The other day I was talking to a friend about a recent video on animal rights that I came across on the internet. I didn't think that the video would affect me nearly as much as it had, but then again, I greatly underestimated the marketing prowess of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The short clip shined light on the miserable plight of animals raised for consumption in the United States and the degree to which our society's obsession with profit has overshadowed our moral obligations as humans.
I really don't want to sound like an irrational sensationalist (as I've been accused of being in the past), but I sincerely believe there is something wrong with our society's behavior towards animals. Obviously I do not believe on forcing my opinion on others, but sometimes I feel these issues are so blatantly obvious that they should not even be a question.
I mean what kind of person is truly OK with animals being tortured, maimed, and murdered? When did our society stand for such barbarism? Does a marginal increase in profit for a food distributor really justify:
1) The confinement of female sows to "breeding cages" that do not offer enough room for the animals to turn around or move?
2)The detachment of baby piglets from their mothers after one week and the manual removal of the males' reproductive organs without anesthesia?
3) Battery cages for chickens that are the size of a sheet of 8x11 sheet paper? These animals cannot flutter their wings, move around, or even breathe fresh air. They are fed to such a point that their bodies become too heavy for their legs to hold upright. They often develop muscular dystrophy from remaining in such cramped quarters. They are under such psychological stress that they are unable to perform natural behaviors and are reduced to neurotic animals who pick out their own flesh. These animals are then stacked into cages and driven to the slaughterhouse where they are hung upside down, stunned with electricity in bathtubs, and thrown into vats of boiling water. Some of these animals are still cognizant while they are being boiled alive.
Anyway, I don't want to disturb you with all of the gory details but these are just some of the realities that take place in many livestock farms across America.
I think its really imperative that we stay informed about reality, regardless of how unpleasant it may seem.
Here is a link of the video regarding sow confinement in factory farms. It is very graphical so I do not recommend it if you have a weak stomach.
http://video.humanesociety.org/video/768491318001
If you are interested in learning more about the animal rights movement and the current status of farm animals in America, please please visit http://www.humanesociety.org
Martin Luther King Jr. once said that, "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."
I feel that this quote is especially relevant to the issue at hand and should be kept in mind whenever we are lured by the promises of unchecked profit at the expense of our moral code.
