"Stockfree" Green Manure. All The Nutrients, None Of The Exploitation.
The Associated Press recently published this fascinating article on veganic farming. Unlike most organic farms that use animal products such as manure, bone meal, and blood meal to fertilize their crops, veganic farmers take out the middle man (in this case, the animals who process plant foods into manure) and put composted plant matter--"stockfree" or green manure--directly onto their fields instead. The famous Huguenot Street Farm in New Paltz, NY offers this helpful explanation of the basic principles of veganic farming, and Friends of Animals goes into a bit more depth in this article. If you're in the market for a whole book on the subject, Jenny Hall and Ian Tolhurst's Growing Green comes highly recommended by our friend Harold Brown of Farm Kind. If you're looking for a more hands-on experience, consider this Veganic Farming Training Program offered by the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, AZ.

Joanna Lucas's "Letter From a Vegan World"
Vegans are often asked by curious friends and family members why they consider "humanely raised" animal products such as organic dairy, "rose" veal, and "free range" eggs to be morally objectionable. Joanna Lucas of Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary outside of Denver, Colorado, has penned an eloquent and moving answer to this question in her Letter From a Vegan World.

Essential Reading for Vegans, Omnivores, and Everyone in Between
Taking as her foil the efforts of welfare organizations pushing for "humane" consumer alternatives to factory farmed animal products, Lucas explains why she believes that these efforts run counter to the true spirit of compassion for animals, arguing that vegan outreach and education must be the central focus of the movement.

The Faces of Organic Dairy, "Rose" Veal, and "Cage Free" Eggs
Lucas's letter begins with descriptions of what life is like for organic dairy cows, "rose" veal calves, and "cage free" hens and goes on to encourage vegans to stand firm in their abolitionist convictions. She even provides a link to a full color pdf of the letter that is ready to be printed and distributed in your very own grassroots outreach effort. Many thanks to my good friend Harold Brown of Farm Kind for calling Lucas's letter to my attention.

The Awe and Reverence of All Creatures Great and Small
Many thanks to my colleague David Hoekema for calling my attention to Paul Waldau's intriguing new essay, "Religion and Other Animals", in the most recent edition of Sightings, an online publication of the Martin Marty Center for the Advanced Study of Religion at the University of Chicago.

Recent Editorial Blasts Industrial Animal Production
"The so-called efficiency of industrial animal production is an illusion, made possible by cheap grain, cheap water and prisonlike confinement systems." So says an editorial published today in the New York Times under the scathing title "The Worst Way of Farming". Citing recent reports including the Pew Commission Study and The Union of Concerned Scientists' new paper, CAFOs Uncovered, the editorial board of the Times concludes that "animal husbandry has been turned into animal abuse"--"millions of animals are crowded together in inhumane conditions, causing significant environmental threats and unacceptable health risks for workers, their neighbors and all the rest of us." Three cheers for the Gray Lady! Be sure to send the links to your family and friends.

Prestigious Pew Commission Affirms California Ballot Initiative
The following is the text of an e-mail update from Paul Shapiro, director of the factory farming campaign at The Humane Society of the United States.

"The prestigious Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production just concluded its 2.5-year study of American animal agriculture with unanimous findings from its 15 members. The Commission was chaired by former Kansas governor John Carlin and included, among others, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, former Dean of the Univ. of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Michael Blackwell, and more.

The panel concluded that factory farms pose unacceptable risks to public health, the environment and animal welfare. It also issued a series of recommendations, including a phase-out of battery cages, gestation crates, veal crates, foie gras, and tail-docking of dairy cows, along with inclusion of poultry under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. The Commission even put out a press release in which it cites the pending California anti-cruelty ballot measure as one of "the types of modest animal welfare public policy improvements that the Commissioners recommend implementing."

