Why do you eat meat? The Humane Society of the United States investigated a Southern California slaughtering plant and documented many unfit cows being tortured and abused. Dr. Michael Greger explains in this video how these practices can contaminate a large quantity of meat. He even wrote in 2003 how USDA regulations do not go far enough.
While you many be outraged, disgusted, saddened by these practices, this is business and there is a demand for the product. By simply asking yourself at every meal: Do I need to eat this piece of meat? you are making a conscious decision to continue or to end these practices.
"Veganism in a nutshell" explains the top five reasons people go vegan (abstain from meat and animal products). What we choose to eat has an impact on human rights, animal rights & abuse, the environment, and our health. I first went vegetarian for the selfish reason of health. I choose to be vegan for the far-reaching impact it has on many facets of our lives.
You already don't eat much if any beef? Congratulations! So you know that you may lose your taste for a food after cutting it out for two weeks. Now how about showing some respect for chickens and fish, the "Rodney Dangerfields" of the animal world. Dr. Neal Barnard of PCRM discusses the benefits of a vegan diet on a variety of health issues, most recently diabetes.
You may choose to close your eyes, but please don't close your mind.
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Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 Wall Street Journal article on page B1 ("Oversite 'Flaw' Led to Meat Recall") explains factory farming as a business with suppliers and quotas: "The plant for years was a major buyer of older, spent dairy cows from the many dairy farms in the Inland Valley, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles." and "In a statement he gave to Chino police before he was arrested, Mr. Navarro said he felt pressure to ensure that 500 cows were slaughtered each day. If he didn't meet that quota, he said, Mr. Salas would get angry."
