Animal cruelty at a slaughterhouse? How unexpected. You know, I am disgusted by slaughterhouses and factory farms. However, though I don’t eat meat, I do eat animal byproducts, so I’m still part of the problem, even as I try not to be. It’s easy not to think about where your hamburger meat came from when it’s nicely packaged and refrigerated in your local grocery store, but I don’t know how anyone can watch the video the Humane Society has of the slaughterhouse workers pushing their cows to slaughter, and not be sickened by the idea of supporting such an industry. And yet, even as I despise the industry, I know I’m implicated because I (conveniently) buy my eggs and cheese at the local publix. Our egg carton reads, “4 Grain Cage Free Eggs are produced by hens who perch, scratch, and nest in an all-natural environment and are fed only the purest all-natural grain feed.” It sounds like the best possible solution for my egg-frying needs, but who knows how much spin has created this blurb. And do I really need to eat eggs? I believe we’ve evolved to the point that we can feed ourselves without depending on the suffering and slaughter of other animals. This is my response to those who tell me “We’re at the top of the food chain, and that’s why we should eat meat.” Being at the top of the food chain, in my humble opinion, means we know what we need to keep our bodies functioning, and we have the intellect to take care of our needs without depending on the mass slaughter of other animals.
I think it’s time for me to start researching veganism more doggedly.