What's Love Got To Do With Meat?

In the recent winter storm named Atlas up to 70,000 cows, sheep and horses were left stranded, soaked with rain, and then were smothered or frozen in snow. Many of these cows were found in piles around the barbed wire meant to keep them "safe". Often buried in the drifts were young calves huddled by their mothers. 

On any site that reported this event, or in other instances where the "care" of "livestock" is scrutinized, animal users will defend their practices and habits with endless comments meant to illustrate how much they "love" their stock:

"We tenderly nurture and care for these production animals."

"Farm families love and care for each one."

"We do our best to keep our livestock comfortable; warm in the winter, cool in the summer, well fed, because we care."

"Although they may have death in the end, you can try to give them good care until then." 

"We love the animals we raise to feed the world."

At the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance you can see they "care" seventeen times on one page. Maybe they figure the more you say it... The more you mean it right? 

And Bonnie, a member of the National Turkey Federation, enters a grow-out barn singing Kumbia to the thousands of birds she claims to "love".

The pig pork people are just the same. They want you to know how much they "care" in one convincing logo. 

Dairymen are animal lovers too! You can read it seven times on one page, amid the photos of barren plastic hutches where the infant calves are "cared for" in isolation.

Or you could see the same line in a Dairy Farmers Care video where they "care" nine times in three minutes.

You can see the pattern over and over. Ranchers and "producers" "care" and "love" these animals so very much --- All the way to the kill floor.

But getting back to Atlas... The industry posted a series of photos that illustrate the impact this storm had. In one, the caption reads "Identifying and cutting ear tags from the animals we found deceased helped in keeping an accurate count of the lost." And other missing cows are being identified by their "brands" on left or right hip or rib, or elsewhere I guess...

Can't you feel the love?

And of course they have to keep track of the loss in order to be reimbursed via the Livestock Indemnity Program. Heck of a way to count the tears, through tags, brands, carcass disposal and cash. 

Any reasonable person can see right through this "love" and loss. It's not about the heartbreak of losing a friend and family member... It's about finances and lost profits. We should feel sorry for these ranchers we're told, for they'll never get to capitalize on flesh that's buried. Instead I and many others, weep for the cows, horses and sheep. I never knew a single one of them... But I know I love them more than those who "owned" them ever could.

I know what it means to genuinely care. It's someone who rearranges their whole day to rescue orphaned possums. It's someone who sets the alarm every 2 hours to insure that baby mice or rabbits are kept hydrated. It's someone who takes in a rejected calf from the dairy industry and loves him his entire life without a "lost milk tally". It's folks who pool their resources to rescue hundreds of "spent hens" . And they do it over, and over, and over and over again without the reward of one single egg as a "payment". 

It's finding a way to rescue one pig who then gives birth to sixteen others. It's rejoicing that all are healthy, without the calculated plan as to when they reach a market weight. Their value is priceless.

I could go on with how much authentic concern is given to these beings who have been rescued from the industries that profess to "care" while benefiting financially. And it's true, for some it is about the money... But not the making of it - But the sharing of it... Down to their last penny. That's a real love beyond counting ear tags and making meat.

Whether you are a consumer or a rancher - Words are hollow if they're not followed through with sincere action. Using others for your profit or personal benefit has nothing to do with love. Please if you don't do so already, live and Eat Like You Care.

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

This Vegan Doesn't Get Nice, Holy Killing

Holy and home-style slaughter... There's a lot of that going around these days. In fact each November marks the beginning of a two month long blood bath of victims that will either be killed to serve "religious" custom or gustatory delight. In any case, seems like everyone wants to get in on doing it "nicely" themselves.



For instance, from The Jakarta Post: City gives all sacrificial animals a nice, clean bill of health - 10,796 cows, 964 buffaloes, 47,618 goats and 3,450 sheep were killed on one day mostly by do-it-yourselfers...


In Kuwait "My family will feast on this sheep tonight," said one Kuwaiti customer, Salah, who planned to slaughter the animal at his house. "It's fine. This is Halal."


"I will slaughter the animal in my house, because it's better for the children to see it." (Isn't that nice?)


In Spain there is the (nice) Festival of Sacrifice - Killing of Lambs


And all over the U.S. (nice) hunters will begin their annual gutting and "dressing" of their kill over picnic tables and in their garages... Just in Michigan alone hunters are expected to kill 275,000-300,000 during the firearms season that opens tomorrow...  More than half of the deer killed will be shot on the first two days, and a large percentage of them during the first minutes after dawn. Yeah... They even take their kids out of school for the (nice) experience.  


Yep, the blood sure does spill - And everyone wants to get into the act! "Nicely" of course as this Equal Time Radio interview indicates. Just 3 minutes into the discussion I heard the word used 9 times! Yes, everything about killing animals up close and personal is so very "nice".


And just think for those planning a "nice" turkey-dinner, (who can't participate in the holy-bloodletting event themselves), are paying someone else this very moment to do the deed for them!  Of course - It's all so very nice.


nice

   [nahys]  Show IPA

adjective, nic·er, nic·est.

1.

pleasing; agreeable; delightful: a nice visit.

2.

amiably pleasant; kind: They are always nice to strangers.


Synonyms: friendly, delicate, exact, polite. 

I suppose then, that the antonyms: unpleasant,  unkind, careless and rude would apply to those who don't kill or don't pay others to kill for them.  

You know who I think is rude? People who abuse animals. Killing an animal and eating its decomposing body could at the very least be described as “rude”. Am I rude for bringing this reality to these people’s attention? Perhaps they may view it as such simply because it is unpleasant news to be confronted with. For them to call me rude for bringing this up is simply the pot calling the kettle black. ~Vegan Rabbit

Yep, that's us alright... vegans who'd rather live another way... Apparently we're rude and not so "nice". 


So as these "holy" days advance I think it's fair warning for me to fess up and admit I just don't speak the same language as others do!  


And since this is the case - Please, family, friends and neighbors spare me the confusion when you tell me how "nice" it was that your brother shared his venison with you... Keep me from being embarrassed and bewildered when you say how "careful" you are because you source "free range" eggs... Refrain from telling me how your God will offer you mercy because you "humanely" slit the throat of a lamb... I confess!  I don't understand a word you say!  


When you tell me you're planning a "nice" Thanksgiving... I haven't a clue what you're talking about!  And quite frankly... I don't want to learn your pleasant language anyway. But I do understand Benjamin Zephaniah who knows how to talk turkey AND how to be sincerely nice! 


So in your festivities and celebrations that gorge on "compassionate" murder... Consider me uncommunicative and unable to comprehend you.  Oh yeah and if you're killing animals?... 
Be sure to 

               !