are cut off with hot blades and no anesthetic, and when their throats are ultimately slit many are still conscious. To prevent diseases, most turkeys are fed antibiotics to promote artificial growth and to control Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter and other diseases transmittable to humans. According to the Poultry Science Association, however, 72 to 100% of birds have Campylobacter despite all the drugs. Campylobacter is the leading bacterial cause of human food-borne infections in the United States. 
We know that it is an incontrovertible fact that turkeys value their lives, feel pain, suffer, and are just as sentient as the family cat or dog. Yet, I know no one who would treat their dog or cat the way turkeys are treated from birth to their horrifying road to death. 

Even if the practices described above are reformed, however, the treatment of animals in and of itself, does not address the underlying elements in which animal exploitation is considered acceptable. The exploitation and death of billions of animals exists because human consumers persist in creating demand for such things. To an industry that views sentient creatures as economic commodities – it is inevitable that such exploitation and violence will be viewed as acceptable. In a system where animals are considered property, even their most significant interests can (and are) overshadowed by the comparably trivial human interest of profit. Because the system in place is fundamentally unfair, you can't "balance" the interests of a piece of property against the interests of a property owner. 


And with 46 million turkeys slated to be killed for Thanksgiving tables alone the environmental toll is undeniable. All animal production is detrimental to the environment. The practice pollutes the air, water, and land. Further, it is unjustifiably wasteful of valuable and dwindling resources. About 75% of all water-quality issues in United States waterways are the result of animal agriculture. Animal agriculture accounts for a huge amount of our greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock production generates more C02 emissions (accounting for 52% of total emissions) than the entire global transportation sector. Much of the grain produced in the US is used to feed livestock, with more than 70% of grains being used for this purpose.

You can be a good environmentalist and a good vegan simultaneously. If you're not vegan, you should go vegan and take a strong animal rights position. It's the right thing to do and no other food choice has a farther-reaching and more profoundly positive impact on the environment and all life on earth. If you are vegan but not an environmentalist, you should consider that both animals and humans need a sustainable environment in which to live. Abolishing the property status of animals will eliminate animal agriculture as the driving force behind every major category of environmental degradation. If you're interested in learning more about the abolitionist approach to animal rights, head on over to www.abolitionistapproach.com
.


42 comments:

  1. There is a reason the population of chickens turkeys and any edible animal is increasing every day. It is for us humans. I wouldnt mind trying to become a vegan for a couple of days but I'm sure I will miss the taste of meat. I understand when you talk about how cruely these animals are beig treated. If you put it in that way, yes, I do feel bad. But I can't stress it enough that they were meant to be eaten. I'm not a religious person but Jesus ate meat and fish. If he ate it, I'm sure we can too. These animals exist for a reason.

    -Sunny C.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sunny:

      The reason why 56 billion animals are born, fed and slaughtered globally each year is because human consumers persist in creating demand for this abuse. Vegans don't give up eating the flesh of other creatures because we don't like the taste. I can personally attest to the fact that I loved the taste of turkey, but the trivial desire to please my palate can't be trumped by the fact that I am taking the life of a creature, who is just as sentient as the family dog or cat. A lot of things taste good, or feel good for that matter. I hear heroin is wonderful, but weighing the risk versus the benefits, I'll pass. Vegans pass on the flesh of sentient animals because they aren't emotion-less machines whose lives are inconvenient stages on the way to our dinner table. They are living, breathing, feeling beings who want to lead their own lives just as people do.

      Surely if animals exist for a reason, it is for their own lives and not for our pleasure and convenience. To quote acclaimed author of "The Color Purple", Alice Walker - “The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.”

      There is no doubt that for the most part, not only has the Judeo-Christian tradition endorsed the view of animals as things, it has been a primary support of the notion of human superiority to animals and of humans’ right to use animals as resources. But the idea that we should NOT treat animals as things is present in some primarily non-Western religions, such as Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. My point is that your justification for eating animals is coming from a particular religion to which you subscribe. Not all religions believe the same thing.