The Washington Post published a great story on page A2 today entitled, "Report Targets Cost of Factory Farming." USA Today's story begins, "The way America produces meat, milk and eggs is unsustainable, creates significant risks to public health from antibiotic resistance and disease, damages the environment and unnecessarily harms animals, a report released Tuesday says." The Wall Street Journal's coverage focuses both on the problems caused by factory farming and the Commission's conclusion that the "agriculture industry is exerting 'significant influence' on academic research." And the Des Moines Register's article highlights the fact that the Commission is accusing "some livestock interests of trying to disrupt a wide-ranging study of the industry by threatening to yank financing for scientists and universities."

Both the Associated Press and Reuters have national stories on it, as well.

Taking Veganism to Church
As a Mennonite youngster, I worked the church potluck circuit with reckless abandon--especially the dessert table. Back then, it would have been difficult to imagine a church potluck without animal products. But as the evidence mounts that industrial livestock production has serious repercussions for creation, more and more faith communities are taking notice of the moral and spiritual significance of eating. As a case in point, Splinters and I are members of a small group at Sherman Street CRC that recently put on a multi-cultural, intergenerational vegan potluck with over 40 parishioners and friends.

Enchiladas, Lasagna, and Dahl, Oh My!
I brought our favorite Seitan Enchiladas with Salsa Verde (from Ann Gentry's spectacular Real Food Daily Cookbook) along with a side of refried black beans.

Others prepared vegan lasagna, Indian dahl, African groundnut stew, fresh salads and fruits, and a variety of other amazing offerings. Suffice it to say that no one went away hungry, least of all those who spent any time near the sweet table, which boasted vegan coconutty cookies (from Wealthy Street Bakery), "cockeyed" chocolate cake with coconut frosting, chocolate banana cupcakes with peanut butter creme frosting (from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World), and a transcendent ginger coconut macadamia carrot cake that obliterated my previous conception of the standard for vegan desserts.

Rediscovering the Intersection of Food and Faith
Though a lot of vegans have given up on seeing the church as a potential ally in the struggle for justice for all God's creatures, there is reason to be hopeful. As Christine Gutleben of the Humane Society of the United States points out in a recent editorial in the New York Times, the principles of compassion, mercy, and justice for animals are built into our faith traditions, just waiting for visionary people of faith to reawaken the church to their significance for our everyday lives. For more information on the resurgence of religious interest in these matters and links to resources that can help you communicate the message of compassion for animals in your own church community, check out the Animals and Religion initiative of the Humane Society of the United States.

Compassionate Eating as Care of Creation
As many of you know, I spent the summer writing a booklet on the intersection of animal ethics and faith issues (from a Christian perspective) for the Humane Society of the United States. The result of this endeavor is finally available online and you can check it out here. The limited edition version of the publication (which is not yet featured on the website) includes 14 amazing collages by our very own Adam Wolpa. We hope to have a pdf of the limited edition up soon, but until then you can check out Wolpa's collages here.

Something for Everyone
While the argument developed in this booklet is grounded primarily in broadly Christian assumptions, my hope is that there may still be some strategic value in the booklet for people who do not share these assumptions. After all, many non-Christians who care about the plight of animals still have a vested interest in being able to appeal to Christian audiences in a language that such audiences can understand and appreciate. Moreover, there are certain empirical facts about the fallout of our dependence on industrial animal agriculture that all of us have a vested interest in knowing, regardless of our diverse religious identities. Pages 23-36 focus specifically on these empirical issues, so if you're allergic to religious discourse but still interested in the general topic, you can skip straight to this section of the booklet for a succinct overview (with recourse to the latest scientific research) of the hidden human, animal, and environmental consequences of the traditional American diet.

Excellent documentary about climate change, world hunger, creation care, and non-human animals, all from a Jewish perspective. Also check out the review by The Humane Society Animals and Religion here.

