Six Minutes

Ok, people - as I wrote in my previous post, I'm trying to step it up a notch in my blogging by writing about the videos, articles, books, and people who inspire me to remain vegan this year.  Well, I've found something today that has inspired me to continue on my journey, and I feel compelled to share it with you.

I stumbled upon this video this morning after a friend on Facebook posted its website to her profile. It is an undercover investigation of what goes on at a Hatfield Quality Meat supplier - "Country View Family Farms," in Fannettsburg, Pennsylvania. The footage is documented by an undercover representative of Mercy for Animals, an organization dedicated to defending the rights of animals and exposing factory farming's cruelty. The footage you will see is not a unique occurrence - unfortunately, the practices documented in this video occur every day in nearly every factory farm that exists today. These practices are so commonplace that the humans who work at these "farms" have become completely deadened to the pain they witness day in and day out.

I ask you to watch this video, even though I know it may be very difficult. I especially implore you to watch it if you still eat meat and animal by-products, but are curious about leaving that lifestyle behind.  I just finished watching it myself, while tears streamed down my face. It was unbelievably hard to continue viewing it, but I knew I needed to.

I believe that just because we have power as human beings, that in no way should allow us to abuse that power. The pigs shown in this video are representative of all the intelligent, loving, and emotional animals who spend their lives suffering endlessly on factory farms.  I also believe that we have become a society of indirect cruelty - we know deep down as a culture that something is deeply wrong with the way animals are made into food, but a lot of us are too afraid or unconcerned to face that reality. I am asking you to face it today.

Maybe you'll read what I've written here, and after thinking about it, decide not to watch the video today. Please consider watching it anyway. Because the circumstances for these poor animals will not change unless individuals like you actively choose not to be a part of it. I decided a few years ago that I no longer wanted to be a part of any of it, and it has been a long and incredible journey that has led me to go vegan - a decision that has been the best I've ever made in my entire life.

If I haven't yet convinced you, I'll pose this question: if these animals can endure a lifetime of immense abuse and suffering, can't we endure a mere six minutes of a video that documents it?


Comments

Myra Wolf said…
Six minutes of break my heart sadness.

Six minutes of reflecting on how cruel humans can be and also sadly, not just to one another.

It will always be an enormous unbelief of just what will and can be done to gain monetary profit. Because if they made no money doing this, how many would still be doing it?

Six minutes. In one block of your six minutes today, eat a salad and not a body part of something murdered in this way.

Six minutes...make a statement to yourself in the amount of time it takes to make a pot of free trade coffee.

I love you Lins..xoxo
Dr. Carl Myers said…
Thanks for the courageous blog. The direct link between what we eat and suffering is easy for some to see and hard for others.
Katie McGehee said…
i watched about 45 seconds. that was all i could take. sorry, baby girl. my heart couldn't handle more.
Lindsay Wolf said…
Thanks so much Mom and Dr. Myers! And Katie - 45 seconds is better than nothing. Thanks so much for watching any part of it. :)
Unknown said…
Thank you for sharing:(
Unknown said…
This was so hard to watch and yet so important. It's unbelievable the things we humans do.
Jessica said…
All in the name of taste and texture!!! It is sure not worth it for me or should it be for others!! I am 1 month vegan. After seeing this I would never EVER think of touching a piece of meat again!!! How screwed up is our world to think any part of this process is okay??
While I'm bawling my eyes out, I want to thank you for posting this. I haven't eaten meat since last fall, and know I will never go back, but sometimes you need a reminder as to why... videos like this make me ashamed that I ever ate meat before. Sigh. Thanks again for posting, and to the brave person who took this video footage.
Lindsay Wolf said…
My pleasure, ladies. It was tough to post this, but I really feel it's important to know the truth of where our food comes from. These animals live horrible lives and suffer so badly for our palates. Thank you for being brave enough to take it in and make a conscious choice not to be a part of it.