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I almost understand the human need to defend one's actions, beliefs, habits by slapping at those that bring about an alternate viewpoint. Almost is actually the key word. It is easy to stereotype by the extremes - by the vegan nazis that cause the more laid back vegan to furrow his brow. But that is such a right wing tactic, so very neocon, if you will. Pointing at the extreme as the norm is just plain silly and it minimizes the effort of the majority. The majority of vegans have made a personal choice to not partake of the products from an industry that has little regard for the health and welfare of the individual American consumer. We can bring up statistics and formulas and algebraic equations that support our data - regardless of point of view. It seems so logical to me that sometimes I don't understand all the hullabaloo. We, as a society, flip out when we hear about a precious companion animal being involved in abuse yet we absently slice into the carcass of animals that have been sexually assaulted, burned, cut, thrown, stomped, torn apart while full cognizant. I dare anyone, anyone, to go into one of these plants and detoe a baby chicken, debeak a baby duck, castrate a little piglet - with no anesthesia and come out unfazed. It isn't until you witness the process that you fully understand the absolute soul destroying effect of factory farming. We wonder what has happened to our youth who seem so removed from the essence of life, so disassociated from any empathetic ability. Yet we pretend that the reality of incarcerating billions upon billions of living beings in horrific conditions is not completely rational and a necessary part of our food system. It isn't until you drive through and get out of your car around one of these "hog plants" that you realize the unbearable stench that permeates every molecule of fresh air in the entire region. Whole towns have been completely devastated by the overwhelming waste of these horrible places. The fact of the matter is that factory farming is unnecessary. It destroys our health. It destroys our environment. It perpetuates poverty. The only entity benefiting is the agribusiness corporation that rakes in the profit from underpaid worker, the exploited environment and, of course, the abused animal. The vegan message is less about eating meat than a stance against the rampant misdeeds of agribusiness.
