This video is very hard to watch....

[WASailorGirl]

I forced myself to watch 32 minutes of it. That's all I could handle. I haven't eaten beef in at least 15 years and was thinking seriously about becoming a vegetarian. It's a done deal now.

[robguz]

I got exposed to this truth 19 years ago and went vegetarian then vegan 6 months later. I can't watch this stuff anymore and I know that I no longer am personally responsible for such suffering. I simply could not block this reality from my heart without killing a part of my soul. I can't really even discuss it without getting worked up so I rarely do. My friend a couple years ago went to the PETA site and happened to watch some videos there. He hasn't eaten meat since. I donate to animal causes when I can and hope by being a living example I can do my part to reduce suffering. But it never feels like enough. I can certainly understand why some people become such militant activists over this issue. On the whole I am glad my level of empathy is stronger than is my ability to block out unpleasant things.

I think also Oink, that not everyone knows these things. Most people don't realize that they take pigs and break off their teeth, for example. If most people saw their neighbor doing this to their dog, they'd turn them in and that neighbor would do jail time or pay hefty fines. The vast majority of people in this country would say that is cruel and should not be allowed. A pig has no biological difference in the ability to feel pain and to suffer than does a dog, so ultimately there is no difference. But do it to a pig, and not only is there no penalty, but the industry is actually subsidized by your taxes and brutality is encouraged if it is more "efficient." If you think it is ok to do to a pig, go break your dog's teeth just for fun, in front of all your neighbors. If you feel ok doing so, I feel very sorry for you. If you don't feel ok doing so, please question why it is ok to pay someone to do the same thing just without you seeing it. Not seeing something that you cause to happen doesn't mean it doesn't happen, or that you aren't responsible for it.

[oink]

The tusks aren't broken off for no reason. Breaking out a dog's teeth for fun would be wrong. I do agree that too much of the public has been too insulated from their foods production. Too many members of our public no longer understand the facts of life. I also would agree that food production should be as humane as is practical.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[robguz]

Yes, the reason is that it is a bit more profitable to do that so you can cram more pigs together. Breaking off your dog's teeth to prevent it from biting some child and you getting sued is certainly a more valid reason than some conglomerate making a few more bucks. Reason or not, the pain is the same for the animal. Would it be ok to break off your dog's teeth because it meant you saved 10 bucks, or even 50 bucks? When you really challenge the status quo and think about it and take the other side, the arguments easily unravel.

[oink]

I know a small hog breeder. He removes the tusks because the boars destroy the pens if left on. It's also safer for the breeder.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[dirk1609]

I grew up with meat at every meal. My dad was a hunter and dinner consisted of many odd meats. Even though I hunted, skinned and gutted many critters in my youth I somehow grew to despise most meats. I have no idea when or why this happened but I never eat beef and rarely eat any other land meat. I love fish but with all the fish farming and chemicals that are at "approved" levels in our waters, even that is becoming a issue .I was at a point where I would eat poultry and pork but it could not in anyway resemble meat, no large pieces, no skin, no fat or grilse. Even that is going to be VERY difficult for awhile. Its not just the cruelty, the conditions that the animals are kept in is disgusting. The filth, disease, chemicals etc just hammer in the idea of meat not being food. If we are going to continue eating meat we need to at least stop the factory farming idea.
This film had me broken in just a few minutes. Its not just that we slaughter animals, its the way in which some maniacs do the slaughtering. Playing chicken baseball, stomp the chicken, peal the skin of the live fox, or any of the other psycho games these people play, should be punishable in the same way as a human crime. People get desensitized in their jobs and they begin to not be affected by their service they are hired to do. Police, employees at the welfare office, politicians, butchers etc etc. If you are in one of these types of jobs you begin to no longer care, PLEASE FIND ANOTHER LINE OF WORK!

My biggest disappointment of this film is that the maniacs that were cruel are not named with their animal cruelty prison sentence following.

[Greta]

The film got me back on a path I had strayed from. I needed the reminder.

[mgeary]

"The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. 1906.

The video shows nothing new. Nothing good, but nothing new.

Aloha! ;-)

[LeeE]

Glen, Yep. Me too! I've seen some strange things in Puna but so far, we've been spared the sight of what's on the the new Lost in Space With John McCain video. May it be so!

"Shift Happens" on youtube is a mindblowing video for anyone interested in the future. That should be everyone since after all, "the future is where we will all spend the rest of our lives".

[Carolann R]

All of your responses here let me know that I should not watch this video. I'm sure I just couldn't bear it. It used to be that my curiosity would get the better of me and I would just feel awful in the end...not this time!

Carrie

http://www.carrierojo.etsy.com
http://www.vintageandvelvet.blogspot.com

"Freedom has a scent like the top of a newborn baby's head..." U2