The happy cow myth

When you talk about being brainwashed, the happy dairy cow comes to mind for me. The commercials on tv make them look happy to be giving up their milk, but reality is FAR different.

My question is...how "happy" would you be if you were forced to constanly be pregnant so your body could produce milk and everytime you had your baby, it was immediately taken away and either put in a small little crate only to be slaughtered in a few months as veal (never to be seen by its mother again) or forced to live its life like you and then when it was "spent", it was sent to be killed, just like you?? Is that "happy"?? Many words come to mind, but "happy" is not one of them...

The dairy industry would like us all to believe that we need milk, but reality is...we don't. My question to you is..why are we the only animal who drinks the milk of another species? Women produce milk when pregnant just like cows do. Don't you think there's a reason for that?

photo courtesy of CARE and the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project

My Letter to Oprah About KFC

photo courtesy of dave hogg

As you can see from my previous post, Oprah Winfrey was giving out downloadable coupons for two free pieces of chicken at KFC. Many people know (and hopefully soon, everyone will) that KFC has been known to be especially cruel to the chicken that they use. As Oprah has recently done shows on factory farming and even pledged to go vegan for 30 days, I really felt that this was really going back on the things that she has learned about this cruel industry. While I generally think Oprah is one of the most giving people out there, I believe that this is almost a step backwards, so I sent a letter in on her website...

Dear Ms. Winfrey,
While I think you are an amazing person who gives back more than most people ever do and has made such a difference in so many people's lives, I was a little stunned to see you promoting KFC on your website. Being that you have done shows on farm animal abuse and even vowed to go vegan for 30 days because of factory farming, I can't believe that you are promoting one of the most abusive companies towards animals. I am sure that you are aware how the chickens that are used in kentucky fried chicken are treated, but yet you stand behind this. As such a respectable person, so many people look up to you and I sincerely believe that this is sending out the wrong message for a world in such a fragile state.

Sincerely,
Devin Newmeyer

Oprah, Are You Serious????

After all of the talk about factory farms and her pledge when she went vegan for 30 days, now Oprah is giving out coupons for KFC on her website...I don't get it. Would someone please explain this to me????

Oprah's kfc coupon