VegMichigan Goes All Out on April 13th!
Those of you who attended this year's Wake Up Weekend! will remember enjoying fellowship with our friends from the East, VegMichigan. On April 13th, we'll have a chance to see them again, this time on their side of the state, at the Metro Detroit Great American Meatout in Ferndale, MI. With free food from local veg-friendly restaurants, product samples from veg companies, and a cavalcade of excellent speakers, this event is a "must attend" for Michigan vegans on a mission! Tickets may be purchased in advance here at a discounted rate of just $7.00 per person ($3.00 for students, children 5 and under are free). Interested in free admission to the Meatout plus a free subscription to VegNews Magazine? Consider joining VegMichigan; membership has its privileges! Interested in carpooling or joining a Grand Rapids caravan destined for the Meatout? Leave a comment below and we'll see what develops.

Confronting Global Climate Change
Calvin College right here in Grand Rapids is one of over 1,700 universities and colleges participating in an exciting national initiative called Focus the Nation. Its purpose is to provide a day of focused discussion on global climate change and solutions for the future that can help "to move America beyond fatalism to a determination to face up to this civilizational challenge, the challenge of our generation." At Calvin, a series of events is planned during the first week of the spring semester culminating on January 31, 2008 with a teach-in, discussion with elected leaders, and a celebratory concert.

Food & the Future
Among the sessions planned for the teach-in (download the full schedule) is an offering on "Food & the Future" (9:00 am TODAY in the DeVos Forum) during which I will make a brief ten-minute presentation on Industrial Animal Agriculture and Global Warming. The purpose of this post, in addition to publicizing Calvin's contribution to this important nationwide initiative, is to provide attendees of the teach-in (and other interested parties) with links to online resources for further investigation of the general issues that I briefly consider in my presentation. Though ten minutes is not enough time to provide in-depth coverage of the serious environmental challenges posed by our reliance on industrial animal agriculture, my hope is that the following resources might inspire you to give these challenges the rigorous consideration they deserve.

Tuition-Free Online Education!
My general strategy for approaching this constellation of issues is articulated in a paper I recently gave in the Calvin College Christian Perspectives in Science Series titled Animal Welfare and Global Sustainability. In writing this paper, I found many of the following articles, papers, and reports illuminating. Check them out and decide for yourself!

RECENT POPULAR MEDIA
1. "Rethinking the Meat Guzzler", New York Times, January 27, 2008.
2. A Factory Farm Near You, New York Times, July 31, 2007.
3. Meat Is Murder On the Environment, NewScientist, July 18, 2007.
4. Rearing Cattle Produces More Greenhouse Gasses Than Driving Cars, UN News Service, November 29, 2006.

ONLINE ARTICLES
1. Diet, Energy, and Global Warming, Gideon Eshel and Pamela Martin (University of Chicago), 2005.
2. Meat: Now, It's Not Personal, World Watch Magazine, 2004.
3. Sustainability of Meat-Based and Plant-Based Diets and the Environment, Pimentel and Pimentel, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003.

DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION REPORTS
1. Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006.
2.Livestock Development: Implications for Rural Poverty, the Environment, and Global Food Security, The World Bank, 2001.
Managing the Livestock Revolution
3. Global Warming: Climate Change and Farm Animal Welfare (Executive Summary), Compassion in World Farming, 2007.
4. Global Warming: Climate Change and Farm Animal Welfare (Full Report), Compassion in World Farming, 2007.

A New Lecture Series at Calvin College is in the News!
Wake Up Weekend participants may have had the pleasure of attending Dr. Stephen H. Webb's inaugural address of Calvin's new Animals and the Kingdom of God Lecture Series. Those who missed the lecture can read all about it in this article from yesterday's Grand Rapids Press. With an article on a recent vegan wedding reception at the Amway Grand earlier in the week, our hometown paper is doing their part to get the plight of farmed animals in the news. Take a minute to let them know that you appreciate their coverage of these stories and that you'd like to see more on related topics!

Bob Torres on "The Political Economy of Animal Rights"
The Vegan Freak is at it again. In his new book Making A Killing: The Political Economy of Animal Rights, Bob Torres wields an explosive battery of Marxist and anarchist artillery to level a withering critique of both the capitalism that drives animal exploitation and the conflicted philosophy of animal rights activism that he claims unwittingly entrenches this exploitation. For those who have read previous posts on the recent conflicts between Reformist and Abolitionist approaches to animal advocacy, the alleged inconsistencies in the "New Welfarist" approaches that Torres is criticizing will ring familiar.

