PETA vs KFC in OKC

[Mortos]

A PETA protest was held outside an Oklahoma City KFC this week to protest the cruel ways chickens used by the company are raised and slaughtered.

The conservative media got hold of the story and, much like Protest Warrior, the Pro-War counter protest, Anti-Sheehan protestors, they decided to counter the PETA organization with their own petty and childish tactics. Right wingers thought it was funny eating chicken in front of them, callings them anti-Semitic and terrorists and encouraging some old rich bat to wear her fur coat to the protest.

See pics here.

I am not a vegetarian nor am I a member of PETA. I do, however, think that the animals we use for food in this country deserve to be raised in a humane environment and killed as painlessly and possible and should not be mutilated by machines, scalded alive, tortured by workers or kept in cages so small that the birds cannot move.

I had the opportunity to raise 8 chickens last year. Only 5 ultimately survived (lost 1 as a chick and 2 to predators). My chickens were like pets. They came when called, they were affectionate and surprisingly beautiful animals. They laid eggs which my family consumed (after getting used to the orange yolks which were indicative of the healthy lifestyle and good nutrition the chickens were receiving-something you will never see in mass produced large scale commercial farm eggs).

Healthier animals produce a healthier end product whether it be eggs, milk or meat. Family farmers know this and would never raise their animals in the conditions most of our livestock are now raised. Corporate farming has destroyed traditional methods and achieves it's main goal of producing the most product in the cheapest way possible by cramming animals together in unhealthy conditions, feeding them as cheaply as possible and loading them up with chemicals, anti-biotics and growth hormones.

The people who mock those PETA members seem to rejoice in the suffering of animals. The same actions that, if performed by an individual on a street, would warrant a call to the police, are laughed about by the right wing pro-torture(humans and animals) crowd.

KFC food is greasy, the pieces are small and the prices are high. Aside from the fact that they don't care enough about the animals that bring in tens of millions of dollars per year to their company, their crappy food is enough to make me boycott them.

If you can stomach it, watch the video that prompted the PETA protest. It was filmed at a KFC "Supplier of the Year" facility in Moorefield, West Virginia. It shows plant workers stomping, slamming chickens against floors and walls, twisting off their beaks, pulling off their heads and other depraved acts of cruelty.

Moorefield Video

[flvegan]

1. Nice post, thanks. Nominated.

And you're right, on every count.

[smbolisnch]

2. Amazing post, Mortos.

Nominated.

[tatertop]

3. If not for PETA, no one would speak up.

[nvliberal]

62. If it weren't for PETA, animal welfare organizations

wouldn't be held up to ridicule.

[Lilith Velkor]

90. That's not true

More people would speak up if they didn't have to worry about being dismissed as "one of those freaks," IMO.

[Benhurst]

4. Thanks. Nominated.

[Catchawave]

5. The way KFC chickens are raised

doesn't help the Avian Flu outbreak. Poor chickens, poor humans :(

[smbolisnch]

6. Excellent point.

Was thinking the same thing earlier today.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[smbolisnch]

8. Take your flames somepleace else, please.

This is a positive thread.

Thanks.

[Catchawave]

9. What don't you get about progressive issues Neil ?

just sayin <snort>

[Mortos]

10. I believe that is Pita Bread.

not PETA bread.

[Catchawave]

18. LOL.....good catch Mortos

...as you can see, we have our work cut out for us on this thread !

[flvegan]

17. You should check your own sig for some guidance

Just sayin'

[Catchawave]

15. Sad isn't it :(

This avian flu is breakin' out in all the international poultry factory farms. We tried to warn them, huh? The more inhumane you (generic) treat our food animals, the more dangerous to humans. And they call us "looney" <snork>

[smbolisnch]

16. Equally as scary as it is sad.

[Catchawave]

20. Agree....!

Do you suppose animal protection will ever become a serious progressive issue on DU ? Heh.

[smbolisnch]

21. Nope.

Not a chance.

[Jon8503]

11. Thanks, needs to be nominated & the message out; these bastards

will see their day of arrogance end when they are defeated at the polls.

[girl gone mad]

12. My family boycotts KFC because of the..

inhumane treatment.

I do not uinderstand why people would protest in support of cruelty to animals.

