(thought i published this weeks ago but it seems it was waiting for me to do so, without further ado..)

It may seem as if I’m trying to humanize animals in my comparison soon to come, but I assure you I am not. Having said that lets get started. Think about all the animals that are eaten a year- that’s 10 billion in America alone. Now where are all these animals coming from? If you think natural procreation is the process you’re sadly mistaken. Let’s take the turkey for example. As we all know Americans have created a tradition of celebrating thanksgiving by feasting on a dead bird, the turkey. Since the demand for turkey is so high this time of year turkey production goes up, way up. I’ve recently come across the truth about the real way this high demand for turkeys is fulfilled. The happy little image we’ve imagined couldn’t be further from the truth. You know the one I’m talking abut, big open barn, lights turned down low, Barry White playing in the background while the turkeys blissfully sip their turkey-tenies and seduce one another. My happy little turkey love fest bubble has been burst. Someone actually has the job of masturbating the male turkeys, collect their sperm, and artificially-inseminate the female turkeys. I was absolutely appalled when I heard this. I find this disturbing on so many levels. I don’t feel that sexually violating another living, breathing being is any way to celebrate a holiday, even if it is tradition. Most people will argue humans are above nonhuman animals which I feel is preciously the reason they find this acceptable. But let me give you an example. Let’s take a 2 year old child for instance. Imagine an adult molesting this 2 year old. The child has no concept that what is being done is wrong even though the adult know this behavior is very wrong. Does it make it ok to do because the child doesn’t know? Of course not. An animal, just like a child can not defend it self. Children as well as animals trust us to take care of them, and not wrong them just because we have the power to do so. Just because we as humans have the ability to distinguish right from wrong doesn’t make us superior. Knowing right from wrong gives us power, and a responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

On the other side of this is the human performing such gratuitous acts. What kind of person is able to violate an animal in this way and be able to sleep at night? I assure you over time such a person will inevitably suffer from deeply routed and suppressed mental anguishes. Not only do we allow such unthinkable things to be done to innocent animals we have no problem inflicting suffering upon our own fellow humans. There are several books and studies devoted to the subject of the effects of working in a slaughter house. Research and studies have shown the instability of slaughter house workers have to shut off all ability to feel in order to perform their jobs so others can comfortably go to the grocery store and purchase their flesh products without ever having to look in the eyes of their victims. Studies have shown that domestic abuse and violence is higher and more brutal among families of slaughter house workers. Try thinking about all this the next time you carelessly reach for a piece of flesh to feast on.