Nov 21 2008
Thanksgiving: spare a thought for the turkeys
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, a turkey massacre is in full swing. I wrote here about what turkey farms are like and what you can do to help, i.e. stop eating animals. But if you need graphic evidence, Peta has released a new video that shows workers indulging in sadistic behaviour in America’s largest turkey operation, Aviagen in West Virginia. The fact is, as long as animals are held captive as someone’s else property, their lives and physical integrity are not going to be respected. How can a sentient being marked for death inspire any kind of compassion in underpaid, bored and hardened workers? It simply won’t happen.
The New York Times picked up the story. And some other mainstream media has also run features about cruelty-free options for Thanksgiving celebrations. Newsweek has an article on vegetarianism and the holidays while the Wall Street Journal cuts to the chase and tells its readers how nice vegetarians options are.