PETA's position may be extreme in some cases, but they are right in this one.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

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[flvegan]

19. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And this is HUGH!!!111 right.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[smbolisnch]

25. Well yeah, could have not posted it.

[shockra]

14. Great post!

And...

Rockers Target KFC With Drumsticks

Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe, Phil Collins, and Avril Lavigne’s drummer, Matt Brann, have each donated autographed drumsticks to benefit PETA’s “Kentucky Fried Cruelty” Campaign. The donated drumsticks are up for auction with proceeds helping PETA make KFC face the music and eliminate the worst abuses that chickens endure on factory farms. The campaign involves colorful demonstrations, billboards, and TV spots. Let the bidding begin!

Why are these percussionists pounding KFC? Because KFC continues to cut the beaks off baby breeding birds without painkillers, breed and drug chickens to grow so fat that their Click to enlargelegs actually become crippled under their own weight, and scald millions of chickens to death every year in feather-removal tanks in the slaughterhouse, all while they’re still conscious and able to feel pain. Read up on the whole list of abuses that chickens raised for KFC are forced to endure.

These drummers join a growing roster of musicians, like Sir Paul McCartney, the Beastie Boys, Good Charlotte, and the Black Eyed Peas, who are sticking up for chickens destined to be killed for KFC. Watch this video narrated by Pamela Anderson to see for yourself what chickens go through before they are battered and sold by the bucket.

http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com/DrumstickAuction.asp

[jobycom]

23. Excellent post.

I am a vegetarian, and I appreciate the understanding of the issue you display, even though you've arrived at a different conclusion than me. It's hard to talk to people about animal rights because they associate animal rights with the negative extremes of PETA. Your discussion is reasoned, sensitive and positive, and I'd love to see more of that in the animal rights movement. Too often PETA and others are all or nothing groups. They want a person to either become a strict vegan or to burn in hell, and seem to have no middle ground for people who are willing to improve the treatment of animals even without committing to a complete conversion.

The other side is even more extreme, wanting to flaunt their torture, perhaps as a way to alleviate feelings of being wrong. Even without an appreciation of animal rights, one would hope that human rights would motivate them to be better people. But alas, no, conservatives are proud of their human failings.

I wish more people on both sides had your approach to the issue. Heck, I wish I was that reasoned! :-)

[I Have A Dream]

32. I feel the same way that you do, jobycom. I'm also a vegetarian.

I don't expect everyone to become vegetarian, but I think that we as a society have a responsibility to treat the animals under our stewardship as humanely as we can prior to their death.

[kestrel91316]

24. Factory farming is cruel to livestock, environmentally irresponsible,

and the workers don't get a very good deal either. Fast food is bad for you in general.

That said, I must confess a fondness for KFC's Chicken Strips with Potato Wedges, and I indulge myself once a year. And I won't apologize.

[flvegan]

27. Once a year? Why apologize?

You appear to have a very open mind.

What are the potato wedges? I haven't been to a KFC in a very long time. Are they like fries?

[kestrel91316]

31. Like fries, but they have a coating that is reminiscent of the

coating on the original KFC chicken pieces. I think they use similar seasonings. They are wedge-cut russet potatoes, they come with Ranch Dressing to dip in.

[flvegan]

34. Okay, that made me hungry.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[kestrel91316]

44. But remember, you HAVE to get them with the chicken strips.

KFC has very high quality true chicken breast tenders for strips, not icky chopped chicken nuggets. The strips and wedges are a match made in heaven.

[smbolisnch]

45. He is a vegan.....

So that probably wouldn't work out :hi:

[kestrel91316]

47. (oops - sometimes I am not very observant, lol)

[smbolisnch]

48. LOL, Just thought I might mention that!

;)

[flvegan]

51. That was funny

I'm not making fun of the poster, but the situation was funny.

[smbolisnch]

52. Ditto. I wasn't being snotty about it, just thought it was funny :)

:P

[kestrel91316]

53. You GOTTA try those chicken strips, though. They would convert

you back to omnivore status PDQ!!!!!!!! ;-)

[smbolisnch]

55. Nah, I don't think so.

;)

[kestrel91316]

56. S'ok - just leaves more for the rest of us! 8-D

[Ilsa]

26. Great comments everyone, about the cruelty and irresponsibility

of this way of ranching the animals. What a horrible thing to do.

