Using My Imagination For a Vegan Chipotle

By now I'm sure every one's seen or heard of Chipotle's Scarecrow video. When it first came online, there was a shout-out from fellow activists and youtubers to keep the dialogue open and to make attempts to keep our thoughtful voices and views heard. 



If you scan the discussions that took place in the last few days, it's evident that ranchers, and those in the industry feel this video is a betrayal to the "responsible" way they "raise food". The GMO issues weren't debated half as passionately as the ones regarding "humane" animal use. This is encouraging.

A lot of viewers also had their hearts shattered at the image of cow #53281. I think these sad few frames in particular made people question not only the harms done in meat consumption... But those very dark ones, hidden by the "happy-cow" dairy industries.

Now there's a lot of people wondering what Chipotle's angle is in this campaign... I don't assume for a moment to know the inner workings and figurings of any large corporation. Of course their end is to drive more business into their doors... But aren't the future customers they're appealing to plant eaters? The beginning is ugly and shows miserable animals being used and the story ends in a meal served that could very well have been vegan. 

For as beautifully arranged as the music is... As picturesque as the fresh pepper on the vine appears... As magical as all these visually artistic scenes are - There's no chance that a vision of a better tomorrow could ever, ever include snuffing the life from our beautiful fellow Earthlings. That's simply beyond any one's imagination of paradise. I'm hoping for the real deal... There's nothing to it! 

Cultivate kindness. Go vegan. ;)

Free Range: It's About Eating The Happiest Ones...

If you want to know the sheep you eat then apparently the place to go is Kinderhook Farm. They've got tons of appealing propaganda that will ease the coldest, carnist conscience! 
It looks so picture perfect!

There' also those bonny gals that sing cheery songs about the way they procure their fix for pretty-flesh. The tribute of "eating cheek to cheek" says it all. 

"We put love into every single pig" and "the pigs play with us".  The tune continues praising the happy sheep and bouncy lambs that live on grass... And how nice it is that these creatures are so content and well cared for. And how you're going to appreciate all those yummy-viscera-goodies that go so well with roasted beets!
They really have got the good times mapped out, don't they?

Apparently it's very important for some folks to know up close and personal who their victims are. They so desperately want to know that their meat "donors" lived a good life and that their chicken was a happy bird! 

By that logic they should feel really good about going into a peaceful pasture... With rolling hills, a running brook and lush shade trees. A paradise called Happy Meat Land! 
Up with the swell of angelic violins please!

Here the goal is to source out the most contented, serene and joyful victim possible. The happier they are the better! Once that totally satisfied and blissful one presents himself, the finger should point and say "That one! I'll take that one! The most radiant of all! That's the life I'll take! That's the casualty of my lust. And it ought to be a delicious treat!"  

Disturbing isn't it?

While down the path of Happy Meat Land they'll say they are doing such an honor (and sacrifice)... To go this route of "ethical" "beef", "pork" or "chicken"... They'll tell you often that it cost them so much more time and money to do so! And that you should support and respect them as they make an attempt to reduce the suffering their diet choices inflict.  

Ah hem.  (If you don't want to harm anyone you just don't eat them!)

No... I'll argue that even if they wanted to live by a more "kind", and "conventional", utilitarian ethic, it makes much more sense to liberate those who are enslaved in miserable cages and endure absolute and utter frustration! If those "locavores" "humane," "compassionate," "cruelty-free," "cage-free," "free range," "paleo," "pasture-raised," or "organic" fanciers were honestly attempting to minimize their negative impact then why steal a gleeful being from their slice of nirvana while good old American factory farmed misery is so plentiful? We know their lives are so meaningless... There are no songs being sung for them... Their carcasses get no special labels to commemorate their contribution as being a "quality" commodity.  Robbing a fine life seems even more mean spirited than your average-run-of cheats! It's being a double life-sucker! But of course it's not really about being kind at all! Most "animal-friendly" meat consumers are into it for their health or some other vain, narcissistic excuse. Don't you know? It's all about the show!

I'm calling them phonies!

I'm also calling it a crime to snuff any one's life! I'm calling junk-malarkey on stealing any bit of an other's piece of the here and now! You have no right to it no matter how wretched it is... Or how "nice" you make it sound... It's simply is not your life to claim!  "Humane" meat is an ugly oxymoron! 

More info on "the good life and one bad day" paradigm:

FREE RANGE - A SHORT DOCUMENTARY

The Free Range Myth

Understanding Neocarnism: How Vegan Advocates Can Appreciate and Respond to “Happy Meat,” Locavorism, and “Paleo Dieting”

The Honesty of Being Vegan - Let's Shake on it!