      Animals are not meant to be eaten by humans, just like humans are not meant to be eaten by tigers. Just because we are able to, does not in itself give us the right to do so. To say that the whole purpose of the existence of animals is for human consumption is elitist. Animals desire freedom and to be alive just like you and I. Were dogs and cats meant to be eaten like chickens and turkeys? If not, why not? And if animals were meant to be eaten, why is animal consumption killing us? (Disease, heart attacks, etc.)

      Delete
  2. I do agree with you that killing these animals for us to eat is a cruel thing. I really do feel bad and I know its not really the right thing to do,But I also believe that the reason for the population of these animals is increasing is for us. I do feel bad eating animals and I would try to be a vegan but I LOVE chicken and steak way to much so I dont know how long that would last.


    Ssm B,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ssm B:

      Animals are not meant to be eaten by humans, any more humans are not meant to be eaten by tigers. Just because we are able to do so, does not in itself give us the right to do so. To say that the whole purpose of the existence of animals is for human consumption is elitist. Animals desire freedom and to be alive just like you and I.

      Animal use can be no more justified than human use. Every form of discrimination in the history has been defended as “traditional.” Sexism is routinely justified on the grounds that it is traditional for women to be subservient to men: “A woman’s place is in the home.” Human slavery has been a tradition in most cultures at some times. The fact that some behavior can be described as traditional has nothing to do with whether the behavior is or is not morally acceptable.

      If you believe that it’s wrong to harm animals unnecessarily, you already believe what it takes to be vegan. Please consider whether your pleasure, convenience, or comfort is worth someone's life. If you conclude that it's not, then it's easy to go vegan and stay vegan.

      Delete
  3. I agree with this article. There are too much animals that are been tortured. These treatments should be stop becaise as humans we would want people to treat us in any bad way. At the same time I personally think converting to a vegan diet would be hard. I know it would be a better not only for us but also the planet. At the same time i cant imagine a life without meat. I try to eat healthy.

    K Green

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. K Green:

      I understand that veganism may seem way out from what you're used to, but I can tell you that you already understand and believe what it takes to be vegan. That the torture of animals who are just as sentient as the family dog or cat, cannot be justified for the sake of convenience and pleasure. Going vegan isn't hard or particularly inconvenient. You’re likely to find it to easier than you think. Becoming vegan simply requires us to be willing to change the habits we have developed that prevent us from living according to our principles.

      If you believe that it’s wrong to harm animals unnecessarily, if you believe in taking your personal health seriously, if you believe in protecting the environment, you already believe what it takes to be vegan. Please consider whether your pleasure, convenience, or comfort is worth someone's life. If you conclude that it's not, then it's easy to go vegan and stay vegan. Please start here: http://vegankit.com/

      Delete
  4. As a person that doesn't eat turkey during thanksgiving, I believe that maybe this whole animal raising/torturing system should be made illegal. I dont understand how people let this happen and how the food industries allow it. It makes no sense to me. I also believe that people being vegan is solely their choice. For example you can keep telling and expressing how bad it is to smoke cigarettes and yet people still go out and purchase them to lead to their own death. This to me is a choice. Being vegan is ultimately more healthy, but at the same time i believe you can't keep drilling this into peoples heads if they choose to overlook it. Not doing anything about this is sickening, this is done not only in America but also in many different countries. Maybe this should be something that should be deemed as illegal and find better ways to raise animals organically and into a better more healthy life to be consumed by humans. This is a very informing blog, but tradition is tradition and breaking that may not be possible.
    Carissa S

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carissa:

      Unfortunately, the system in which animals are born, fed and slaughtered is perfectly legal. In fact, there are no federal animal welfare laws regulating the treatment of the billions of "food animals" while they're on the "farm". Further, while all 50 states have cruelty statutes, most explicitly exempt common farming practices, no matter how abusive. Which, plainly stated means you would be arrested if you did to a dog what is routinely done to cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys, etc.

