Brianna
Not so new Member
Lol yes I think this was originally about PETA but a negative comment was made towards vegetarianism that was not based on reality.
A lot of you seem to have a very naïve view of how the animals you eat are farmed. I implore you to think about the truth of the situation and exercise your moral capacity to improve it. I’m not trying to cram anything down anybody’s throat, I don’t think that is a fair thing to say. All I would like is for people to open their eyes to reality rather than living in this dream world where all farm animals live in a lovely green pasture and are treated with compassion.
Aliveandkicking I accept that there are a few farms left like that but don’t be fooled into thinking that that is the norm. The trend is that those farms are reducing in number.
Aussiebluetounge - Vegetables and fruits are not sentient beings and so I don’t see the relevance of the comparison you have attempted to draw.
Sorry JasonL– I am sad to say that you are completely mistaken about chooks being the only animal to be produced in a manner totally contrary to their welfare. Around 90% of pigs in Australia are farmed in large factories where they are subjected to a number of abhorrent and totally unnecessary cruelties, including teeth-clipping, tail docking and sow-stalls, which have been outlawed in many other countries. Sheep and cows are also farmed in large factories. Small farms are not competitive against these big factories which minimize welfare of the animals as much as possible where doing so will increase profits. According to a Voiceless report, the number of Australian pig farmers has decreased by 94% while output has increased by 130%! There are a lot of exemptions under anti-cruelty legislation for farm animals. So they really are not protected under our law.
As consumers we can protect these animals by not funding these cruel practices. I think we all have a moral duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. These animals can suffer and we should not cause them to do so unnecessarily.
Lol at the crack-pipe comment! I’m afraid I’m totally anti-drugs. Please point me in the direction of an opposing study and I will thoroughly consider it. And I don’t like to waste my time on non-existent deities.
Yes Vat69 I realize that using the most efficient and cruel-free way to feed the population does not necessarily entail any redistribution of resources but I think we have a responsibility to use resources as efficiently as possible so as to minimize the damage that we are doing to the planet.
I strongly dislike people saying that vegetarian, religious or political views should not be discussed openly. How are we to progress as a society if we do not allow any educated discussion?
The study that you have claimed is evidence of vegetarian people being less healthy doesn’t appear to be supporting that proposition. For a start the study is only relevant to young females. The conclusion in the abstract actually states that vegetarian and what they call, ‘semi-vegetarian’ women are healthier than non-vegetarians, with greater longevity, lower morbidity, less back pain, fewer allergies, and less instances of hay fever and sinusitis, but that the greater reports (less than 10% above non-vegetarian women in the study for most issues) of menstrual problems and mental health problems may be of clinical significance, some of them being more prevalent in the ‘semi-vegetarian’(ie avoiding red meat but eating other types of meat) than in the vegetarian women involved in the study. That report acknowledges and I agree that clinical tests including blood tests etc would be more appropriate than self reporting.
Interestingly (though perhaps unsurprisingly) the study results say that vegetarian women are more highly educated than non-vegetarian women.
Pythonmum, what makes you say that your vegetarian students are ill-informed? I presume you meant with respect to animal cruelty and not with respect to what they are required to eat as part of their diet?
Oh and yes JessB Vit B12 is found in eggs and dairy so no vegan options other than fortified cereals and fortified soymilk etc (which are easily available). I agree re GM soy.
I haven't read a lot of Singer, but I am familiar with some of his views from when I studied Med Law & Ethics. I've always meant to read his other works but am so busy.
And I can think of a great alternative to mulesing... stop farming sheep
Make sure you fund other animal advocate groups other than PETA if you are concerned about their methods, or at least exercise your choices as a consumer in an informed manner.
A lot of you seem to have a very naïve view of how the animals you eat are farmed. I implore you to think about the truth of the situation and exercise your moral capacity to improve it. I’m not trying to cram anything down anybody’s throat, I don’t think that is a fair thing to say. All I would like is for people to open their eyes to reality rather than living in this dream world where all farm animals live in a lovely green pasture and are treated with compassion.
Aliveandkicking I accept that there are a few farms left like that but don’t be fooled into thinking that that is the norm. The trend is that those farms are reducing in number.
Aussiebluetounge - Vegetables and fruits are not sentient beings and so I don’t see the relevance of the comparison you have attempted to draw.
Sorry JasonL– I am sad to say that you are completely mistaken about chooks being the only animal to be produced in a manner totally contrary to their welfare. Around 90% of pigs in Australia are farmed in large factories where they are subjected to a number of abhorrent and totally unnecessary cruelties, including teeth-clipping, tail docking and sow-stalls, which have been outlawed in many other countries. Sheep and cows are also farmed in large factories. Small farms are not competitive against these big factories which minimize welfare of the animals as much as possible where doing so will increase profits. According to a Voiceless report, the number of Australian pig farmers has decreased by 94% while output has increased by 130%! There are a lot of exemptions under anti-cruelty legislation for farm animals. So they really are not protected under our law.
As consumers we can protect these animals by not funding these cruel practices. I think we all have a moral duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. These animals can suffer and we should not cause them to do so unnecessarily.
Lol at the crack-pipe comment! I’m afraid I’m totally anti-drugs. Please point me in the direction of an opposing study and I will thoroughly consider it. And I don’t like to waste my time on non-existent deities.
Yes Vat69 I realize that using the most efficient and cruel-free way to feed the population does not necessarily entail any redistribution of resources but I think we have a responsibility to use resources as efficiently as possible so as to minimize the damage that we are doing to the planet.
I strongly dislike people saying that vegetarian, religious or political views should not be discussed openly. How are we to progress as a society if we do not allow any educated discussion?
The study that you have claimed is evidence of vegetarian people being less healthy doesn’t appear to be supporting that proposition. For a start the study is only relevant to young females. The conclusion in the abstract actually states that vegetarian and what they call, ‘semi-vegetarian’ women are healthier than non-vegetarians, with greater longevity, lower morbidity, less back pain, fewer allergies, and less instances of hay fever and sinusitis, but that the greater reports (less than 10% above non-vegetarian women in the study for most issues) of menstrual problems and mental health problems may be of clinical significance, some of them being more prevalent in the ‘semi-vegetarian’(ie avoiding red meat but eating other types of meat) than in the vegetarian women involved in the study. That report acknowledges and I agree that clinical tests including blood tests etc would be more appropriate than self reporting.
Interestingly (though perhaps unsurprisingly) the study results say that vegetarian women are more highly educated than non-vegetarian women.
Pythonmum, what makes you say that your vegetarian students are ill-informed? I presume you meant with respect to animal cruelty and not with respect to what they are required to eat as part of their diet?
Oh and yes JessB Vit B12 is found in eggs and dairy so no vegan options other than fortified cereals and fortified soymilk etc (which are easily available). I agree re GM soy.
I haven't read a lot of Singer, but I am familiar with some of his views from when I studied Med Law & Ethics. I've always meant to read his other works but am so busy.
And I can think of a great alternative to mulesing... stop farming sheep
Make sure you fund other animal advocate groups other than PETA if you are concerned about their methods, or at least exercise your choices as a consumer in an informed manner.