Some of the time it's just amusing for me to look at the language the animal industries use... Words never are quite what most of us would think they should be. "Friendly fire" anyone?

In the case of the dairy folks this comes from the March issue of their online magazine:

You'd think with a lead like this it was an article in Parent's Magazine or New Nursing Mom or something... I mean honestly? Dear dairy folks and consumers: Is any cow's mammary secretions - That she makes for her own calf really "yours"??? 

Must be like the uneasy financial news for hogs. In truth pigs could give an oink about any exploiter's profits. :/

And here's some other things that the pork folks are talking about using a twisted kind of double speak:

They say that the profits are all on "her back":

But closer to the truth is that her little ones are all on their backs ---

Getting their wee tails cut off all while animal "welfare" in the slaughterhouses is being discussed!

And speaking of animal "welfare" in slaughterhouses... Here's what's happening in cheap-speak from the "poultry" folks. {my bold thoughts in brackets}:

"Having been safely {safely? whose safe here?} held in the lairage, the birds will then be moved to the hand-on point. Ensure that the baskets/modules are handled carefully {handle the baskets carefully - but certainly NOT the birds!} and that all operations are completed smoothly. The hand-on point is critical to the bird's welfare {eye roll}. Staff must be trained to shackle birds with minimal force {minimal force? Just enough to end their lives.} and ensure that both the bird's legs are located in the shackles. As part of the shackling process staff should be encourage to momentarily calm each bird by placing a  hand on the bird's back. {LIE! With 10,000 chickens murdered per hour they want the public to think that each individual bird is "calmed"?} Good shackling practice will not only reduce bird stress, but also minimise flapping that can cause haemorrhages in the breast muscle, so adversely affecting the quality."

"The line should be designed with a breast comforter..."

{Odd isn't it? That the kill line should be equipped with a breast comforter?} :/

"The final welfare check should be made at the exit of the stunner." {Really??? We're checking for "welfare" after the electrical bath and pre-neck slitting? LMAO!!!}

The article concludes:
"It's a good investment to take time to look at the slaughter line in detail as the benefits to the bird and your business can be significant."
page 6/7 Poultry Digital

{Yeah right --- A slaughter line that's to the "benefit" of the birds... My tush!}

No surprise but even the "beef" people want to convince their flesh-eating customers of cow "welfare":

From the video of Kansas State University Veterinarian Dan Thomson

Truth is --- Everyone wants in on the idea of "careful", "humane", "welfare" for animals - But honestly - There's only one way to do it: 

You can shake on it and go vegan!

Vegans Have Evidence of Violence

It's fair to say that most of us require evidence to confirm our belief in something. Unquestionable, tangible, irrefutable facts turn belief into confirmed knowledge.

Take for instance decades ago people heard of the conditions inside experimental labs, circuses, factory farms and slaughterhouses, but the truth could be denied without proof. Most said those claims of wrong doing were just exaggerated lies. So brave whistle-blowers and activists penetrated those "science" horror dens and other gulags of torture to capture evidence in photos and on videos. It always is difficult to discredit what the eye can see.

But I've noticed several instances lately where the industry, politicians and profiteers of animal use are attempting to silence the whistle-blowers. And individuals too are making accusations that these Animal Rights activists are also guilty of sending "threatening" emails and electronic data meant to be hostile and "violent".

For example there was the accusation made by Green Mountain College, regarding the scheduled killing of oxen duo Bill and Lou. The accusation was that slaughterhouses were "barraged" by "threats from the animal rights activists" - So much so that they were intimidated from doing the job... 

Evidence?

Another case is here on this MeatingPlace forum where industry blogger Emily Meredith's entry "Why can't we be friends?" writes: "Following the launch of my first blog post I received several emails that viciously attacked me personally. There’s no mistaking who these emails were from—they were from activists—and the authors of these emails were most certainly proud of their attempts to harass me. These emails were downright nasty..." 

Evidence?

And finally there's an incident that occurred just a few days ago wherein an individual claimed that questioning the actions of an individual who butchers lambs is unkind and "violent". In this individual's mind - Regardless of how harmful others might be... To speak out against those wrongs doesn't spread "love". 

At all costs - Don't be controversial.

So this individual claims that they were "viciously attacked" through their email box that included graphic images of aborted fetuses and slaughterhouse victims.

Evidence?

Now - My best advice to these individuals and anyone who has ever gotten such material is to document it! Publish it! Prove it!

Also - PLEASE RUN to the nearest law official and turn it over to the authorities! They have ways of tracing emails! And of course this would validate what you say is true. For your own safety and the peace of mind to your readers - You have an obligation to present factual proof that these allegations did indeed occur. Otherwise it leaves a broad streak of doubt that how can anything else you claim be accepted with confidence? I assure you - Those who would conduct themselves in such an ineffectual manner would be rejected by the AR community in no time flat!