      I'd like to add that the animal rights movement is a social justice movement, and every social justice movement implores people to change a particular behavior. Whether it was anti-slavery efforts, women's suffrage, the equal right movement, etc. To quote German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer... "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."

      It's not particularly surprising that veganism hasn't yet been accepted as self evident. There is no doubt this will not happen overnight. Fact is, the women's suffrage movement can be traced back to its beginning in the 1750's and arguably culminating in 1972 with the passage of the Equal Right Amendment. Slavery lasted nearly 250 years in the United States. Do you understand my point?

      But if you feel strongly about taking the interests of animals seriously, the baseline for proving it is to go vegan. Being vegan is your everyday statement that things are not right as they are, that you are one more person who is standing up to be counted in opposition to the exploitation of animals. It is a refusal of a system that produces enormous profits at the expense of animals who are just as sentient as the family dog or cat.

      Thanks for considering my views.

      Demo

      Delete
  5. I do agree that the killing of these innocent animals for food is horrible and very sad. People don't think about the process behind getting the turkey on the table during thanksgiving, they just want to eat it. But trying to tell people to become vegan is not an easy thing to do, even though I do agree that it is the healthier choice. People are very set in their ways and most will not want to give up their thanksgiving turkey. Something must be done though to save the animals from this torture. After reading all this I have become more educated on the topic and was forced to look at the eating go animals differently. People should put more of an effort into helping to raise animals in a healthier environment and changing the way people eat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chelsea:

      You're absolutely right that people don't think about where and how their food makes it to their plate. What ethical vegans seek to do is get people to begin to think about those issues. No, it's not an easy thing to do, but it's a moral imperative. Just like anti-slavery efforts, the women's rights movement, and the equal rights movement were on the right side of history, so too I believe, is the cause for animal rights. And being vegan is the baseline for taking that right seriously. It's not just a healthier choice, it's the ethically right thing to do.

      And I submit to you that there is no way to humanely raise and slaughter animals and at the same time make it good for the environment. The animal production industries are the driving for behind every major form of environmental degradation know to human kind. And there is no way to make murder, torture, dismemberment, phycological and physical abuse of animals humane, just like there can never be humane rape, humane child molestation, or humane slavery.

      Thank you for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  6. You know I have to say that this article was very informative. I learned about things that I had never thought about before. All animals have a right to be treated with dignity and respect. I am totally against animal cruelty, but I never knew how bad they were treated. I can't promise to cut out meat completely from my diet, but I can change how much I eat of it and make better choices as far as food selections.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janel:

      I'm happy to hear that my post was helpful for you. Like you, most people are totally against animal cruelty. Unfortunately, most of those same people contradict that belief by continuing to consume animals. The only way to resolve that contradiction is to choose to become vegan. No other food choice has a farther-reaching or more profoundly positive impact on the planet and all life on Earth than choosing to become vegan. For this reason I'd like to ask you to consider full fledged veganism. If you believe that animals should be free from harm you can't eat animals at some meals, but not at others. Think of it this way: sure you're not having a hamburger today, but that’s little consolation to the chicken you’re eating on another day or the goat confined and impregnated to make your feta cheese on yet another day. Sure, reducing your consumption of animals and their products is a good first step, but eliminating their consumption and use from your lifestyle entirely is a far more profound position to take.

      Please start here: www.vegankit.com

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  7. After reading this article, of course i feel bad to what happens to these animals and it is definetly cruel of humans to treat them that way however you can not tell people to just become vegans. its impossible for people to just get up and say i will not eat anything i eat every day. people have to be realistic and maybe take it slow but taking myself as an example i would not be able to commit to this because its stuff i eat on a daily basis and it would be so hard to just let go of everything maybe to cut down and not eat animal products a few times a week i would try that sounds reasonable to me.

