here's an exciting story about one steer's attempt at a flight to freedom that is attracting international interest!
in frinedship,
prad
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/cow5_20031205.htm
Activists work to save slaughterhouse escapee
December 5, 2003
BY DAN SHINE
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Animal lovers across North America have stepped up pressure on the owner of the Detroit slaughterhouse whose steer attracted national attention Tuesday when it bolted for freedom.
Reannon Peterson of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, said Thursday the slaughterhouse owner first told her he would sell the steer to the highest bidder.
She said he later said he planned to keep the animal and let it live on a farm.
Peterson said the animal rights organization planned to post an alert on its Web site advising members to phone the slaughterhouse and ask that the steer be donated to an animal sanctuary in Manchester, Mich.
Dorothy Davies, who runs Sanctuary and Safe Haven for Animals, or SASHA, in Manchester, said she has been inundated with e-mails and phone calls from all across the United States and Canada pledging money to buy the steer.
Workers at the Al Badr Slaughter House at Eastern Market refused comment. The owner, Nazem Saad, could not be reached.
The 1,800-pound steer broke through a door at the slaughterhouse as it was being herded toward its death. Stopping traffic and drawing crowds, it roamed for more than a mile across busy Gratiot Avenue and through the near east side of Detroit.
Police corralled the animal in a vacant lot near King High, and a Grosse Pointe Park veterinarian shot it with a tranquilizer dart. For two weeks, the steer will be under the supervision of the state veterinarian.
Contact DAN SHINE at 313-223-4554 or dshine@freepress.com.
I'm sure that I'm going to offend radical liberals, anarchists, militant vegans and their associates on this web site, but this is a good example of militant-PETA at work again, willing to spend 100,000 of YOUR dollars to save ONE (1) steer. Why dont they (PETA) scream and hollar about the unethical tratment of unborn HUMANS, the unethical treatment of the elderly in nursing homes, the unethical treatment of home owners who have their houses taken by virtue of eminent domain so the city can put up a Wal-Mart, etc.etc. How many of these PETA crusaders drive cars with LEATHER interiors, play softball (baseball) with LEATHER gloves, wear LEATHER shoes?...more than will admit, I bet. I'm not against vegetarianism, but I don't want PETA shoving their vegetables down my throat. PETA: People Envisioning Terroristic Actions. Cheers.....🙂
Originally posted by chancremechanici don't think you are offending anyone. it may be an idea though to find out what is really happening.
I'm sure that I'm going to offend radical liberals, anarchists, militant vegans and their associates on this web site, but this is a good example of militant-PETA at work again, willing to spend 100,000 of YOUR dollars to save ONE ...[text shortened]... hroat. PETA: People Envisioning Terroristic Actions. Cheers.....🙂
peta is not spending $100,000 first of all and second it is not "YOUR" money. it is money that they receive through donations and fundraising - they are a non-profit just like any other. in this case, the money to buy the steer (which doesn't amount to $100,000 (since the steer is made of gold only in spirit), appears to be coming largely from all over the continent.
many peta people do 'scream and holler' about the human rights issues that you mention - many animal rights activists come from a background involving human rights. however, remember that peta's voice is for animals - that is what their non-profit status is all about and that is for whom people who support them expect that voice to be heard.
despite how you acronymiously attempted to label PETA as terrorists, you should know that many employees contribute in many ways to the community on an individual basis. (btw, what exactly is the problem with radical liberals, anarchists, militantancy - they seem to form the basis of freedom last i looked, but that could be another thread.). recently, for their fur-free-friday campaign, they sent boxes of donated fur coats to refugees in iraq.