Conversely in my years of knowing thousands of animal rights activists I've never met one who didn't approach the issues in the most intelligent, mature and upstanding ways. None who ever suggested violence. None who advocated or acted to inflict harm. In fact the opposite has taken place in my own experience. I've had my vehicle vandalized & bottles thrown at me in traffic because of my bumperstickers. I've been spit on at protests. I reported it.

I've been called "vegan *itch nazi", the "c" word and was told recently that I should be a "holocaust victim". I've received obnoxious comments on my blog and in email. I'd gladly post them if it served a purpose - Or if I took any of that nonsense seriously.

But most importantly - I'd certainly provide evidence to my audience if I fabricated a whole blog post around such accusations! What better way to vilify these folks than with evidence?

Finally it always troubles me to see so much negative chastisement surrounding those who advocate a vegan way of living. Contrary to the images that carnists wish to present of the blood-throwing, balaclava donning, bomb-making examples of animal rights advocates - Even "radical" ALF members have never harmed a single living being... Ever!

I believe these accusers are terribly misinformed about what an ethical vegan's motivations are. Most vegans consider themselves advocates of peace. And without justice there can be no peace! When innocent life is being exploited - Good people will always condemn that brutality. And when we do so - This is not violence. It is a shield and an outcry against it!

At the core we (animal right activists/vegans) all care about the wellbeing, safety and protection of sentient life. The same can't be said about the industries that breed life only to use and destroy it. Who really are the violent, hostile bullies? The evidence is any where you care to open your eyes to see it. Perhaps there is a time when we could tolerate  accept  forgive love those who inflict harm to others - (?) - For now my sympathies and energies are dedicated to the victims:

I have evidence that they suffer violently - At our will.

Vegan Peace

The Irony - Finding & Killing Your Favorite Cow

Two articles reached my mailbox almost simultaneously and I'm left scratching my confused head over the contradictions they expose.

There's this account that cow-rancher-turned-author-wanna-be Amanda Radke gives of reading her book Levi's Lost Calf to a group of school children. The book apparently includes all the expected characters and "drama" surrounding a barn... While Levi and his friends search for the missing calf they encounter a bunny, a raccoon and I imagine other wild critters that help further distinguish the role of the "domesticated" missing prize...

I belong to me- by B.Elliott

Of course the story will end happily as the calf is recovered and not quite "finished" yet. But there is the treat of a "kid friendly", "real cowboy cookout" recipe included in the final pages... 

I haven't read the book but I can guarantee ya --- There will be blood.

Oh but there's nothing that isn't age appropriate though... Ms Radke makes it clear that she's not "taking any bullet" to explain where/how baby calves come from... No... There's no talk of sperm straws or genetically selected bull semen in this meat on the hoof story... Just pure love in saving a stray (favorite) calf - (ugh!)

Click. Delete.

Next comes this from Drovers - The Cost of an old cow where ranchers are urged to evaluate the expense that sentiment might entail: 

"Every article about culling cows includes a bullet point that says “old cows,” but rarely are there reasons to get rid of the “trail boss cow," the last cow you bought from dad, or the favorite 4-H heifer listed. There is a favorite cow in every herd that gets kept every year, even if she calves a little later each spring and the calf weans a little lighter in the fall. Reasons to cull these animals could include the death potential of older cows and the increased feed costs required to keep them".   

So we can see where Levi's lost calf eventually winds up... Even after all the teachings of "family values", loyalty, love and "care" - If the bottom line says that even the "favorite" cow doesn't count unless he/she is "profitable"... Well everyone gets snuffed out of the financial story! But as Ms. Radke mentions in several of her posts... This is exactly how her gOd planned it for FFA members and all the spiritually guided cowboys. - (ugh!)

Click. Delete.

Now contrast this shrewd calculating of what an other's life is worth and mosey on over to this fabulous post at VINE Sanctuary where there's a joy-filled celebration talking place inspired by the rescue of 5 "old" cows...

So the next time Levi's missing a calf - Or Drover's addition fails - Let's hope they all wind up as valued as these guys: 
 


You don't need to kill them. You don't need to contribute to the blood spilling coffers. And you shouldn't lie to kids or yourself that you do. Vegan is Love - "saving" a calf to kill later isn't!

Click. Delete.

Thanksgiving Myths - Humane Turkey & Sharing with the Indians

The life of a turkey is filled with suffering that you and I cannot fully imagine.

Thanksgiving is the celebration of a dual genocide: one against native people, and one against turkeys.

The first Thanksgiving Day celebration in 1637 was proclaimed by the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, not as a festival of the Pilgrims and Indians sharing a meal to celebrate the cooperation between the two communities, but as a celebration of the massacre of 700 Pequot men, women and children.