    Yelena M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Yelena:

      It really is just that easy to give up animal use and consumption. I'll tell you that I was not raised vegan. I ate meat, cheese, milk, eggs and fish for 22 years. I used to wear leather shoes, belts and jackets like everyone else. Needless to say, I understand your lifestyle. It used to be mine. Sure it may take some time, effort, investigation and an adjustment period to become vegan, but contrary to what we've been taught from a young age, animals do not belong to us. They are not commodities, they're not property and they're not inanimate objects devoid of feeling. For this reason, becoming vegan is the single best thing you can do if you take the interests of animals seriously. No other food choice has a farther-reaching or more profoundly positive impact on the planet and all life on Earth than choosing to become vegan.

      Thanks for considering my point to view.

      Demo

      Delete
  8. I agree killing an animal for food is cruel but at the same time I don’t see myself changing lifestyle and becoming a vegan. The way turkeys are treated by being in cages is a horrible image. This is completely wrong and makes me rethink about having turkey on thanksgiving. I never knew this fact. I only thought veal was raised in that manor. Yes being a vegan has a great impact on our health and the environment but that is a huge lifestyle change. I respect vegans but I would not be able to be one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Joanna:

      If you agree that killing an animal for food is wrong then you can absolutely become vegan. Sure it may seem way out from what you're used to, and that's understandable. You likely find, however, that it's not at all as difficult as you might think. Vegans are not in on some secret that no one else is privy to. We simply chose to question where our food came from and found horrible answers. No, veal calves are not the only animals enslaved and slaughtered in horrible ways. Fact is, 56 billion land animals are born, fed, and slaughtered every year around the world. What is routinely done to farmed animals would land someone in jail if they did it to a dog or cat. Yet this nightmare goes on every single day of every single year for billions of animals who are every bit as sentient as the family dog or cat.

      If you think that being vegan is hard (it isn't), think about how hard it is for the 56 billion animals that you're not vegan.

      Thanks for considering my point to view.

      Demo

      Delete
    2. Hi Demo
      With you sharing this information I think I may try becoming a vegan. I can't make any promises that I will stick to it but might as well give it a shot for at least a week. I have nothing to lose. Thanks for sharing your information.
      Joanna

      Delete
  9. Thanksgiving is a very important tradition in my family. Not only do we enjoy each others company, but we also enjoy a variety of recipes that have been passed down for generations. Veganism is a wonderful lifestyle, it just isnt for me. This article has enlightened me on the cruelty that animals experience due to our consumerism. This is why I will try to limit my in take of animal products. Those who are willing to begin this lifestyle on a day such as Thanksgiving might have a great deal of will power.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kiani:

      Thanksgiving is a very important tradition to just about everyone in this country. It certainly is to me. I very much enjoy getting together with family and friends.

      Every form of discrimination in the history of humankind, however, has been defended as “traditional.” Sexism is routinely justified on the grounds that it is traditional for women to be subservient to men: “A woman’s place is in the home.” Human slavery has been a tradition in most cultures at some times. The fact that some behavior can be described as traditional has nothing to do with whether the behavior is or is not morally acceptable.

      In addition to relying on tradition, some characterize our use of animals as “natural” and then declare it to be morally acceptable. Again, to describe something as natural does not in itself say anything about the morality of the practice. In the first place, just about every form of discrimination ever practiced has been described as natural as well as traditional.

      How would you feel that if on the day that you were born someone else had already determined the day of your execution? That is what it's like to be a cow, a chicken or a turkey on this planet. I think this is inexcusable from a species (humans) who claim to know right from wrong. The animals have not done one single thing to us to warrant the wrath that we inflict on them.

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  10. Honestly, I HATE turkey, and on thanksgiving I only eat the vegetables anyway. However, I do eat meat on other occasions. Although I agree with the fact that animal slaughter is disgusting and immoral. But it has it's ups and downs, because you can "want" to do something really bad, but once you are used to a certain diet, it is extremely difficult to convert from that. I respect the Vegan way of living, and I would definitely being able to try it out, but sticking to it forever... that I'm not so sure of.


