This would be good for letters to the editor...
Unny
http://www.startribune.com/562/story/215052.html
David Banks: Five thoughts for waffling carnivores
A reality-based path toward animal welfare.
David Banks, Star Tribune
Last update: January 30, 2006 . 6:09 PM
So you're thinking about becoming a vegetarian, or at least heading in
that direction? It might help to work through the contradictions, starting
with ...
1 Eating meat is not inherently wrong. It can be painful to watch footage
of animals killing each other in the wild -- especially in
high-definition, with enhanced chewing noises -- but it is obviously quite
natural. People share this instinct and have nourished themselves in this
manner for millennia. Finding themselves lost in the desert today, they'd
be perfectly justified in eating the first jackrabbit they could catch.
Under certain conditions, they might even eat each other.
2 That doesn't mean it's right. We live in a nearly $13 trillion economy,
with enormous capacity to produce and distribute food. There is an
abundance of markets, all willing to sell us meat alternatives and meat
substitutes, all of which can add up to a healthy, balanced diet. So we
have a choice. That means we're obliged to consider ...
3 Empathy. Humans possess it, though many of us gruffly shun
sentimentality. In particular, we have a sense of hierarchy, often
instilled by religion, that tells us to consider animals (or the planet
itself, for that matter) to be under our dominion, as long as we're not
wanton about it. We believe that animals don't comprehend things at the
level we do, and therefore suffer less. But face it: Kick a dog, and it
will avoid you in the future. Hang a cow alive on a hook, and it'll
squeal. Empathy is a human quality. We should take advantage of it.
4 Quality of life (and death) matters. It might be more palatable to eat
what in some circles is termed "happy meat," which is to say, raised with
respect and killed with a measure of kindness. This ought to be of concern
not just for vegetarians, but for anyone who eats. You may not trust
in-your-face activists who produce undercover footage of a chicken's
wretched existence, but what do your instincts really tell you?
Agriculture is big business, and expediency is profitable. Americans have
an unfortunate habit of looking the other way.
5 It's not easy to avoid meat. At restaurants, you'll have options, but
you'd better like cheese. At home, you'll need extra money (to buy
handsomely packaged meat substitutes) or a sturdy commitment (to cook
healthful, balanced alternatives). If either of these are legitimately
beyond your reach, it's fair to cut yourself some slack. But if you're
carnivorous just because you can be, you're on shakier moral ground.
Finally, at some point you'll find yourself sitting down to dinner with
Aunt Edna, and either she didn't know, or didn't really believe, your
intentions. As she plops that (already) dead bird on the table, will you
really want to offend her to make your stand? Well, how much do you like
Aunt Edna?
--
Unny Nambudiripad
Treasurer, Compassionate Action for Animals
612-377-2015 (h) / 612-532-4239 (c)
www.exploreveg.org / www.vegguide.org
