Screams unheard...

This just breaks my heart & makes me want to hurl...I don't understand people - how can you do that to another living being? I know it's your "job" or that's how you bring income to your family, but that doesn't mean it is ok or excusable for such acts.

"I can still vividly remember her screams of pain, her cries for help, her pleas to live."

Dear Friend,

As World Farm Animals Day approaches, I am compelled to share with you the story of one pig whose struggle changed my life forever. I watched her suffer to death, and I can still vividly remember her screams of pain, her cries for help, her pleas to live.

A few years ago, we observed World Farm Animals Day with an overnight vigil at the Smithfield pig slaughterhouse in Virginia. We witnessed truck after truck file into the gates – trucks carrying terrified young pigs crammed together, their noses sticking out between the metal bars, sensing the horrible stench of death.

As each truck approached the loading dock, the workers would offload the pigs into the holding cells where they awaited slaughter in the morning.

Then I saw her... a small limping pig, who lost her footing and fell onto the hard pavement below. For the next three hours, I watched helplessly through the 8-foot barbed wire gate as she struggled to get up, her painful squeals escalating and waning throughout the night.

As the sun began to rise, I heard her final screams dissolve into silence. Then, a slaughterhouse worker grabbed her hind leg with a large hook and dragged her into the slaughterhouse...

Witnessing the pain and misery of one pig felt like an eternity, but then I realized that billions of innocent, sentient animals just like her are abused and killed every year for food. This is when I knew that I had to dedicate my life to ending the tragedy of animal agriculture.

NARS EXPRESS YOURSELF: THE NARSissists: Look 11: Sarah McCall

NARS EXPRESS YOURSELF: THE NARSissists: Look 11: Sarah McCall

Please go to the site & show some love!! Contest ends tomorrow!

Fashion & Feathers

We have all had those moments, especially the days before you may have realized the tremendous animal suffering & put 2 & 2 together with what was on your plate, at least I did. And still do I've discovered. Unfortunately, there are many things that are ingrained in us & it is trying to change old habits. The fact that I've always been interested in fashion, & animal by-products have gone hand in hand, I tend to get so exicted about the fashion that I don't stop & think "hey, where did those feathers come from? How are they obtained?"...well duh. That would be from another living creature.

I can't undo what I did, but I can take the feathers I purchased out of my hair - I would to do some DIY projects & making these extensions out of synthetic/fake materials & sport those around...maybe it would catch on.

It is definitely a challenge & irritating finding something suitable to eat in cattle land! My food/restaraunt choices consist of: Taco Bell (freso bean burrito), Subway ($5 veggie footlong haha!) & a Mexican Food Restaruant (fried avocados or spinach/avocado enchiladas are my 2 top choices). Now I know you're probably thinking "why don't you get up & cook" & I know...I'm lazy & the grocery choices are not much better. Oh how I miss a good Whole Foods or Market Street or Central Market....

I am still learning about nutrition & a new way of cooking...who knew changing old habits were difficut? Ugh! I know I know - and besides, I get so frustrated with myself or just blue because I just can't seem to get the dishes/recipes right! I know it's going to take time & practice but others just make it seem soo easy! Maybe one day I'll get the hang of it all...

Industrialized/Factory Farming: The good, bad & ugly...

So, I mainly see the bad & ugly in this corporate industry, but again that is my opinion & perspective. I'm sure like most, this is an eye opening, heart wrenching, learning experience - as for me being a late bloomer, there is so much for me to learn & understand that I realize in these early posts I may seem naive - but we've all been there (regardless of any topic) - no one is just born knowing everything.

Now I say "I mainly see the bad & ugly" but it would be ignorant of me to not acknowledge that there is some "good"...now wait just before slinging tempeh at me. It is not for me to judge others & unfortunately we live in a flawed world - I believe the Lord gave all on this earth for man to reign over, but with that power comes responsiblity (which as we all know, power will always be abused by humans because we are naturally greedy)...supporting local farmers & so forth helps the rural economy, gives people jobs who may be losing their livlihoods to the corporate monster & would (I think) be more humane for the animals (I'm not sure that's the phrase I'm looking for, but that's all I got). From what I know, local farmers take pride in their work & what they do. They are not slaughtering 10 cows per minute (or whatever the statistic is); they're not pumping as much antibiotics into the animals, & the US can thrive (our "eating" standards can be met) on local resources vs. the corporate monopoly that continuously put the public's health at risk & turns their heads away from the atrocious activities that go on daily.

With all that being said, would I like everyone to be vegan & there be no pain/suffering, etc....um yeah! But that is unrealistic...what we can do is continually move towards a more compassionate lifestyle because people will always eat meat. But that is just my opinion - I'm not sure if that makes sense, but it does in my head :)

Until next time...

Another try at this blogging thing...

Just as I had mentioned in previous blogs, I'm pretty horrible with this blog thing. I sit behind a computer for most of the weekdays at work & by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is whip open my laptop!

So, I'm trying this again - the last article that I can remember reading was about that woman who beat kittens with her children in a park...was charged! What is wrong with people? There is no reason to beat kittens to death & much less in front of children! All animals feel pain, fight to live, etc. just like humans...so who really is the beast?

Animalistic Behaviors - who really is the "animal" - What's going on your dinner plate or us? Part II

Happy Friday!

I happened to come across this random piece of historical information & I believe William Hogarth's prints of "The Four Stages of Cruelty" is a perfect way to wrap up my "who really is the animal?" thought - Hogarth portrays the inner violence/hatred & savage ways that we humans are fulling capable of & inflict not only to each other, but to other living creatures. I'm not much of a history buff or art guru, but I found these prints & the message that is being portrayed not only relevant to the root of my opinion, but also bitter sweet. I'm not really sure how I feel after studying his work - pity? Anger? Sadness? Maybe all of the above - it is disgusting to see what we are capable of & to know his behavior has been going on since the beginning of time. "Tom Nero" - the fictional character - is shown carrying out violent crimes that progressively get worse each print ultimately ending with his demise. Here's the break down of the prints:

First Stage of Cruelty:

In this first print, the character "Tom Nero" is shown, along with the aid of other equally disturbed children, shoving an arrow into a dog's rectum...ok, seriously? This type of disgusting behavior is still carried out today...not only towards animals, but humans too. It's sad to see that we have not come very far since the 1700s, yet we deem ourselves as superior & civilized? Hmm...
However, there is still a ray of hope for goodness through the one "good samaritan" shown, pleading for Nero to stop the cruel action towards the dog...this one "good" act really portrays how I feel sometimes when standing up for animal welfare. A lot of times I feel like the only who cares or "what can I do, I'm just one person?" or singled out because I'm not "following the crowd".
Of course, Hogarth portrays other acts of cruelty (barbaric & unnecessary violence): the burning of a bird's eye with a hot needle, cock throwing, tying a bone to a dog's tail, a pair of cats hung by their tails  & taunted by the crowd of boys, a dog set on a cat, & a cat being thrown out of a high window.

Second Stage of Cruelty:

Here, Tom is shown beating his horse without any regard to the broken leg or the fact he's put the horse's eye out. There are many different acts of cruelty against animals throughout this print: a lamb is beaten to death, a donkey is driven by force to keep moving, & a bull tossing one of its tormentors...this print also introduces the cruelty against people.

Third & Fourth Stages of Cruelty:

Tom has now moved on to robbery & murder. This print is pretty morbid if you ask me...and of course the last print does a fantastic job in portraying "Karma".