    Gabriella

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gabriella:

      I want to let you all know, that I was not raised vegan. I ate meat, cheese, milk and eggs for around 22 years. I used to wear leather shoes, belts and jackets like everyone else. Needless to say, I understand your lifestyle, it used to be mine.

      I came to some realizations, however, and as hard as I though it was to go vegan at the time, I understood how much harder it was for animals that I wasn't vegan. You already believe what it takes to be vegan. You understand that animal slaughter is immoral. Being vegan is about nonviolence and justice. It's about living your ethics and aligning them with your actions by refusing to participate in a system that makes enormous profits at the expense of animals, who, for all intent and purposes are just as sentient as the family dog or cat.

      Thanks for considering my point of view:

      Demo

      Delete
  11. I have been eating meat all my life. I have also celebrated thanksgiving with turkey since I was born. Traditions are hard to break. I hate thinking about the cruelty brought upon animals by us. It is not fair to them and we just do it because we can. I want to try a vegan diet and see how I do. However, I am 100% certain I would not be able to get the turkey off my family’s menu on thanksgiving.
    -Brenna D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Brenna:

      I'll tell you that I was not raised vegan. I ate meat, cheese, milk, eggs and fish for 22 years. I used to wear leather shoes, belts and jackets like everyone else. Needless to say, I understand your lifestyle. It used to be mine. And Thanksgiving was the one holiday I looked forward to from a young age. Still do. I love getting together with family and friends. That didn't stop me from becoming vegan, however. Fact is, you don't have to change who you are to be vegan. You can still listen to the same music, have the same friends, and continue being the person you've always been. You only need to align your actions with your ethics. If, as you said, you believe that eating animals is unfair then you already believe what it takes to be vegan. I'm sure you'll do quite well on a vegan diet. Very likely better than you might think. No other food choice has a farther-reaching and more profound impact on the planet and all life in Earth than choosing to become vegan.

      Being vegan is not about giving up; it’s about not taking. It’s not about giving up meat, dairy and eggs; it’s about not taking someone else’s life and liberty.

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  12. I agree that it is a disturbing thing that so many turkeys are killed a year this time of year, but I also keep in mind how it is a tradition. Regardless of people realizing how many turkeys that are being killed, there is still going to be a turkey on the table. If one person in that family becomes vegan that isn't going to stop the fact of that turkey being on the table for the rest of the family. I believe that no matter what article some people read or what movie they watch it is not going to change anyone to change their ways to veganism. It is a tradition and I do not think everyone will become vegan in our generation, hopefully in generations to come, but as of now, I don't see much changing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Alexandra:

      While it may seem like a daunting task to get people to change their way of relating to the world, fact is, just because individually can't change everything doesn't mean we should bother to change anything. Let me quote author Isaac Bashevis Singer on this subject “People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times.”

      Every form of discrimination in the history of humankind, however, has been defended as “traditional.” Sexism is routinely justified on the grounds that it is traditional for women to be subservient to men: “A woman’s place is in the home.” Human slavery has been a tradition in most cultures at some times. The fact that some behavior can be described as traditional has nothing to do with whether the behavior is or is not morally acceptable.

      I too hope that future generations adopt a vegan lifestyle, but the change has to start now and with individuals like you and me. If not us, who? If not now, when?

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  13. I am still working up to become 80% vegan and its hard and takes a lot of will power but I am doing alright with it so going all vegan at this very moment, well lets take one step at a time. Babies don't start running, they first must learn to crawl. The part where turkeys get antibiotics and by humans ( I tried turkey once in my life and hated the taste, i don't eat turkey) eating the turkeys get the same antibiotics turns my stomach. We were speaking in class how maybe premature puberty is happening bc of this.
    -Antoinette K

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Antoinette:

      Glad to hear your exploring veganism. If I can help or answer a question, shoot me an email. I'd be glad to help (dmaratos@si.molloy.edu). You're right, some people become vegan gradually, while others do it all at once. If you can't become vegan overnight, you might find that you can eliminate one animal product at a time, or go vegan for one meal a day, or one day a week, and then expand until you are completely vegan.

