The Great Meat Debate

Posted on 14 August 2016

The Great Meat Debate

 

Sorry in advance to all the people this offends. To meat, or not to meat, that is the question. I definitely believe that everyone has the right to make their own choices, particularly in regards to this topic, but I feel that these points needs to be made. While some vegetarians feel it is their responsibility to preach the moral high ground, I'd like to say a few things about vegetables. Firstly, and most importantly, I have family that are the last generation of salt-of-the-earth hard-working farmers who have done broad acre cropping, as well as cattle farming for 50 years with respect and sustainability at all times. If you have seen how labour intensive, how much pollution and land is actually required to produce oats, wheat, barley and chickpea crops, you might even drop your argument about cows effect on the environment. On that point, apart from chickens, cows cause less pollution than all of the vegetable crops you can imagine. 

 

Now on the point of eating another living thing, as my wife points out that plants are intelligent and beautiful too, have they got less right to life because they don't moo? Also there is the practical side of things. Meat is still one of the best forms of iron and is recommended by doctors to this very day. However, one day, many farms won't be sustainable as there will be a pill for everything. This brings more issues in itself, which is a topic for another time.

 

As mentioned, the sheer amount of vegetable matter required to sustain our bodies  requires a lot of land and some consideration needs to be made for everything on this sacred and wonderful land of ours. We definitely need more informed discussions on this topic in the future, to make sure all living things are respected and treated fairly. I'm not here to convert you to meat, just to consider your arguments against it, and always remember that those farmers that help feed you, whatever you're eating, have put love and hard work into every mouthful. 

 

Comments

Posted by Ben Mayo on 16 August 2016
Response from this animal welfarist: Both raising cattle and broadacre cropping require land which is being cleared excessively (globally) due to over-population and greed. i dont see this as the primary issue. Eating living things whether plant or animal has a place in our genetics, owing to our evolutionary path- so too each living being has specific nutrient requirements forged over time. this too, is not my primary issue. If farming is becoming too expensive an occupation to do it with respect to an animals right to exist in the manner it has evolved, then it is not an issue to take out on the animal. For every farmer that has respect and a love of their fruits of labour there is another that doesnt give a shit about anything but the bottom line. The proud heritage of farming is sadly left behind in the massive feedlots and chicken farms of today. if people could relate the rights that we hold so tightly to other earth inhabitants we wouldn't be so hypocritical. if you wouldnt do it to your child, dont do it to another creatures child. Keeping a cow pregnant so she can lactate and then slaughtering all bobby calves because they have no production value is abhorrent yet we wouldnt dare do this to a human. The idea that animals were placed on earth for humans use is archaic and biblical in nature from a time when comets were considered gods wrath. we have come so far since then in so many ways but still torture willfully to maintain the status quo. First- do no harm.
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