One of the many ugly sides of Christmas is the slaughter of millions of turkeys. People conveniently sweep it under the carpet but the carcasses and blood makes a mighty big pile, be it under the carpet or on the conscience of any who partake in this annual carnage.
20 million turkeys are killed in the UK each year (300 million in the USA), most having been raised in tiny cages and force-fed for their short lives (usually about 2 months from innocent birth to gruesome death).
As well as being immoral and unethical it's completely unnecessary; there are so many healthy, tastier and cruelty-free options available. Check out some of the Birningham-based Vegan Society Christmas recipes or click to the Altrincham HQ of the Vegetarian Society. As some famous Mancunians once sang, Meat is Murder...
I particularly hate the way animals are raised in tiny cages and force fed. It seems that it gets worse and worse. Carver, ABC Wed. Team
ReplyDeleteThere will be no turkey anywhere near my Christmas table Chrissy.. It really is awful to think that this is all their life will be!
ReplyDeleteWell, what can you do? It's tradition! But I do see your point.
ReplyDeleteLeslie
abcw team
I have suggested what alternatives there are Leslie- so it's easy to do ;-)
DeleteYes, if more of us knew where our food came from, we'd have difficulty eating it!
ReplyDeleteROG, ABC WEDNESDAY
I've been to a slaughterhouse and it greatly affected me. Although I'm not vegan or even vegetarian, we eat chicken or fish maybe three times a week and always give thanks to the animal that sacrificed its life for us. I'm not kidding.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we only eat cage-free, naturally fed animals and their eggs. And virtually no red meat. Problem was, I couldn't do all the soy protein when I tried vegetarian; I became very sensitive to that and tamari sauce, so this was my best compromise. Thank you for voicing the unpopular opinion. I applaud your courage in saying what you felt must be said, I stand behind that all the way. Peace, Amy
Industrialized farming and husbandry is one of the terrible aspects of modern life. I'm not completely vegetarian as I still have seafood and occasionally chicken, but I do try to ensure the animal was raised healthily and as happily as possible. It will be hard to turn back the clock, but every bit to raise awareness helps.
ReplyDelete