On a more spiritual level, even if one believes that animals are for humans to consume, I think there is opportunity for karmic judgment in how those animals are treated. I think this applies to almost all of the religions.

My father was a hunter, never for sport. And he didn't like hunting with anyone who couldn't properly put down the animal with one shot to minimize suffering. Everything he hunted was eaten.

"Fat yellow chickens," the cruelty inflicted, and their tastelessness (which I think comes from the way they are raised) is one of the reasons why I began looking at vegetarianism a few months ago and why I am still one after several months.

[I Have A Dream]

49. I was going to mention the karma involved in my earlier post...

but decided against it because I really couldn't word it correctly without making it sound as though I was judging people who eat meat. It's not the eating of the meat that I feel brings the bad karma but rather the way the animals are treated prior to their death.

I've been a vegetarian for about 4 years, and for the 6 years prior to that I only ate seafood. However, I do use leather products. I believe that if we're going to kill an animal, as many parts as possible should be used. (Sort of the way the Native Americans were with the buffalo -- they used everything from the buffalo when they killed one.)

Being a vegetarian isn't easy, but I find it to be very rewarding. I feel better about myself. However, I don't judge anyone else. It's a decision that each of us must make.

[Ilsa]

61. ITA. I hope I didn't sound like I was judging others, but I can't help

but wonder if something else does. I tend to think that cruelty begets cruelty, and somehow, there is a price to pay. It's very hard to say without judging.

I can't consider myself an ethical vegetarian, either. Leather is still in my life, but on a lesser scale. I refused fur decades ago. I see no need for it.

[I Have A Dream]

69. I think that you worded your post really well. You just brought up...

the issue and stated that things did not have to be as they are even if our society eats meat, which is totally appropriate.

For the most part, I DO consider myself to be an ethical vegetarian because I only use things that are by-products of the animal being killed. If the animal was being killed for whatever the item was, then I would refuse to use it. (e.g., if the animal was being killed specifically for its leather, then I would not buy the product.) However, I think that if an animal's going to be killed, as much of it should be used as possible. I understand that some people will see this as being hypocritical, but I really don't care what others think because I'm not doing it for them, and I don't judge them. Of course, I'm assuming that cows are not ever killed primarily for their leather, which may not be true. However, with as many cows as we kill for food, leather from cows will usually be from cows that are killed for food. (At least I hope so.) If I'm wrong, I'll have to rethink my use of leather, which I'm totally prepared to do.

By the way, what does ITA mean? Thanks.

[Maraya1969]

28. BUY RANGE FREE EGGS! It will help the egg laying chickens

Most spend their lives in tiny cages where they can't even turn around. But the more people buy "FREE RANGE" or "CAGE FREE" eggs the more THAT part of the egg business will grow and the more money it will take away from the cruelty based caged chicken eggs.

If you grocery store doesn't carry them ASK THEM TO.

[libnnc]

40. I switched to Cage Free eggs today

as a matter of fact. Eggland's Best Cage Free Eggs. They were more expensive but my conscience feels good. And they're yummy too.

http://www.eggland.com/egglandsbest/egcage.html


Eggland's Best Cage Free Eggs

<snip> Every hen selected to lay Eggland's Best Cage Free eggs
is free to roam in a pleasant, natural environment and is fed
Eggland's Best patented, all-natural, all-vegetarian diet.

Our Cage Free hen diet consists of healthy grains with no
animal fat and no animal by-products to bring you the best
tasting, most nutritious egg we possibly can. Also, Cage Free
hen diets contain no added hormones. Eggland's Best never
uses antibiotics or steroids of any kind.

Eggland's Best Cage Free patented vegetarian diet results
in eggs that are High in Vitamin E, contain 100mg of Omega 3,
and have 25% less Saturated Fat than a regular egg. Every
Eggland's Best Cage Free egg is stamped EB as your
assurance of the finest standards of taste, texture, nutrition,
and egg quality.

