Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

alp227

(31,962 posts)
Fri Dec 30, 2011, 09:05 AM Dec 2011

Animal rights group's video sparks search of North Carolina turkey farm

Sheriff's investigators in North Carolina launched a search of a turkey farm they say is owned by Butterball -- the largest producer of turkey products in the United States -- on Thursday after an animal rights organization said it infiltrated the farm and videotaped instances of purported animal abuse.

"The organization Mercy for Animals had conducted a covert operation at the farm and documented mistreatment of animals," said Capt. John Kivett of the Hoke County sheriff's office.

"No one has been taken into custody. It's still an ongoing investigation. Nothing has been seized," he told CNN.

The heavily edited videotape from the animal rights group shows what appear to be employees of the farm kicking, dragging and throwing turkeys. During one section of the tape, someone clearly swings what appears to be a metal object, striking one of the birds.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/30/us/north-carolina-turkey-farm-search/index.html

"Heavily edited?" Geez, James O'Keefe and Lily Rose make me see that term as meaning deliberately leaving out crucial details, but in this case it seems that if it's a factory farm it's enough to know bad things did happen there. Why can't factory farms just be completely illegal if the treatment of the animals there is enough to warrant investigations like this? And while I disagree with Mercy's "why eat one but love the other?" billboard ads (juxtaposing a pet and a farm animal) I thank them for exposing this FF.

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
 

ixion

(29,528 posts)
1. The MSM: Doing their best to obfuscate the truth for Big Business.
Fri Dec 30, 2011, 09:46 AM
Dec 2011

rather than, you know, practicing investigative journalism.

Merlot

(9,696 posts)
4. Exactly. Factory farming is bad for animals and humans.
Fri Dec 30, 2011, 09:37 PM
Dec 2011

I don't eat meat, though I don't think it's wrong if the animals are treated humanly. Factory farming is of course horrible to the animals, but then people eat these abused, over-medicated and over-bred animals. And we wonder why there is so much cancer and health problems today.

Doremus

(7,261 posts)
9. Me too.
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 01:26 AM
Jan 2012

I can't bear the thought of supporting the kind of brutality that is SOP in the livestock industry.



Little Tich

(6,171 posts)
5. I just checked out the videoclip at their site, http://www.butterballabuse.com/
Sat Dec 31, 2011, 01:01 AM
Dec 2011

I think that "heavily edited" is an understatement. Basically, it's a series of short clips showing people kicking and throwing turkeys around etc, accompanied by sinister music. There is no context whatsoever, the location isn't clear, and it's not possible to know when and under what circumstances these clips were filmed.

Now, if there's any abuse of Butterball turkeys, this clip is not proof of it. It's more like a cheap attempt at smearing Butterball without having any proof. Stupid fundamentalist vegans.

 

sulphurdunn

(6,891 posts)
7. The clip shows somebody
Sun Jan 1, 2012, 12:31 PM
Jan 2012

abusing turkeys. I can imagine that working in a place like the one in this clip would desensitize anyone to the suffering of those animals very quickly unless they got away from it. I had a friend who was a real macho meat and potatoes guy. He got a job working in a slaughter house. He lasted one day, left home and became a Hari Krishna.

yewberry

(6,530 posts)
8. I'm sorry, what?
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 12:38 AM
Jan 2012

Context? What possible context makes hurting animals acceptable?

It's pretty unlikely that a turkey pulled a knife on someone, or dissed someone with a 'your mama's so fat' joke, know what I mean? Treating animals, any animals, like that is never acceptable.

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
10. I think you're confusing the words 'proof' and 'evidence'
Tue Jan 3, 2012, 03:32 PM
Jan 2012

I think you're confusing the words 'proof' and 'evidence'. I also think you're confusing "stupid fundamentalists" with basic decency and concern. And what specifically leads you to believe the sole intent of this video was to "smear" Butterball?



Yours however does seem to beg the question: If not this one, then in what context is it permissible to abuse animals...?

flvegan

(64,389 posts)
11. Wait...hold on..you need fucking context to kicking and throwing turkeys? Really? No, really?
Wed Jan 4, 2012, 02:28 AM
Jan 2012

Kicking and throwing isn't proof? C'mon chilly, don't do it this way. Leave the brand behind.

Send your superiors my way, I like making short work.

What?

 

Nihil

(13,508 posts)
13. If only you'd stopped after your first few sentences ...
Wed Jan 4, 2012, 07:45 AM
Jan 2012

> I just checked out the videoclip at their site, http://www.butterballabuse.com/
> I think that "heavily edited" is an understatement.
> Basically, it's a series of short clips showing people kicking and throwing turkeys
> around etc, accompanied by sinister music.

... you'd have come over as simply questioning the video and the group behind it.

Unfortunately, you continued ...

> There is no context whatsoever, the location isn't clear, and it's not possible to
> know when and under what circumstances these clips were filmed.

Context is unnecessary and there are no circumstances under which the filmed
behaviour is in any way acceptable, legal or moral.


> Now, if there's any abuse of Butterball turkeys, this clip is not proof of it.

Your point about the clarity of the location is taken. That is (hopefully) why the
accusations are being investigated: to determine innocence or guilt.


> It's more like a cheap attempt at smearing Butterball without having any proof.

No more so than your (even cheaper) attempt at smearing animal rights groups ...

> Stupid fundamentalist vegans.

... not to mention vegans ...




(And no, I'm not a vegan - fundamentalist or liberal - but I applaud those who are
trying to bring an end to the obscene practices of factory farming.)

justiceischeap

(14,040 posts)
14. Yes, the clip on their site is edited, even heavily
Wed Jan 4, 2012, 07:57 AM
Jan 2012

but I can bet you the raw video the police will get isn't... I bet there are hours upon hours of footage that no one but their editor and staff has seen. When PETA does undercover investigations, their folks are in there for months videotaping things. Of course, I would suspect even if they put all the raw, unedited footage online, certain people would say, "Well, it's only one person doing the abusing, it's not that bad. Damn vegans making a big deal out of nothing."

If there were one person in a prison who got kicked and flung about on a daily basis, would that be okay with you? Anyone who does this sort of thing is sick and shouldn't be excused just because the being that is being abused is an animal.

Quantess

(27,630 posts)
6. I had a pet turkey
Sun Jan 1, 2012, 04:54 AM
Jan 2012

She was the sweetest yard pet anyone could have, and kind of smart especially when it came to food.
We didn't even know the turkey was a "she" until there was a giant egg.

I cannot read the article

flvegan

(64,389 posts)
12. Once again Mercy For Animals does it big time.
Wed Jan 4, 2012, 02:32 AM
Jan 2012

Hot damn, these guys. Auntie would be quite pleased.

I love you guys.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Animal rights group's vid...