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  14. Yes the cruerlty to animals should be right it must painful for them to die the way.But if we stop eating them anyways others animals will eat them, therefore they will still suffer.Like i said before is hard for us to stop eating ckickens,or any kind of meats we are so used eat it. Thanksgiving is comimg soon i alreadt could feel the taste of the turkey in my mouth especially the way mom cooks it is the best. i guess if there was a different method in killing them i wouldnt be so bad after all the all kind of meat taste good and they were create with a purpose also to be eating by us. OLGA Aguilar

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Olga:

    Billions of animals are brought into existence and killed for people to eat. You don't honestly think that if we don;t eat them other animals will, do you? Fact is, as more and more people stop eating animals, more and more animals will cease being brought into existence in the first place.

    In addition, changing the way animals are treated and ultimately killed is not the answer. There is no such thing as humanely killing someone. What do you think goes on for animals in a slaughter house? Do you think they get belly rubs? Or course not. Just like there is no such thing as humane rape or humane child molestation, there is no such as humane slaughter.

    What happens to animals regardless of the method of killing is psychological and physical abuse, torture, dismemberment and murder. Please reconsider whether your desire for animal flesh is worth what animals have to endure.

    Thanks for considering my point of view.

    Demo

    ReplyDelete
  16. I agree that animals should be looked as more than "food" for us. They feel pain the same we do, and to cause such pain to any living thing is not right. I've been trying to go more in the vegan direction, I have already started cutting out meat from everyday. I'm down to eating meat about twice a day. At first it was hard because I was brought up to think I needed meat to be healthy but in essence there's only negative affects to consuming meat. First and for most the slaughtering of animals if wrong. This type of diet is not the healthiest and also due to all the antibiotics that these animals are being feed and then we go and consume it, we start to get resistance to these antibiotics. According to the reasearch I've done, you can get all the essential minerals and vitamins you need with a vegan diet, the only I believe you can't is B12, but you can take a supplement for. It has been challenging for me to find different things for a dinner, but when I remember it's for a greater cause it makes it all worth it. This Thankgiving should be very interested because I have persuaded my mom to let's try and have no meet this Thanksgiving. It gives you a chance to try different types of food and veggies, itbgives you a chance to be creative and make new things. I'm looking forward to it!

    By: Sheika Baksh

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sheika:

      I'm heartened to see that you've taken an interest in moving in the direction of veganism, and have begun to do your own research on the subject. And you're absolutely right to point out the greater good in what compels so many to become vegan. It costs us so little to be vegan, but it costs animals so much if we don't.

      Please feel free to contact me at dmaratos(at)si(dot)molloy(dot)edu if you have any questions as you move closer to veganism.

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  17. I agree that it is cruel that animals are treated that way. Very good point was made when mentioning how we would never think of treating our pets in such ways. I think everyone should at least make the attempt to try and become vegan and see how it goes. You can't knock it till you try it. I would be willing to give it a try, the true test will be on Thanksgiving.
    -Alexandra P.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Alexandra:

      I'm glad that you recognize that all animals matter morally and haven't succumbed to the moral schizophrenia that blinds so many of us. All animals feel pain, suffer and value their lives. Regardless of the fact that some have been designated as a food source while others are designated as companions. You're right, you can't make moral distinctions between different forms of exploitation.