The Uninterrogated Assumptions of "New Welfarism"
Says Torres: "Because some new welfarists imagine that talking about human hierarchy over animals and the moral wrong of all animal exploitation is too onerously radical and difficult for the average person to understand, let alone accept, we end up with campaigns, strategies, and tactics that do little more than refocus the efforts of industry to produce products that "caring, ethical" consumers find pleasing. We also end up with so-called "reforms" that even animal rights organizations argue make animal exploitation more profitable. Some activists refer to these reforms as "victories," and they are victories, in a sense: they are victories for the industry." (100) Among the organizations targeted here are PETA and The Humane Society of the United States, groups that, according to Torres, do not even engage, much less challenge, the foundational assumptions upon which the exploitative practices of animal use industries ultimately rest, namely the property status of animals (which paves the way for their commodification), and underlying that, the traditionally accepted hierarchy of human beings over animals.

Veganism as a Baseline
Entitled "You Cannot Buy the Revolution," the final chapter of this provocative read provides an intriguing but somewhat scant set of recommendations for moving forward. First and foremost, Torres maintains, veganism "must be a baseline for the animal rights movement. It is the daily, lived expression of abolition in one's life, and a rejection of the logic of speciesism." As Torres sees it, "vegan education should form the basis of our outreach and activism; in our interactions with people outside the movement, we should discuss why veganism is a viable option. This works in direct contrast to the current animal rights discourse, which promotes "happy meat," "humanely" raised eggs, and organic milk. All of these products rely on exploitation and maintain the relations that will continue to exploit. If we want to eradicate exploitation, we must begin by ending it in our own lives, and encouraging others to do the same." (145) Beyond adopting veganism, Torres recommends that we eschew large, beaurocratic institutions like PETA and HSUS in favor of marshaling the power of the internet and working in "consensus-based affinity groups"--smaller, more flexible collectives of like-minded people that may serve as "models of non-exploitative, non-hierarchical social relationships that highlight mutual aid and conviviality, while also respecting individuality." (148) Sounds a bit like ExtraVEGANza!. Who knew we were a consensus-based affinity group? SNAP!

At Home With Bob Torres
Controversial as its thesis may be, Making A Killing is an intriguing, challenging, and inspiring read, at least in part because of the uniqueness of Torres's voice. As a scholar-activist with a Ph.D. in sociology from Cornell University and a professorship at St. Lawrence University in upstate New York, he brings pedagogy and agitation into an unsettling, but potentially invigorating, confluence. Read all about his personal and professional exploits at bobtorres.net.

Are Specieism and Animal Liberation Compatible?
This remarkable new book by Tzachi Zamir maintains that, contrary to popular opinion, it is possible to argue to the abolition of many "animal use" industries from "speciesist" premises. Here's a brief description of Zamir's argument from the book's promo page at Princeton University Press:

"Many people think that animal liberation would require a fundamental transformation of basic beliefs. We would have to give up "speciesism" and start viewing animals as our equals, with rights and moral status. And we would have to apply these beliefs in an all-or-nothing way. But in Ethics and the Beast, Tzachi Zamir makes the radical argument that animal liberation doesn't require such radical arguments--and that liberation could be accomplished in a flexible and pragmatic way. By making a case for liberation that is based primarily on common moral intuitions and beliefs, and that therefore could attract wide understanding and support, Zamir attempts to change the terms of the liberation debate.

Without defending it, Ethics and the Beast claims that speciesism is fully compatible with liberation. Even if we believe that we should favor humans when there is a pressing human need at stake, Zamir argues, that does not mean that we should allow marginal human interests to trump the life-or-death interests of animals. As minimalist as it sounds, this position generates a robust liberation program, including commitments not to eat animals, subject them to factory farming, or use them in medical research. Zamir also applies his arguments to some questions that tend to be overlooked in the liberation debate, such as whether using animals can be distinguished from exploiting them, whether liberationists should be moral vegetarians or vegans, and whether using animals for therapeutic purposes is morally blameless."

