Factory Farmed Animals In Auschwitz
The container car is filled beyond capacity. It is dark and cramped. There is no room to move. They have no food or water. There is no place to relieve themselves so they stand in their own waste and filth. The conditions are not much different that what they have known all their lives. They don't protest as while boarding. They have no clue a gruesome death awaits when they disembark. Is this the train to Auschwitz? No. It's the end of a short and miserable life for factory farmed animals.
At a young age, I discovered steak came from a dead cow. From that point on I had a problem with eating meat. Cows were sweet funny animals with big tounges. Not food. What made my struggle even more difficult by the fact that while I like cows I love the
taste of steak even more. I am a carnivore. The more research I did the more I realized it's not eating a living animal that I have issues with. Humans have done that since they were basically animals themselves. The horrific way "food" is raised in modern society is the issue. Native Americans would thank any animal they killed for the life taken to sustain their own. We have become so removed from the processing of our "food" that the average person is unaware of the severe pain and suffering inflicted on the animals during their short lives. In 6th grade, I wrote President Obama asking him to pass legislation that would require humane treatment and processing of factory farmed animals. I received a response that he was proud of my concern. I thought that was all it took to initiate a change.
Now that I'm older I know life is not that simple. Until everyone is aware and refuses to eat tortured animals there will never be change. I decided that I needed to do what was best for myself and hopefully bring those I am close with along. My family has cut out all fast food, processed food, and questionable meat sources. We are fortunate to have a market in our area that carries responsibly raised meat and poultry. It comes from a ranch about 100 miles up the California coast from Los Angeles. We researched the ranch and the processing facility. The cows roam in large pastures and are grass-fed. Pigs live in naturally bedded areas and forage. The chickens are range free and eat a healthy, natural, antibiotic-free diet. Their slaughter is quick and painless. It is enlightening how simple the humane process for raising meat can be. The downside is the meat is higher priced as it is slower and more labor intensive to raise the animals this way.
If we went back to a society that valued their food choices and paid a slight premium for responsibly raised and humanely process meat we could reduce 90% of the animal suffering. Less meat production would also have many beneficial side effects. People would see health benefits that come with eating less meat and having to substitute plant-based proteins. We would allocate our water rations to grow more crops for human consumption and less for animal feed and maintenance. There would not be as much cheap processed meat which is unhealthy. That would force food manufacturers to come up with healthier, tastier, and more cost-effective meat alternatives. Larger government subsidies could go to the humane ranchers and farmers so eventually ethically raised meat will be the norm and not the exception.
To me, the most important outcome is that people would have a higher consciousness and be aware that all living creatures have feelings. They might not think and feel as we do but that doesn't negate their suffering. Hopefully, the producers and consumers of meat will ask themselves who are we to inflict suffering on these innocent animals which have no voice.
At a young age, I discovered steak came from a dead cow. From that point on I had a problem with eating meat. Cows were sweet funny animals with big tounges. Not food. What made my struggle even more difficult by the fact that while I like cows I love the
taste of steak even more. I am a carnivore. The more research I did the more I realized it's not eating a living animal that I have issues with. Humans have done that since they were basically animals themselves. The horrific way "food" is raised in modern society is the issue. Native Americans would thank any animal they killed for the life taken to sustain their own. We have become so removed from the processing of our "food" that the average person is unaware of the severe pain and suffering inflicted on the animals during their short lives. In 6th grade, I wrote President Obama asking him to pass legislation that would require humane treatment and processing of factory farmed animals. I received a response that he was proud of my concern. I thought that was all it took to initiate a change.
Now that I'm older I know life is not that simple. Until everyone is aware and refuses to eat tortured animals there will never be change. I decided that I needed to do what was best for myself and hopefully bring those I am close with along. My family has cut out all fast food, processed food, and questionable meat sources. We are fortunate to have a market in our area that carries responsibly raised meat and poultry. It comes from a ranch about 100 miles up the California coast from Los Angeles. We researched the ranch and the processing facility. The cows roam in large pastures and are grass-fed. Pigs live in naturally bedded areas and forage. The chickens are range free and eat a healthy, natural, antibiotic-free diet. Their slaughter is quick and painless. It is enlightening how simple the humane process for raising meat can be. The downside is the meat is higher priced as it is slower and more labor intensive to raise the animals this way.
If we went back to a society that valued their food choices and paid a slight premium for responsibly raised and humanely process meat we could reduce 90% of the animal suffering. Less meat production would also have many beneficial side effects. People would see health benefits that come with eating less meat and having to substitute plant-based proteins. We would allocate our water rations to grow more crops for human consumption and less for animal feed and maintenance. There would not be as much cheap processed meat which is unhealthy. That would force food manufacturers to come up with healthier, tastier, and more cost-effective meat alternatives. Larger government subsidies could go to the humane ranchers and farmers so eventually ethically raised meat will be the norm and not the exception.
To me, the most important outcome is that people would have a higher consciousness and be aware that all living creatures have feelings. They might not think and feel as we do but that doesn't negate their suffering. Hopefully, the producers and consumers of meat will ask themselves who are we to inflict suffering on these innocent animals which have no voice.