The Pequot were celebrating their annual green corn dance when white mercenaries ordered the Indians out of the building in which they were celebrating. As the Pequot exited the building, they were shot to death. The remaining Pequots were burned alive.

If anything the first Thanksgiving was the kickoff to the systematic obliteration of a race of people that continues to this day, and is evident in the disproportionate poverty, poor health, and unemployment levels. Native Americans living on reservations have the highest rates of poverty, unemployment, and disease of any ethnic group in America.

This does not sound like anything to celebrate or be thankful for, but in some great cultural conspiracy, we’ve been manipulated to believe Thanksgiving is a day to spend with loved ones in a state of patriotic fervor while devouring shameful amounts of calories.


Neither is there anything to celebrate in the murder of 45 million turkeys for one day (an additional 22 million turkeys are slaughtered for Christmas). Over 280 million turkeys are slaughtered every year in the US for food.

The life of a turkey is filled with suffering that you and I cannot fully imagine. The majority of turkeys for your Thanksgiving table are raised in warehouses where they will never see the light of day, and allotted three square feet of space to live their abbreviated life. To prevent them from injuring each other in such cramped quarters, most turkeys have one-third of their beaks seared off with a red-hot blade, and their toes cut off, all without painkillers and all within the first few days of their lives. It is also typical to cut off their snoods, the fleshy appendage above the beak, with scissors.


These naturally sweet and social animals are unable to engage in normal turkey behaviors such as perching, dustbathing and sunbathing. Mothers and babies begin to bond while the baby is still inside the egg, as do chickens. When inside the egg, little turkeys are already able to vocalize and “talk” to their mothers. Young birds are completely dependent on mothers, and their absence renders commercially bred turkeys helpless. Sometimes they cannot find food or water because no one ever showed them how. Turkeys often form strong bonds with each other as well, sometimes with other animals. They do not have the ability to do so in crowded warehouses.

Since they have been genetically manipulated to develop extremely large breasts in a short period time, they grow so awkwardly large that they are unable to hold up their own weight. Because of this they are no longer able to breed naturally, so females must be inseminated through rape. This also causes serious health problems like heart attacks and organ failures, however, most turkeys never live long enough to experience these issues since they are slaughtered at around five months old. (Yes, you are eating a baby bird.)

If you feel smug about only eating free-range turkey, there is very little difference in how the turkeys are treated on these farms. The term “free range” only means turkeys are allowed outside 51 percent of their lives. They don’t live idyllic lives on a farm, as the term implies.

Free-range turkeys are also genetically manipulated to grow unusually large and still undergo the same tortures as factory-farmed turkeys such as debeaking, detoeing and desnooding.

Whether a turkey comes from a free-range farm or a factory farm, they all undergo horrific conditions on the way to slaughter. Turkeys are gathered up and carried upside down by their legs and thrown into crates on transportation trucks. Most trucks have no protection from the weather, whether that be extreme heat or cold, and are usually denied food and water in transit. All turkeys end up at the same slaughterhouses where they are hung upside down by their legs and dipped in electrical baths to “stun” them. If they are not stunned, their throats are slit while they are still conscious. There are many occasions where they miss the hot bath and the blade, and end up plunged alive in scalding tanks to remove their feathers. It is all perfectly legal, since birds are exempt from the ironically named “Humane Slaughter” Act – ironic in the sense that of course there is no such thing as humane slaughter of humans or non-human animals.

I have a difficult time experiencing gratitude on a holiday that celebrates and worships the dual genocide of a race of people and a species of animal.

If you wish to truly express and share gratitude on Thanksgiving, how about choosing to eat a vegan meal? There are a myriad of satisfying and cruelty-free seasonal vegan recipes on the internet.

How about taking some time to meditate on the genocide of the Native Americans? Or kick off your holiday meal with a reading from A People’s History of the United States by the late, great Howard Zinn.

Instead of being forced to spend the holiday with shirttail relatives, feeling faux gratitude, take back Thanksgiving and celebrate the fact that your Thanksgiving has been respectful of people, animals, and the planet. I know that I’ll be grateful.
Grace:


Thanks to the original post Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Genocide by Gary Smith

Don't be Fooled! All Meat = Harm * Deer, Dog or Cow * Go Vegan

Yeah... I agree! All you hunters out there stalking little Bambie and Thumper! Bad, bad people! Using your big guns on these innocent cute critters! That's just awful! And such actions deserve public admonishment!

Don't be an April fool. Make the connection. All animals wish to live - the pretty deer, the lovely cow, the cute pig and precious pup! It is not necessary to harm any of them - Go Vegan