Once a bashful mutt on the street, now Charlie barks with vim and vigor at anything he sees (especially when he wants to wrestle with his brother Gus). Oral surgery, good food and a clean, loving home later, Charlie is as good as new. Many thanks to those who rescued and restored him to good health.

A Vegetarian Journal for Quakers and Other People of Faith
Though Animal Liberation is often considered a "secular" phenomenon, the cause of compassion for animals is gaining ground among people of faith. These advances are happening because of the work of visionary individuals like Gracia Fay Ellwood, publisher of the Vegetarian Friends website, author of "Are Animals Our Neighbors?", and editor of The Peaceable Table, a Vegetarian Journal for Quakers and Other People of Faith. Though Ellwood lives and works in California, she has connections to West Michigan as an alumna of Calvin College, from which she graduated in 1961 with a major in (what else?) Philosophy. If you find Christendom's general indifference to the plight of non-human animals alienating, then take a page out of Ellwood's playbook and BE THE CHANGE you'd like to see in the Church.

Bruce Friedrich Rebuffs LaVeck and Stein's "NeoCarn" Charges
PETA's Vice President for International Campaigns, Bruce Friedrich, has written a provocative reply to James's LaVeck's recent argument that Welfarist reforms undercut the animal rights movement. (The above link will take you to directly to Friedrich's article, but you should also check out the excellent blog on which it is posted--Animal Blawg, an animal law blog for academics, students, and practitioners.)

In a rather ingenious turning of the tables, Friedrich maintains that LaVeck's criticisms of those who support welfare reforms betray a hidden but potent form of speciesism in LaVeck's own arguments. Says Friedrich: "Death penalty opponents simultaneously advocate for the abolition of the death penalty while also working to ban the most torturous forms of execution (e.g., hanging and electrocution). Most readers are probably opposed to the death penalty, and yet we recognize that at the very least, we should support efforts to eliminate especially horrible forms of killing prisoners while they are alive. Those animal advocates who don't take the same stance with regard to animal welfare reforms (and demean them as inconsequential) seem to lack the ability fully to empathize with animals in the same way we empathize with humans--again, speciesism in its purest form."

Friedrich's article is a "must read" for those who wish to stay abreast of the most important developments in the movement.

Highlights from Animal Rights 2007 on a computer near you.
One of these days, you'll get tired of watching R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet, low budget ads for mini-malls, clips of skateboarding bulldogs, and videos of idiots putting mentos into diet coke bottles and begin to crave a bit more substance from your steady diet of YouTube. Lucky for you, there's a host of great new clips boasting highlights from this year's Animal Rights 2007 Conference in Los Angeles a few weeks back. Those of you who have attended AR events here in Grand Rapids in the past couple of years will see some familiar faces in the crowd. For instance...

Harold Brown of Farm Sanctuary
If you've ever had the privilege of hearing Harold speak, you know that he can change your life with just a few heartfelt sentences. So imagine what he can do with a full ten minutes on the mic. Or just watch it here.

Howard Lyman
Attendees of the 2006 Vegetarian Awakening Conference here in Grand Rapids won't soon forget Howard's impassioned keynote address. The Mad Cowboy is at it again here at AR 2007 telling big agriculture: No More Bull! Check out his presentation here.

Erik Marcus of VEGAN.COM
Though Grand Rapids has not yet enjoyed the honor of Erik's presence, tentative plans are in the works to bring him to town for Wake Up Weekend 2008! Let's roll out the welcome mat a little early by boosting his book revenues (check out Meat Market and Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating) and tuning into his excellent podcast. Here's what he had to say in L.A.

