Column: Stop the Brutality!

Factory Farming- Stop the Brutality. Put an end to the Exploitation, Pollution and the Waste!

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”- Mahatma Ghandi

Please boycott Factory Farmed beef, pork, poultry and fur products. Why support a  cruel industry that kills millions of animals in a violent and inhumane way every year through Factory Farming and Fur Farming and Trapping? Film footage, photography and interviews with meat and fur industry employees is documenting regularly that animals are routinely being scalded, skinned and dismembered while still alive and conscious, on a daily basis across the country. The United States Department of Agriculture was made aware of these violations of the "Humane Slaughter Act" when it was given copies of the Humane Farming Association's Chief Investigator's, (Gail Eisnitz) book "Slaughterhouse", which documents meat industry abuses. Presently, a petition has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Secretary, Mike Johanns by the Humane Farming Association requesting that the demand for reforms in "Petition No. 01.05" be implemented and that the "Humane Slaughter Act" be enforced immediately.

You can request a copy of the petition by going to WWW. HFA.ORG., but Secretary Mike Johanns needs to hear from you now. Call Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today at (202) 720-3631, fax him at (202) 720-2166, e-mail him at AGSEC@USDA.Gov., and write to him at: USDA, Room 200A, Whitten Bldg. 1400 Independence Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20250. You can go to kareneisenlord@hotmail.com to request a form letter to be sent to you to sign and mail to the United States Department of Agriculture. You can also edit or refer to it to write your own letter.
 
We, the citizens of the United States, need to give a clear message that any brutality toward fellow sentient beings is unacceptable and not necessary. Factory Farming, as it is now, contributes to gross pollution and global warming. It has robbed over half of the traditional family-run farms and ranches of their livelihood. Mad Cow Disease is a consequence of Factory Farming. It takes more land and more "food" and other resources to run a Factory Farm than it does the traditional family operated and small business-run farms and ranches or to be a vegetarian. Factory Farming is inefficient, damaging to the environment and immoral.

Our greatness as a people and a nation can be judged by the way that we treat those who are helpless, innocent and less fortunate than we are. Mahatma Ghandi believed this, as well as many other spiritual, religious and philosophical leaders. For example, baby cows, (male calves, to be specific), are torn from their mothers shortly after birth. They are kept in small crates where they cannot move. They never see the light of day and are fed a liquid diet that makes them anemic and sick. This is all for the sake of keeping their muscles tender for human consumption. After a short, miserable life, these calves are cruelly slaughtered and butchered. Without exception, all major spiritual and relgious leaders would not accept this kind of treatment toward any animal!

All living things are connected. Brutality toward any living being goes into the collective consciousness and has it's consequences.  Hopefully you recognize the fact that Factory Farming is an immoral corporate engine that tortures and abuses defenseless animals, such as cows, pigs, chickens and other animals without regard to being humane, and only cares about efficiency of production and economic gain. You would be shocked to find out the true story behind the packaged meat that ends up in your super market and on your dinner table and in restaurants, as well as the fur on clothing.

There are alternatives; like buying meat, poultry and dairy products from family-run or small organic ranches and farms where the animals are free-range and are fed healthy food and are living in sanitary conditions. Go to Grace Factory Farm Project on the internet for a directory to find sustainable-raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs in your area! Becoming vegetarian is a healthy alternative. A vegetarian diet feeds more people than a diet of meat due to the mass quantities of "food" that raising cattle-for -meat consumes. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (online) has a great vegetarian starter kit. These choices are better for you as well!

It is suggested that you contact The Humane Farming Association, P.O. Box 3577, San Rafael, California 94912, (415) 485-1495, (WWW.HFA.ORG), The Animal Protection Institute and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, (all are on the internet). You can order a free kit from The Humane Farming Association and leaflets to hand out at stores and restaurants for boycotting veal. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has an excellent campaign going against Kentucky Fried Chicken for KFC's refusal to comply with buying chicken from a supplier who adheres to treating the chickens more humanely. Inform restaurants and stores that you refuse to support the inhumane practices of the veal, chicken and beef Factory Farming and other unethical meat and factory fur farming and fur-trapping industries.

Please don't forget to request a copy of the form letter from kareneisenlord@hotmail.com to send to the United States Department of Agriculture to enforce the "Humane Slaughter Act". If you prefer, you can write your own letter. The e-mail, fax number and address are in the beginning of this column. You can also call The United States Department of Agriculture Secretary, Mike Johanns directly at (202) 720-3631 and leave him a message that you support "Petition No. 01-05" submitted by The Humane Farming Association and that you want the "Humane Slaughter Act" to be enforced immediately. Thank you

Together, we will stop the horrors of Factory Farming!

Please go to;

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/386653241