the real reason some people get upset with organizations like peta, is that they don't like being told what to do. however, a moment's reflection will demonstrate that everyone is telling everyone what to do and what not to do. there is an interesting article about this sort of thing in the today's Virginian Pilot ("A word in defense of animals' defender - PETA" ), i can dig up the link if you want, but basically it explains why peta is as 'direct' as it is and how there are lots of groups out their including the government that tell us what to do. it is through this rather convoluted debatory process, we reach higher levels of civilized behaviour i suppose 😀
as far as i know, peta people don't do the leather thing. nor do they do the wool, silk etc. there are certain situations where some compromises are made. for instance, any non-digital photos involve the use of gelatin and they do drive on tires which contain animal remains, but i'm sure that if it were possible to get vegan tires peta would support that right away. where alternatives can be found or created, peta does maintain integrity.
if you don't believe some of the above, why not talk to some of them and find out that these are not only real people - they are really nice people working very hard in a cause that is not nice at all. you can always phone them or email them - lots of people all over the world do. and i know of at least one peta person on this site and she would be glad to set the record straight if you give her a chance to.
anyway, why are you all in a knot about this? i would think you are cheering for the steer as strongly as anyone on this forum 🙂
in friendship,
prad
Originally posted by kirksey957suspicion is good, because then people can hopefully find out what really happens. i always thought that it was just a haircut too, and at one time, on small farms sheep were treated differently - it probably was just a haircut for them. mass agriculture changed all that.
So what's the deal with wool? Isn't it a renewable resource, like a haircut for sheep. There's no pain involved, no death, just a haircut. I think this is the kind of thing where PETA invites suspicion though, as you say, they may be nice people. Kirk
sheep are forced to grow an overload of wool resulting in many sheep to collapse and even die of heat exhaustion during hot months. the sheep are bred specifically with wrinkles (increasing surface area) and the wool often collects urine and moisture resulting in maggots. to prevent this farmers perform a barbaric operation called 'mulesing' where they slice chunks of flesh from around the tail area of the restrained sheep without anesthetic (castration is done without anesthetic too).
when a sheep's wool production goes down, they are discarded for slaughter under horrendous transport conditions.
the 'haircut' is done just before they would shed their winter coat and many sheep die of exposure, because it is still too cold. the sheering is done by workers paid by the hour and it is by no means just the wool that gets sheered off.
peta is not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes.
put that suspicion to the test - go to www.woolisbaad.com and learn about the gruesome details - if you think these are just words, look at the videos. the important thing is to find out for yourself.
in friendship,
prad
here is an email that was forwarded to me that is an update on the steer situation.
we've been calling, but the number is busy.
in friendship,
prad
Urge Slaughterhouse to Let Runaway Steer Live!
On Tuesday, December 2, a steer made a daring escape from a slaughterhouse in Detroit, Michigan. The 1,800-pound animal ran through busy city streets, shocking passersby, in a desperate fight for his life. He was eventually quarantined in a vacant lot and tranquilized by a veterinarian. The steer is now being held at a farm while the slaughterhouse decides his fate.
A Michigan animal sanctuary, SASHA Farm, has offered the steer a home. We want the slaughterhouse to relinquish custody of the steer to the sanctuary. The local community has rallied behind the steer, and many are raising money in hopes of buying him, but we've asked the slaughterhouse to give him to SASHA Farm for free. We don't think the slaughterhouse deserves a dime.
Please call slaughterhouse officials to ask them to do the right thing by giving the steer to SASHA Farm:
Nazam Saad
Al Badr Slaughter House
313-567-6003
313-567-6000
This is an urgent situation, and we encourage you to call slaughterhouse officials right away. They may try to assure you that the steer will be allowed to live on their farm. There is no way to know what the steer's quality of life will be like on this farm, whether it's a farm or a feedlot, and no guarantee that he won't be sold at a later date, since this is not a sanctuary. Please insist that he be donated to SASHA Farm sanctuary.
Thank you for all that you do for animals!
Reannon Peterson
Vegan Campaign Assistant
Originally posted by kirksey957good for you kirksey!