We at Eggland's Best hope you agree that the extra effort and
care we take in producing these special eggs are worth it. <snip>

[I Have A Dream]

50. Yes, they're better for the chickens and better for us to eat. n/t

[Maraya1969]

58. Good for you and Thank you. (And the chickens thank you)

Have you noticed how harder the shells are and how the yolks are bigger and deeper yellow? Definitely from healthy chickens.

[Zomby Woof]

29. So all anti-PETA people are right-wingers?

Although I cannot myself defend KFC in this case, or the tactics of the counter-protestors, I think calling them "right-wingers" is a bit of a wish fulfillment stretch.

I say this because I have taken on PETA plenty of times (more for their hypocrisy for killing animals in their own shelters than for their causes), and am always amused at how my liberal cred is questioned by the PETA supporters because I dare question their golden god. It is insulting that just because one opposes PETA, that makes the person a right-winger.

You CAN be a liberal and a carnivore. I think it is illiberal to hold otherwise. With PETA, it's all absolutes - just like the reactionary right. If'n yer not with us, yer'n aginst us!

I am reminded of Woody Guthrie's saying: "Right wing, left wing, chicken wing, same thing."

[flvegan]

33. Good points, I suppose.

PETA has no "shelters" so I don't know what hypocrisy you speak of. If it's that PETA euthanizes animals that can't be adopted, well, you go volunteer at an open-intake shelter and see how it works, k?

Yes, you can be a liberal and an omnivore that chooses to eat meat. It's not absolutes with PETA. I'm not understanding that part of your post.

[smbolisnch]

35. Not at all.

[Catchawave]

39. I think it's safe to say that anyone

(generic) who questions a progressive movement, either is a right winger or just uneducated about that org. You choose :)

To be fair, show me a link to where Peta requires you to be a veg*an to support their mission statement.

Thanks :hi:

www.peta.org

[nvliberal]

65. You really know nothing about PETA, do you?

All you have to do is look at the leaders and their slavish devotion to the crackpot philosopher, Peter Singer.

That tells me EVERYTHING I need to know about the outfit.

If you want to support animal welfare, pick a local organization which hasn't been tainted by PETA propaganda.

[nvliberal]

64. Anybody who is against PETA is on the right?

Is that off the wall or what?

A LOT of us think that because PETA, with its extremist Singerist slant, is a bunch of nutcases who are doing animal welfare more harm than good.

If one wants to discredit the "left," just side with this crackpot organization and its cultlike mentality.

It is not only anti-human, it's actually anti-animal.

[Piperay]

79. No, I was involved in animal rights heavily in the 80s's and

I knew several people in PETA and other animal organizations that were repukes. Lots of people don't believe it and have even called me a liar but the animal rights movement takes from both the left and right politically. It seems like it wouldn't fit but since many repukes hate people so it stands to reason they would drift into animal rights. Liberals care about living creatures in general so they too end up in animal right's movements.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

30. Ron Black is the biggest idiot next to Bush....

And he's so far up the butt of the Bush Admin, it's completely unreal. He's so rude to the people who call him unless they kiss his ass. I was listening to his show on accident during the hurricanes. Oh the agony.
Duckie

[dretceterini]

36. Cruelty to all animials is...

very sick

In this specific case, I think we can call the people at KFC mother-cluckers...

[flvegan]

38. *snort* Good one.

[roguevalley]

37. anyone stepping up for animals is okay by me.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

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[libnnc]

43. combination or just cheese?

:evilgrin:

[smbolisnch]

46. Out of the woodwork.

:eyes:

[Hello_Kitty]

54. Hey Mortos!

Glad to see you back on DU after your sojourn in Iraq. I can't get the video to run for some reason but I appreciate your balanced observation on the PETA position vs. the wingnuts. I've been more conscious of my buying decisions regarding meat and am choosing locally raised, organic eggs and meat these days and the difference in quality is evident, plus I know that the animals aren't subjected to unnecessary cruelty.

And BTW, I've been spending a lot of time with the inlaws of a certain wingnut liar with whom we are both acquainted. Kathleen, Arlon Sr., and I are founding members of a new grassroots organization here in AZ. Check it out. www.gemdems.com

[longship]

57. Good, well reasoned, post. Thanks.

Clearly you have done much thought on this subject. That's good.

