Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Mon, Feb 18 2008
Humans getting mad about cows
The mad scramble to point fingers at those who mistreated the cattle that led to the recent beef recall has been interesting. What people don't seem to realize is that the whole idea of killing in slaughterhouses is cruel in the first place. Most of us who enjoy a juicy burger have decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that we know little or nothing about the way the cows lived up until the time of their death. Most of us buy meat in cute little cuts that are packed in foam trays with plastic overwrap. We're so far removed from the idea of killing our own food that we have little compassion for the animal that someone had to kill in order for us to eat the meat. I'll be the first to say that if I had to kill a cow in order to eat beef I could not do it. But I have eaten beef that came from cows someone else killed and I have eaten it with no assurance that the cows were treated well and killed without cruelty. I have a feeling that much of the tirades we're hearing on TV and seeing in other media are tinged with a bit of guilt at our own insensitivity to the plight of animals. I could be wrong, of course. But I believe we should each check in with our conscience on this one before we go trashing the folks who do our dirty work for us.
posted at: 08:07 | category: /Food | link to this entry
The mad scramble to point fingers at those who mistreated the cattle that led to the recent beef recall has been interesting. What people don't seem to realize is that the whole idea of killing in slaughterhouses is cruel in the first place. Most of us who enjoy a juicy burger have decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that we know little or nothing about the way the cows lived up until the time of their death. Most of us buy meat in cute little cuts that are packed in foam trays with plastic overwrap. We're so far removed from the idea of killing our own food that we have little compassion for the animal that someone had to kill in order for us to eat the meat. I'll be the first to say that if I had to kill a cow in order to eat beef I could not do it. But I have eaten beef that came from cows someone else killed and I have eaten it with no assurance that the cows were treated well and killed without cruelty. I have a feeling that much of the tirades we're hearing on TV and seeing in other media are tinged with a bit of guilt at our own insensitivity to the plight of animals. I could be wrong, of course. But I believe we should each check in with our conscience on this one before we go trashing the folks who do our dirty work for us.
posted at: 08:07 | category: /Food | link to this entry