Uh....ok....I think I'll put another log on the fire. DAmmit, now I can't wear a wool sweater to stay warm. Have a nice winter. In snowy KY, Kirk
there are all kinds of alternatives, which came about largely because many people are allergic to wool - just check the alternatives link on the site.
(btw, speaking of allergies, when i was in high school, they used to make us wear wool worsted pants - they were itchy to begin with, but one day i was late getting out of gym class and didn't have time to take a shower (they were very strict in my school about punctuality) and had to put on these pants. i still have nightmares about that day!)
in frienship,
prad
Originally posted by pradtfI'll answer both of your questions...
i don't think you are offending anyone. it may be an idea though to find out what is really happening.
peta is not spending $100,000 first of all and second it is not "YOUR" money. it is money that they receive through donations and fundraising - they are a non-profit just like any other. in this case, the money to buy the steer (which doesn't amount t ...[text shortened]... you are cheering for the steer as strongly as anyone on this forum 🙂
in friendship,
prad
1. What's wrong with anarchy, radical liberals and militants? Well, anarchy is absence of government and law, and that describes a Mad Max film. Do you want to live in that type of environment?
2. Radical liberalism is the opposite of radicle conservatism, which is just as looney. A healthy middle ground is what makes society function smoothly. In the U.S.(and probably in Canada), radical liberals want to force their way of life onto the majority of middle-grounders such as myself by excluding Christ from CHRISTmas, by forcing me to accept Harry and Peter as legitimate spouses, allowing 3-time sex offenders out of prison to walk the streets and kill young women like the scumbag in North Dakota.
3. Militants flew planes into the WTC and are trying to establish Islamic law (Sharia) over ALL the nations of the world through terror and coercion.
Now, I'm not too caught up in a knot over PETA...they can spread their word peacefully, but if I want to go fishing and use hooks or go hunting because I have a tatse for some squirrel, I don't want some snot-nosed, grunge clothes wearing Kurt Cobain-reject spewing how Jesus was a vegetarian and fed several thousand people soy burgers instead of fish. In friendship...😉
Let me take this thread on a little different path as I know many people have strong feelings about same sex marriages. Shouldn't gays and lesbians be punished the same way straight couples are punished with marriage? You know, all the things that married couples have to deal with in marriage. I know they do to some extent, but if things go bad, they just leave. There is no custody battle, lawyers, child support, questions about who gets what. It seems to me the problem with marriage today is not whether gays should be afforded the right to marry, but the fact that traditional marriage is in the sorry shape it is in. Am I missing something here? Rev. Kirk
Originally posted by chancremechanici really don't see why you have formed this picture of peta people as this (i think i understand most of it correctly though i'm not up on kurt cobain whatever that is). just because they advocate for creatures who can't defend themselves, doesn't mean snot is profusely emanating from their noses and running on to their grungy clothes.
I'll answer both of your questions...
Now, I'm not too caught up in a knot over PETA...they can spread their word peacefully, but if I want to go fishing and use hooks or go hunting because I have a tatse for some squirrel, I don ...[text shortened]... al thousand people soy burgers instead of fish. In friendship...😉
some supporters include the likes of mary tyler moore, pamela anderson, woody harrelson, alicia silverstone, steven seagal, melissa rivers, james cromwell - hardly the grunge crowd!
within peta there are some incredibly talented and capable individuals from various walks of life such as marcy hansen (triathlete and former marketing director for amazon.com and eddie bauer), matt penzer (lawyer and winner of the 'smartest person' in hampton road county contest), lisa lange (media consultant and trainer), ravi chand (us marine recently returned from iraq).
if you found out more about them and what they do, i have no doubt that you too would admire their abilities and their dedication.
in friendship,
prad
ps
as far as jesus not dispensing soy burgers, i'll agree with you on that since it is unlikely soy burgers were around 2000 yrs ago - but i don't think you will disagree if i suggest that one of the things jesus did dispense abundantly was compassion which unfortunately did not get him labelled as a middle-grounder in that era with rather dire consequences.