We all have a choice... we can view animals as slabs of flesh... Whose only purpose is to get fattened for our gastronomic pleasure. To have their ears notched, and their behinds marked with big blue X's when they've reached a profitable size. 
A "death-row" so to speak... Sentenced here - for a short life, all to indulge our fancy for little sausages and lard .... err, I mean bacon. The industry would have us believe that they are content to live caged this way - Finally, experiencing their first wobbly walk on to a transport truck... perhaps lucky enough to catch a brief moment in the sun.
Or we can view pigs this way: each unique with their own special value and an extraordinary desire to live. As I mentioned I have a nice story to tell of a friend I made on Youtube. Background is "Joe" (name changed to protect identity), is from Ontario and sent me a message in defense to one of my youtube comments against animal agriculture:
Feb 6th:
And Joe had some very valid points... I told him I was sure there were many who treated the animals "nicely"... until they are butchered - that is. I also agreed that the whole of economics would need to be restructured. Not an easy task, but certainly not "impossible". I also replied that there would be alternatives in the future... that new industries would be created. That we'd probably make much better use of land, water and fuel... and that we'd certainly feed more people on a plant based diet... and that healthcare costs would probably go down... And that no matter what benefit we derive from these beings - it does not justify what harm we do to them.
Feb 9th
I told Joe that the pigs weren't looking at him any differently - but that he was looking at them differently. I sent him a few videos and vegan websites to investigate...
Feb 28th
As you can gather... Joe and I are becoming very good friends - and much is exchanged between us and edited for personal reasons... I ask Joe about the conditions of his pigs - and about their breeds, personalities and their history...
March 2nd:
I remind Joe that I also started off influenced by what I was taught... And that eventually we just have to come to our own conclusions. For me, it was the realization that I didn't "need" to eat these poor little animals at all! Joe tells me that there are even health risks associated with working around a hog barn. And that he's looking for another line of work - And with what he's come to realize - can you blame him?
March 16th
Even Joe's sister is now going vegetarian! I'll leave our chats off here... You get the idea. Joe was once a "warden" and a prisoner at the same time. A prisoner held to old beliefs and subject to the numbness our culture wishes us to have in regards to animals... especially "pigs".
But people can change - they can open their thoughts to a better way. To me, Joe is one in a million... however, we're all capable of being that "one". And change doesn't always happen over night... For some, it's a gradual awakening to new ideas and habits. We just have to think for a short time of what rings true to our ideas of fairness... and adjust our actions accordingly.
A "death-row" so to speak... Sentenced here - for a short life, all to indulge our fancy for little sausages and 
And Joe had some very valid points... I told him I was sure there were many who treated the animals "nicely"... until they are butchered - that is. I also agreed that the whole of economics would need to be restructured. Not an easy task, but certainly not "impossible". I also replied that there would be alternatives in the future... that new industries would be created. That we'd probably make much better use of land, water and fuel... and that we'd certainly feed more people on a plant based diet... and that healthcare costs would probably go down... And that no matter what benefit we derive from these beings - it does not justify what harm we do to them.
Feb 9th
I told Joe that the pigs weren't looking at him any differently - but that he was looking at them differently. I sent him a few videos and vegan websites to investigate...
Feb 28th
As you can gather... Joe and I are becoming very good friends - and much is exchanged between us and edited for personal reasons... I ask Joe about the conditions of his pigs - and about their breeds, personalities and their history...
March 2nd:
I remind Joe that I also started off influenced by what I was taught... And that eventually we just have to come to our own conclusions. For me, it was the realization that I didn't "need" to eat these poor little animals at all! Joe tells me that there are even health risks associated with working around a hog barn. And that he's looking for another line of work - And with what he's come to realize - can you blame him?
March 16th
Even Joe's sister is now going vegetarian! I'll leave our chats off here... You get the idea. Joe was once a "warden" and a prisoner at the same time. A prisoner held to old beliefs and subject to the numbness our culture wishes us to have in regards to animals... especially "pigs".
But people can change - they can open their thoughts to a better way. To me, Joe is one in a million... however, we're all capable of being that "one". And change doesn't always happen over night... For some, it's a gradual awakening to new ideas and habits. We just have to think for a short time of what rings true to our ideas of fairness... and adjust our actions accordingly. Really, is it fair for an animal to live like this?
Isn't this a much better way?
I {{{{{heart}}}}} all the Joe's, Klem's, Darryl's, Jane's and other "one in a million's" who have made the connection!