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Reading this article was defiantly making me feel guilty for all those years of stuffing my face with turkey on thanksgiving and other animals. This isn’t the first time I heard about these terrible conditions of animals and to be honest it makes me sick to think about the way humans treat animals as if they were born only to be eaten by us. If Americans are going to continue to eat these products and in such great amounts then we should at less try to make more rules or regulations on these companies to keep them from just cruel treatment of the animals. There has to be a better way because the conditions these animals are in now are disgusting. This is defiantly going to keep me from eating turkey this week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Stephanie:

      Sometimes we don't want to know the truth, but once we do it's pretty much impossible to forget it. And for that reason, I understand the way you're feeling. No need to beat yourself up with guilt about it. The good news is that now that you're armed with the truth you can do something about it. Please consider going vegan and remove your support from this system of violence and injustice. Please start here: www.vegankit.com

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
    2. And on more thing. Please understand that the treatment of animals is not the problem, their use as exploitable "things" is the problem. The answer is not to regulate violence and abuse, the answer is to end it. Just like we would never regulate child abuse, rape or slavery we can not simply regulate animal abuse. It needs to end.

      Delete
  20. This blogpost made me really think as to how horrible animals are treated. I agree with the fact that animals being treated and slaughtered are wrong, and it was really hard for me to hear about how terrible the turkeys were being treated. Going vegan would be hard for me because i do not eat meat alot, i feel like it would be hard to cut it out all together, due to what i heard about the protein in meat like chicken.

    Sara V.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sara:

      The reason you indicate why becoming vegan would be difficult for you (you already don't eat a lot of meat) is the reason why becoming vegan should be very easy for you. You don't have far to go to entirely eliminate your participation in violence and injustice. Protein deficiency is not a problem for Americans, too much protein is, however. And you can get all the protein and nutrients you need to be healthy from plant sources. Eating animals is totally unnecessary. We simply continue to do it for convenience, tradition, habit and taste. Rather flimsy reasons considering the psychological and physical abuse, pain, torture, and dismemberment that billions of animals endure to satisfy our unnecessary desire for animal flesh.

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  21. As I read this article it made me want to yell at my mom for buys a 20 pound turkey. I always looked at eating meat as a way of life. A food chain will always happen in nature so therefore, I saw no problem with consuming animal products. I am completely disgusted at the fact that the animals where being handled in this matter. I never thought not once as i ate my turkey, that they go through so much pain! This should be illegal. I do not see how this can be allowed. as my stomach turns into knots I also am disgusted at the fact that there are so many diseases being cared for so poorly. I have nothing else to say but i will not have turkey this Thanksgiving.... I feel completely at fault that these poor living creatures are being harmed because it is for my consumption.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Christine:

      While I understand your desire, there's no need to yell at your mom. She still sees the consumption of animals and their products the way we all once did. The truth, however, is impossible to ignore once you know it. And once we know, we can do something about it. Yes, animals are brought into existence for us and we are creating the demand. But you can remove your support from this violence and injustice by going vegan. Please start here: www.vegankit.com

      Thanks for considering my point of view.

      Demo

      Delete
  22. I agree with many of the issues discussed on this blog. However, I believe going completely vegan for most of the world is not very realistic. In my own opinion, what people need to do is show way more control on how often they decide to eat an animal or a piece of an animal instead of eating them every day sometimes during three meals a day. This type of consumption is what has caused the factory farming how it is today. When I walk around town or any other town all I see is people. There are no other animals around except some birds, if I'm that lucky too see any birds in the air or in trees. All I ever see as I walk around is people, people everywhere. I think its the amount of people around that's causing all the environmental damage as you describe on this blog, it's not the animals. Most dairy cows have an over-abundance of milk that goes beyond the needs of their calves, so I believe it's okay to take that milk by hand squeezing and then let the cow go back to it's life in the field for the rest of the day. There's nothing wrong with that. Make some cheese, butter, etc. and use that for food. It's where people get the desires to have more than they actually need is where the problems develop. Over-consumption of animals and animal bi-products. I think if you are the type of person who is strong enough to go completely without eating anything related to animals or ocean creatures then you are really exceptional in our worldly society. But I personally believe veganism is too extreme a remedy for most of the world. I don't eat animals any more, but I do eat cheese and an egg sometimes when I can find sources where the animals are treated in a normal civilized fashion. Otherwise I go without. But that's just my philosophy. I would prefer to see some other animals running around our society everyday and not just only people.

    ReplyDelete

Popular Posts