KFC is owned by PepsiCo. As is Pizza Hut and a couple of other fast food chains. PepsiCo is a retched company. KFC is horrible food. If PETA is fighting them for their mistreating animals, the quality of their food and its price, and not merely the fact that they serve meat, that's good. More power to PETA in this case. PepsiCo is a worthy target for revulsion.

[jmowreader]

77. Pepsi spun them off years ago

The holding company that controlled KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell was first called Tricon Global Restaurants (stock symbol: YUM) and was spun off from Pepsico in 1997. Now it's called YUM Brands and also includes A&W and Long John Silver's.

This, however, doesn't change the fact that their food isn't great (although I do love that A&W Root Beer and I really wish there was an A&W stand in Fayetteville), their prices are very high for the quality and quantity of product received, and their animal rights record is abysmal.

[mirandapriestly]

59. I saw on film on chicken slaughter and stopped eating chicken

whenever I think of eating it all I can think about is what happened to the animal. Chickens are treated worse than cows, because there are no laws to protect poultry. If animals were treated humanely or if I hunted for my own meat I would not be a vegetarian. Before industrialized slaughter it wasn't so bad, but the way it is now, not to mention all the horrible stuff they feed beef and the problems created by that. My 12 year old daughter is a vegetarian and she is pretty thin and normally developed for a 12 year old, but other girls who eat meat are already having their periods and are fully developed at 12, I think it's because of the hormones in the beef (yuk), plus they are overweight.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

60. Thanks for this post. PETA has done a lot of good

and they get demonized for the minutia.

[nvliberal]

66. It's not the little stuff they are being "demonized" for.

It's their entire purpose, which ISN'T animal welfare.

[Karmadillo]

67. Well, just for the record, what exactly is their entire purpose?

nt

[crispini]

68. Do you have data to support this assertion?

PETA's tactics are a bit extreme, but I've never seen anything to indicate what you say.

[mcg]

63. Factory Farms: Destroying the Heartland

Factory Farms: Destroying the Heartland:

http://www.goveg.com/ffAndEnviro.asp

'Americans are increasingly aware of the health consequences of eating animal flesh, dairy products, and eggs, but most of us don’t ever think about the risks associated with working on or living near a factory farm. Unfortunately, people in rural communities often experience, firsthand, the devastating effects of factory-farm pollution.

Factory farms pollute the air and the water for many miles in every direction, often spreading contamination and illness to the people who live and work nearby. A synopsis of a Senate Agricultural Committee report on farm pollution issued this warning about animal waste: “It’s untreated and unsanitary, bubbling with chemicals and diseased organisms. … It goes onto the soil and into the water that many people will, ultimately, bathe in and wash their clothes with and drink. It is poisoning rivers and killing fish and making people sick. … Catastrophic cases of pollution, sickness, and death are occurring in areas where livestock operations are concentrated.” ...'

[crispini]

70. Yes. If you read

"Diet for a New America" or John Robbins' latest, "The Food Revolution," you will immediately stop eating most meat because it simply grosses you out. Another good one is "Dying for a Hamburger."

Modern factory farming techniques are, basically, disgusting. I have greatly reduced the amount of meat in my diet and try to eat only humanely raised, organically fed meat when I do, rarely, eat it.

[rug]

71. Kentuckyfriedcruelty.com

Made my daughter vegetarian.

[Oerdin]

72. Screw PETA

Seriously, those people are absolutely nuts and they taint the rest of the left because the wingnuts can claim PETA typifies the left.

[Chan790]

73. Not Hardly

I can think of a lot of groups that the wingnuts point to and claim are representatively-typical of the left a lot more than PETA. The ACLU, for one, comes to mind. Amnesty International for another

Frankly as a donor/member of all three, I wish the left was more like us vegetarian/vegan anti-cruelty/anti-torture civil libertarian street-fighters because love us or hate us, we're not sitting on our laurels and trying to change the world from our laptops. We may be loonies but we're active loonies. Nobody ever achieved anything being passive.

Let's direct that righteous "screw PETA" anger of yours at the people that actually deserve it... like George W. Bullshit's personal "God".