Your State-by-State Guide to Exploitation and Degradation
Is it me, or is the New York Times feeling guilty about that "Death By Veganism" fiasco awhile back? In yet another op-ed on the environmental fallout of factory farming, the NYT showcases an organization called Food and Water Watch which has recently launched this fascinating interactive map offering a state-by-state breakdown of all the CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) in the U.S. You can even search by facility type to find out, for instance, how many pig operations exist in your home state (that's a whopping 220 for Michaganders). To our shame, the state of Michigan is the 11th worst factory farm polluter in the union, with Allegan and Cass counties being by far the worst offenders.

Please consider informing your friends and family in Michigan of this educational opportunity and encourage them to boycott factory farms and do their part to help clean up our great state!

James LaVeck and Jenny Stein speak to the politics of recent welfare "victories".
As the director/producer team behind Tribe of Heart, James LaVeck and Jenny Stein have brought us some of the most effective documentary films in the animal rights movement, including Peaceable Kingdom and The Witness.

In this recent essay titled Project for the New American Carnivore, LaVeck and Stein tackle the incendiary question of what effects welfarist compromises with "more humane" producers of animal products are having on the animal rights message. Drawing on analogies between the "Neo-Con" tactics of the Bush Administration and the allegedly "Neo-Carn" agenda of major Animal Welfare organizations, LaVeck and Stein argue that the animal rights movement must return to its vegan roots and stop making compromises with companies that use and slaughter animals, however "humanely" they claim to do so.

This essay is a "must read" for those who wish to stay on the cutting edge of the central debates in the animal rights movement.

A note from Professor Tom Regan:

"To the best of my recollection, the speech I gave, as presented on YouTube, was given in 1989, in London, under the auspices of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. It was part of a debate over the question, "Does the animal kingdom need a bill of rights?" I spoke in favor of the proposal, as did Andrew Linzey and Richard Ryder.Germaine Greer and Mary Warnock spoke against against it.

For its time, the event was a big deal. As I recall, the BBC televised it throughout the UK on one of the national channels. The room (it was a formal setting, in a regal hall) was packed, those in the audience as respectful as they were attentive.

I do not think there was any formal, or informal, vote on the question. So who won the debate is not something anyone can know. I do know, though, that it was a memorable event in my life. For me, perso9nally, I had never before (and have not since) had the opportunity to address so many people, at one time, and in so many different places, on the philosophy of animal rights. I will never forget it.

As to how it came to be posted on YouTube: I haven't the foggiest idea."

Putting our art auction proceeds to good use!
Those of you who attended the Wake Up Weekend! art auction in January may recall that a portion of the proceeds of your generosity went to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY. Check out what the celebrated "Gray Lady" has to say about Farm Sanctuary and its Executive Director Gene Baur in this feature from the Food and Wine section, annoyingly titled Bringing Oinks and Moos into the Food Debate. Though the author's disposition toward animal compassion advocacy is a bit irritating at times, the article does touch on an issue that is generating a lot of controversy in the movement right now--namely, that of whether animal advocacy organizations are diluting their animal liberation message in order to make inroads into the mainstream.

I nostri amici italiani sono molto bei, non sono?
A few minutes ago, I received an e-mail informing me that a new comment had been made on one of our posts. When I checked the email, I was delighted to see that we now seem to have an Italian readership, as the address linked back to this enchanting e-shop called Tippitappi recently launched by an eco-vegan graphic designer in Reggio Emilia, a beautiful place in northern Italy. In addition to a whole host of must-have 100% organic cotton t-shirts printed with inventive animal and earth friendly designs, Tippitappi has a great blog which you may read in either Italian or English. Here are a couple of my favorite t-shirt designs:
I don't eat animals.

Zoos = Prisons

Is International Organic Apparel Swapping even legal?
We're no match for our Italian friends, of course, but perhaps we could persuade them to trade some of their wares for some of ours? We love you, Tippitappi! Thanks for visiting us and keep up the great work. Buona Fortuna!

Stay tuned for more designs...
If you spend all your disposable income at Tippitappi, that's just fine with us. But if you manage to save $15-20, you just might be able to cash in on one of our limited edition extraVEGANza! "FUNDAMENTALIST VEGANGELICAL" tees later this summer. Dare to dream!

