Imagine this: you are a 50 year old man with tremendously high blood pressure and cholesterol. Your heart has been acting up lately, and it has been in severe pain. Heart disease and obesity runs in your family. Last Saturday afternoon, while walking your golden retriever, Libby, you collapse. You're having a heart attack, and you are instantly rushed to the hospital. Luckily, you're brought back to stability. Your breathing and heart beats are a little bleak, but your doctor says that you'll be back in great shape after you get a triple bypass surgery. With getting this surgery you MUST give up all fatty foods (saturated fat, trans. fat), and foods high with cholesterol. Ultimately, you have to give up your meat consumption or you will have to promising chance of yet another heart attack, and this time, you might not be so blessed. Would you give up consuming meat to finish living out an elongated, vigorous life?
In the past few decades, slaughterhouses have been thought out to be incredibly inhuman and unsanitary. Chickens in slaughter houses are fed chicken. Not only is this incredibly cruel, but this is disgusting. Owners and workers of slaughterhouses are nourishing these chickens with their brothers and sisters. You wouldn’t eat your sibling, would you?
All we hear now a day is about “going green”. Using the media, newspaper, and the internet; we are pushed to buy these earth friendly products such as hybrid cars, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, and new found earth friendly light bulbs. By eating meat we are adding more toxic gases into our lovely Earth’s atmosphere. Meat consumers are more harmful to the environment than a car or power plants.
As most people know, heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States
Not only are you putting your health on the line, but you are also placing animals in grave danger, and jeopardizing the existence of our plant. Although opponents of this lifestyle may find it pointless, one of the most intellectual men of the New World believes otherwise. Albert Einstein was once quoted saying, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet” Vegetarianism is often mocked and associated with the “Hippie” lifestyle, but it posed the question: Would our society still hold these views it had been Einstein pushing for vegetarianism rather than environmentalist? And he felt this way during a time period where it was far more necessary for us to consume meat for everyday health benefits. During the Prehistoric time hunting and eating meat was essential to live, but now we have evolved and have access to resources for nutrition other than the slaughtering of animals. The treatment of animals today is barbaric. If we continue this way of life, then is our society is going to regress into prehistoric ways. What is next—cannibalism?
I see your side of this, and you had quite a few good points, the main reason I think people don't just up and switch to being vegetarian is it's so diffrent, most people I know haven't got any problems with people who are vegetarian, and find treatment of animals like this incredibly sick and grotesque.
ReplyDeleteNow think about this from my perspective, I was raised eatting meat, my daily diet consists largly as meat as my main course for a meal, when I was taught to cook, I was taught that the centerpiece for most meals is some type of meat. I don't disagree with you, the treatment of animals is awful, and it's a terrible thing, but asking somebody to take such a life changing step because of something we cannot personally relate to as a problem, it's just a little drastic for most people.
Perhaps if you could show everyday people this treatment where it hits close to home it would be more effective. either way I respect your lifestyle and I think it's awesome that you care so much about the planet and wildlife when so many people could care less.
This is such an interesting piece! I agree with your statement, “The treatment of animals today is barbaric.” I, like you, believe that slaughterhouses are disgusting and making the chickens eat their own kind is cruel. Since I know you pretty well from soccer and everything, I knew you were vegetarian and I think it’s awesome. I’ve been progressively becoming a semi- vegetarian; I can’t eat certain meats but I will eat pork. Your statement, “Meat consumers are more harmful to the environment than a car or power plants,” is so powerful and it really hit me that meat consuming is actually very toxic. Overall, I believe you did a phenomenal job and can definitely hear you speaking through this piece!
ReplyDeleteYour blog brings up some points that the average person may not know or think about. For example, I did not know that Chickens in slaughter houses are fed chicken. That is very disturbing and I don’t think I will look at chicken the same way. I feel that most people in this country grow up eating meat as Gambles said in his post; I would have to say I would be one of those families. I feel that people could maybe cut down on their meat consumption, but I don’t think that completely eliminating meat form ones diet could be possible for those who have had meat all of their lives. I also feel that people should me more educated about the things there eating. I think this would also cut down on the obesity and health problems in this country.
ReplyDeleteNick, I love your statement, " I also feel that people should me more educated about the things there eating. I think this would also cut down on the obesity and health problems in this country." I agree with you 110% percent! I couldn't have said it better. I saw that not only you, nick, but Gambles said you can't just stop eating meat if you have been eating meat your whole life, I disagree. I have eaten meat before, four years ago, but I have. My whole family still eats chicken, pork, and beef. My family supports vegetarianism, and tries to make it easy on me by making portions of food without meat. I am aware that some families are not as accepting as mine, but it never hurts to ask!
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