[smbolisnch]

75. I thimk people like you who broadbrush and spew hate are what

"taint the left." :eyes:

74. an animal rights group where I live picketed kfc

here in Madison, Wisconsin. I heard about the awful things done to the chickens. I rarely break down and get chicken or meat for a meal, but after this KFC debacle, I certainly will shun KFC, and I hope word spreads.

here is the animal rights group in Madison. They seem to be focusing mainly on primates used for experiments at UW Madison.

http://www.allanimals.org/

[zanne]

76. It's good to see people stand up for animals...

This thread does my heart good. I'm so glad to be among a group of people who believe that our greatest strength is acting humanely.

[William Bloode]

78. Why should i care?

These animals are born and raised to die. I see no sense in being kind to them just to slaughter them.

I raise my own beef, hogs and chickens. Not because i have anything against the way they are treated, it has more to do with the suppliments they are fed to make them grow faster etc.

I just don't get the whole "be kind to it so i can kill you in a more humane way" mindset.

[Lilith Velkor]

82. For the sake of fellow humans' health

...and potentially, your own. Unsanitary practices like that are why bird flu is such a threat. Exposing conditions like that is good, even if PETA is doing it for the wrong reasons. As to the kindness thing, doesn't it make it easier to kill them when it's time?

[William Bloode]

86. I agree as far as the health concerns.

Thats why i raise most of my own meat. Any i buy is from someone i know and i know how it was raised.

Yes it does make it easier if you are nice to your animals. But chances are if you are nice to it you might develop feelings for the animal and not want to kill it. This is a common lesson learned early in farm life, and thats that they are not pets to be pampered, but food to be eaten.

As far a PETA themselves i really have no opinion on them one way or the other, and pass no real judgment. I tend to think they come of like a bunch of wackos, but to each his own. I have certain areas of thought i might come off as a wacko to some myself.

[Lilith Velkor]

88. Oh yeah, me too

For example, I'm into this notion that we shouldn't oughta drop bombs on people or invade their countries and go around raping and pillaging and torturing them. That's too conservative for the PETAheads, and I would respect that position if only their cultists would stop joining antiwar, enviro, and economic justice groups and harassing the meat eaters. As if we didn't have enough shit to deal with from the cops.

[triguy46]

94. I agree...

you can call them pets, you can name them, you can hold them and show your friends, but on Sunday noon you'll be frying one up for dinner.

The admission of a 3/8 mortality rate for a home flock isn't great. 1 to a predator, yes that will happen, but about the other 2, what disease did they have?

[Warren DeMontague]

80. I don't support PETA or go to KFC

I support free-range, organic farms and farming. I agree wholeheartedly that it is better for everyone concerned as well as the environment. But I don't support PETA.

If PETA was only interested in stopping factory farming, that would be one thing. They're not - they don't want free range, cruelty-free chicken and poultry raising, they want NO chicken or poultry use or consumption, period, whatsoever.

And your deliberate attempts to conflate anyone who opposes PETA with "right wingers" notwithstanding, plenty of progressives have problems with their tactics and yes, their noxious ad and "art" campaigns (like the one equating chickens to Jews in concentration camps) If PETA has anything in common with anyone, it's radical "pro-life" groups like Operation Rescue. To argue that anyone who disagrees with them is a crazed right winger is disingenuous, at best.

[Lilith Velkor]

83. I don't think the OP was doing that

She (or he) admitted to killing her own chickens and eating them. I hate the bastards too, but I hate KFC a lot more.

[Warren DeMontague]

84. fair enough

I'm just not sure what right/left wing has to do with it, other than the obvious dumb chicken joke that can be inserted here.

[Lilith Velkor]

87. Pepsico

...donates millions to the GOP. I avoid their products as much as possible and haven't seen the inside of a KFC, Taco Bell, or Pizza Hut in almost a decade. I live near DC, and every time Bush shuts down the Mall and holds a big ol' fascist hoedown, there are these huge Pepsi banners everyfuckingwhere. It's a negative branding effect to me.

[Warren DeMontague]

89. I stopped eating fast food about the same time

I stopped a lot of unhealthy activities in my life, so it's been a very long time since I've been in any of those as well. I try to avoid high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oil, so that alone pretty much nixes most fast food and the rust cleaners that pass for soft 'drinks'.

