I am a Vegan and have been for a long time (23 years as of 2023) and feel I can finally put these strong feelings into words here and not just a polite email or Facebook post.
In a nutshell, the story behind this photo tells you exactly why I fight every day of what is left of my life to tell people why eating animals is killing us, and no human ever should be party to the pain and suffering inflicted on animals.
Why is this photo so important then, that every single day when I look at it, I know that I have to keep fighting for them - to end factory farming, to end hunting/fishing, to end rodeos, zoos, and any event where animals become the victim.
So what happened to this pig?
A worker at the slaughterhouse where this pig was, spray painted that message on her side. It was a signal to the other worker's when they came to kill animals that day, that this poor animal was chosen to be their entertainment. Each one took turns brutally RAPING the pig... then at the end of the day, after the animal had been so horribly abused, bleeding, and suffering, they beat her to death... for fun. They routinely do this to other animals... this is NOT an isolated incident and happens in THOUSANDS of slaughterhouses every day to pigs, sheep, calves, lambs and especially turkeys or chickens. Did you know that your turkey dinner last Thanksgiving may have had another man's penis shoved into it? Yeah... workers like to rape the animals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiBQKN7HhqI&t=20s - undercover workers document some seriously sick and disturbing events—including the sexual abuse of animals, from pigs to turkeys. Unfortunately, sexual violence against farmed animals is not an unusual occurrence.
If you buy/eat meat, then you support exactly what was inflicted on the pig.
If you want any other reason to stop your personal exploitation of animals, look no further than the story of the pig. If, after reading the story of the pig, you continue to eat animals and exploit them, maybe it is time to start rethinking your own practices... or seeing if you can find where you misplaced your heart, otherwise you are saying to yourself and everyone you know, that raping, torturing and beating animals to death for fun is perfectly fine with you! Happens every day!
We Vegans are winning. I know that upsets carrion eaters and hunters and all of the ilk that like to hurt and abuse animals, but I truly do not care. You people who do this, are making yourselves sick and your souls are blackened from the horrors you happily engage in or support. In the 23 years since I started down this road, we now have Vegan clothing lines, restaurants, stores and on and on. NONE of those things existed 23 years ago. It amazes me whenever I do see them popping up and THRIVING! GO GO GO... we need you!!!!!!!!!!
There is NO argument on this planet to support the continued use and abuse of animals, especially by the agricultural industry. I spent over two years traveling to look at farms... and still have nightmares from the horrifying things I heard, saw and smelled... yet people continue to support these horrors. Why? Why stay involved in something that is so unhealthy and horrifying? Saying it "tastes good" really isn't a reason to support brutally mutilating, raping then slaughtering animals. Antifreeze, for your car, tastes good... but not good for you either. Hmmm....
Is it conditioning from your childhood, or do you just like knowing how much pain and suffering you cause animals or, you just don't care? I hear it all... and have lost friends and will continue to do so because anyone who engages in this filth, cannot be a friend to anyone.
"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."
- The Vegan Society, https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism
There is a LOT of information out there about how to live as a Vegan. It is extremely easy to do... took me 12 hours, 23 years ago, to figure out. There are hundreds of sites and thousands of people happy to help you... I am happy to help you!
I hope you think about the pig every day now, and seek ways to not let anything like that happen again. We are winning. The issues with global warming are FINALLY pointing some much needed light on the farming of animals. I may not see the end of the horror story before my life ends, but we are winning.
If we do not, EVERYONE loses. Those of you with children, should be paying close attention right about now.