Zero Tolerance for Dog Torturers!
Please consider joining the throngs of outraged Americans calling for justice to be done to those who subborn this unconscionable form of animal cruelty. By clicking on this link and filling out the form, you can register your disapproval of the NFL's indifference to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's indictment on charges related to his alleged operation of a dogfighting ring. If Vick is guilty of these brutal crimes, he'd better start praying that Senator Robert Byrd is wrong about the fate that awaits perpetrators of such cruelty.

Listen Up, Legislators Everywhere!
Oregon has become the first state in the U.S. to employ representative government as a means of banning the use of gestation crates for breeding pigs. Other states including Arizona and Florida have used voter ballot initiatives to ban the practice, but Oregon state Senator Ginny Burdick did it the hard way by introducing a bill and shepherding it through both houses. Read all about it in this press release from The Humane Society of the United States.

For "edu-tainment" animals, the cost of admission may be higher than you think.
Animal enterprises such as aquariums and zoos count on the public perception that their reasons for being are noble ones: education, conservation, and research that benefits the animals themselves. But is this scenario really plausible? The authors of this article challenge us to think before we patronize such establishments.

Mercy Makes A Difference!
The next time you and your high school chums are racking up a two dollar tab during a four hour dishwater coffee binge, you can be assured that the open-faced turkey sandwich ordered by the robust looking gentleman in the booth next to you was NOT sourced by House of Raeford, the North Carolina poultry processing plant featured in the Mercy For Animals Expose posted on June 7. Read all about it in Denny's Dumps Supplier After Bird Abuse Video.

Congratulations to Nathan Runkle and Mercy For Animals on this very successful campaign. Visit them here and support their good work!

Mercy For Animals Documents Cruelty in N.C. Processing Facility
One nagging concern I have about the prospects of ostensibly "humane" smaller-scale animal farming is that even the most well-intentioned, conscientious farmers cannot insure that their animals do not undergo horrific cruelty, since in many cases they have no choice but to transport their animals to slaughter in facilities where they themselves have no control over how their animals are treated.

As you can see from this sobering undercover footage of a poultry processing plant in North Carolina, even on the unlikely supposition that these turkeys and chickens lived blissful lives on Old McDonald's Farm, the fate waiting for them in this facility was unimaginably cruel. This footage is graphic. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

"The 'Babe' Vegetarians: Bioethics, Animal Minds and Moral Methodology"

From Bioethics and the Movies
Questions for Discussion:

1. Bioethicist Bernard Rollin suggests that “there is perhaps no set of social issues on which otherwise sane people on either side of the question allow themselves to be as overwhelmingly irrational as in matters pertaining to the treatment of animals, and our moral obligations to them.” Is this true? If so, what is it about ethics and animals issues that might explain why people respond these ways? Is it bad when people respond “irrationally” to moral issues? What can be done to lessen this kind of response and encourage better responses (what are these?)?
2. Some people argue that movies like “Babe” and “Charlotte’s Web” “anthropomorphize” animals. What does it mean to “anthropomorphize” something? Is it a mistake to anthropomorphize any animals? It is a mistaken to anthropomorphize all human beings (or all beings who are biologically human?)? Why or why not?
3. Some people claim that there are “more important” moral issues to address than the treatment of animals in farms, labs, slaughterhouses, etc. How does one argue that one moral issues is “more important” than another? Is the number of beings affected relevant? Is it the severity of the harms relevant? How does one decide this? If one issue is more important than another, does that mean another is not important? Discuss these issues as they relate to animal issues.
4. Some animal advocates argue that there are important similarities between (past) movements for women’s rights, rights for minorities (e.g., African-Americans) and other oppressed humans and the (present) movement for animal rights. What are these similarities? What are the differences? Which are more morally important here, the similarities or the differences? Why?
5. Most people would not eat their pet dog or cat. What would their best reasons for not doing this imply for whether they should eat chickens, pigs and cows?