Most of the food and beverages I consume don't have anything to do with big corporations. I generally try to purchase local organic produce, free range poultry and eggs from small farmers, and other food items from smaller companies that I philosophically agree with.

When I want to buy a whole bunch of something, I usually get it at Costco, and their Kirkland brand of products usually has lots of comparable items to the offerings of the big conglomerate corporations.

But I'm fortunate in that I live in Northern California, where there are lots of good vegetarian, organic, and natural food choices- so it's relatively easy for me to avoid the crap-fest that constitutes much of what America seems to eat.

[triguy46]

95. Is the issue food additives or subjugation of animals? n/t

Skipping fast food is easy, finding healthy alternatives difficult. Even if you're buying 'organic' or "free range" remember that the animal died for your meal. So lets not get too preachy. The chicken is dead all the same.

[Warren DeMontague]

98. Lets not get too preachy

yes, lets not.

I don't support PETA, nor am I an animal rights activist. If you were paying attention to the posts upthread, you might have caught that.

I don't have any problem, philosophical or otherwise, with eating poultry or fish - I stopped eating red meat for my own reasons but I don't lecture people who do...

The debate here seems to revolve around the "good work" PETA has done with regards to raising awareness around factory farming. I happen to be of the opinion that plenty of organizations do that without the extremist goals and noxious tactics of PETA...

but it is refreshing to see at least SOME of the PETA boosters (i.e. you) come out and honestly say what the real agenda is, namely telling everybody else not to eat meat.

[triguy46]

99. No, I'm just the opposite

I live in the country, raise livestock. My point had to do with
the treatment of animals. I think its moot when they all end up on the killing floor. The 'good work' of PETA belies the fact that even animals not raised on factory farms rarely have the dream "my pet" existence. I'm no fan of PETA. I just find that most people don't have any clue how cold hearted business this is.

[Lilith Velkor]

81. Good on PETA for sticking to the issue for a change

If they stick to protesting big rightwing (KFC is owned by Pepsico, I believe) corporations instead of shitting on leftists, minorities, and antiwar activists, I will no longer have a problem with them. I don't think they will, though.

[Skip Intro]

85. Late to the thread but had to say Great Post, and GO PET!.

we woudln't even know without people like them, or you.

Thanks.

[Dastard Stepchild]

91. I know a fair number individuals who nixed KFC dinners...

after viewing this, and similar, footage. They are mild-mannered, non-vegetarian folks NOT scared off by the "kooky" PETA tactics. So, at least anecdotally, the claims that PETA terrifies and irritates the majority of people outside the sinister PETA cabal is not entirely accurate.

Nice post on your part. It is delightful to see someone put so much thought into something they have observed. :thumbsup:

:)

[MadHound]

92. Good for PETA!

I think that it would be some great karmic justice if all of those folks who were counter-protesting PETA came down with a nice dose of e-coli from all that KFC chicken they ate. In fact given what happens at corporate slaughterhouses, it really wouldn't be that suprising.

I've always liked PETA, and approve of what they do. Sure, they are sometimes a little over the top, but all in all they provide a great counterbalance to all of the corporate fast food and agribusiness BS that gets put out there.

[triguy46]

93. All animals raised for food...

are ultimately victimized. Whether treated bad or good, when they enter the killing floor, it ain't pretty. If you eat meat, then you must accept the fact of the ultimate cruelty, doesn't matter if treated like pets or not, ultimately you have decided that their life is less important than yours, so they are killed.

don't get me wrong, I had roast beef yesterday, fried chicken (not KFC) last week. But lets not get over emotional about "nice" farms and corporate farms. There aren't enough "nice" ones out there, and when its all said and done, the chicken is going to have its head stuck in a funnel, decapitated and left upside down for the blood to drain. Is that any easier if they were considered pets? I think that is a halfway commitment and only offered to make the human feel better. The chicken is still in the frying pan, after all.

[garybeck]

96. Personally I love PETA and I tire of the attacks on them

for simply trying to raise awareness of important issues that are ignored in our society. I applaud their creativity.

[ComerPerro]

97. I just need help understanding one thing

Why are all these able-bodied young men more concerned with protecting KFC than with protecting America?