"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
Choose compassion - Go vegan
10 comments:
Bea, you are a hero! You changed this man. You both have saved over 188 animals a year from slaughter just by going veg! Keep up the great work. Hugs, Tierney
Tierney... Yes, this is good news and it's great that his own health will benefit too... Sad news though... his special friend *went* last week. He's such a kind person, his loss and hurt is obvious... What the animal and meat industries take from all that is joyful and good... is unforgivable.
Anyway, that's just part of what the struggle is all about... Reclaiming our joy through a vegan world...
Thanks for popping in :)
Where do you get your information?
You post a picture of a row of spotlessly clean, European breeding crates - yes, spotless, and I could have sworn I read somewhere that they lived in "filthy" cages, and add this comment, [i]"To have their ears notched, and their behinds marked with big blue X's when they've reached a profitable size."[/i]
This is incorrect. Don't you ever check your facts before publishing them?
These are sows, the blue X most probably indicating that they have been bred - artificially of course - not raped, bred, or served as they would say in Britain. So it's not death row at all. It's Life row.
Hello... These pigs are in a sanitized vacuum. And many others do live in filthy cages. The offenses of animal agriculture run the gambit, as we see. And are you saying that a prison is any less so if it has pretty wallpaper?
And ah! The music they played at Auschwitz!
Honestly, there's more straw in a wren's nest than in this whole facility... Don't you know that pigs are obsessed with straw? That they love to root and roam? Lay in the sun and mud bathe? I hardly think an entire life spent in a barren, steel box constitutes anything less than a death row.
And the markings... actually, this is a method used to "cull". It's also quick and easy identification for lots of "events" during a farmed animals life. Markings could indicate anything from illness, the administering of drugs, a restricted diet and even a mark for a "happy" day going to "market".
And goodness please - that you wish to call a grown man diddling a pigs privates as being "serviced" is vile. I assure you this was not the sows preference or choice... And that's rape, for any female in any species.
I assume, from what you say, you are trying to convince me and yourself that you know something about pigs.
However, in this particular instance, I happen to know that you are wrong.
The pigs in the picture look quite content to me.
The more I read your blog, and the comments you leave on other people's the more convinced I become that your knowledge of animals is very limited. This is unfortunate, since you say you have so many of them.
Have you ever seen a pig being bred? By a boar I mean, not by AI (artificial insemination)you see, if you had, you would know that the boar tests her to see if she is on heat, if she is not, the boar knows better than to mess with her. Only when she is on heat is she a willing partner.
Artificial insemination has nothing to do with rape. For your information, Bea, it [b]is[/b] the sow's choice. When sows are loose housed the ones that are on heat will actually come up to the stockman and nuzzle at him with their snouts, much like a dog seeking attention from her owner.
Some are so persistent that they will try and get between the stockman's legs encouraging him to sit on their backs, and they won't stop until they are bred, some will even come back for more if they think they've been shortchanged and it was too quick.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble Bea, but it is the sow's preference. It is her choice to be bred, not the stockman's.
... So now, we have a shining example of what might be a pigs "choice" - And it suits you totally fine to consider it of value.
YET - is it the "choice" of the pig to be fashioned into your little sausages? Why no of course. Pity that what the animal "wants" is only of importance to you according to your desires. How convenient- It appears you're always in the winners circle.
As for me, I cheer for the underdog... No harm to respect others, who might be spared by mercy... no matter how tasty their flesh might be.
Bea Elliot does not know anything about what she is saying, she looks at peta pictures and reads hsus books or videos and wallllaaaa, she knows EVERYTHING, WHAT A JOKE SHE IS!
My guess is Anonymous is who left that comment works for the pork industry. Thank you so much for sharing Bea!
Thanks, Bea! I am thrilled to know that there are people like you in the world. It gives me hope that we can awaken from this age of madness and violence. People in the animal torture businesses are cruel and blind.
Anonymous has been following me around for more than a year. I believe Anon is a she because of the daily emails I used to get before I blocked her... Some days there would be more than 20... All in a rant about every excuse to kill animals from the lame attempt at "necessity" to the "will of gOd".
As for my guy Joe - He's still doing fine! When we spoke last month he's calling himself 90%"veg"... And so is his daughters, wife and sister. I think it's a great start on the right path! All it takes is the desire to question assumptions - To think outside the box - To use your own critical judgement...
Anon if you're listening... Are you courageous enough to do so?
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