Eating meat and hunting– is it really that cruel?
ByI find some of the responses on YA quite ridiculous about these subjects because there’s a lot of things that are glossed over. For one, eating meat has been part of the human diet for thousands of years, and in many parts of the world that’s all humans could find for sustenance. Secondly, there is a difference between eating meat which has been RESPONSIBLY killed and meat that hasn’t been. I think it’s ironic when people complain about how hunting is wrong and cruel, but they don’t realize their Tyson chicken from the grill wasn’t as “all-natural” as they think and that most of their meat was killed in slaughterhouses where the animals are either scared to death and severely constrained.
I personally won’t eat meat that wasn’t grown on a local family farm– and it can’t have been injected with hormones of any kind either. I’ve done a lot of research, and I think if people are going to get worked up about something, they should write to their congress members about Monsanto. What gets me at times about hunting is people complain that it’s cruel when predation has been part of human nature for thousands of years. In fact, predation is PART of nature, and since humans are part of nature, it would make sense that we engage in hunting. Humans are also predatory when it comes to plants as well, believe it or not! So if we are being responsible about hunting– meaning we only kill what we will eat, and use/dispose of the parts responsibly (I know there are people who don’t), why is it cruel?
I point out to people that their wonderful Thanksgiving turkey was probably penned up its whole life without much time to be “free range,” yet no one thinks it’s a problem. We might think its sick and awful that people in China eat dogs and cats for instance, but little do most people know that they treat their animals with more care and dignity than we treat our cows, pigs, and chickens. Who is more cruel in that situation?
I’m not trying to force beliefs here- as I said I used to be veggie, so why would I think that it’s bad? What I am at least trying to do is get some intelligent dialogue here. And for the record, I don’t agree with GE meat or food in general, or cross-breeding meat.
6 Comments
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:49 am
What’s so natural about animals bred and cross bred over and over so you can have steak? Do you REALLY think that steer or cow on the farm was a natural phenom?
FYI…meat is not needed for good health.
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:56 am
Humans are omnivores and have been since the very beginning of our evolutionary tree over 65 million years ago.
Meat is the best single source of protein and essential amino acids for survival.
These are just the biological and anthropological facts that cannot be disputed, anything beyond this gets into a “right vs wrong” philosophical argument.
I, for one, enjoy meat as a healthy part of my diet. If you prefer not to eat meat, that’s fine with me. Don’t force your beliefs on me and I won’t force mine on you.
August 23rd, 2010 at 4:11 am
I’m straining to find a question in there, but I’m glad you were able to put to words the way you feel about the issue. I personally agree with you, if you are going to eat meat, do it responsibly, or hunt your own. I don’t eat a lot of meat in general, but I do like it. I think everyones choice is their own on this matter, but I think education about it is very important. I also think that you should tell people how you feel, but you shouldn’t pass judgement if they see it a different way, or are trying their best. Ultimately you will have to accept that many people just don’t care about the lives of the animals they injest.
August 23rd, 2010 at 4:49 am
keep eating meat it is good
by the way la vie boheme a steer and a cow are the same thing a steer is just a cow with its b***s cut off
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:00 am
I agree with 100% of what you are saying.
As a kid I can remember my dad going out moose hunting and coming back with one, having it in our garage. He’d use the meat — make sausages among other things, and hang the antlers on the wall after. I know a lot of people who have issues with this, but like you say if you are hunting to eat, and then responsibly disposing of it after, shouldn’t be an issue.
I personally think the act of skinning and taking the meat off of an animal, itself, is horrifying, as in I wouldn’t be able to do it. But I don’t think people are wrong for doing it.
I do disagree with hormone enhanced meats, and animals that are caged up and not able to move so they’re fattened up to slaughter. We buy our meats mainly from the local farmer’s market to avoid such things.
I understand not wanting to eat meat for health purposes, if your body doesn’t digest it properly. I can respect that some people prefer tofu, beans, nuts and other forms of protein, but to tell people that they are wrong and inhumane because they eat meat is childish. I do not go up to vegetarians and bark down their throats about how ridiculous I think their eating habits are so I hate being nagged at about mine. To each their own is my opinion.
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:50 am
I don’t believe most people think hunting is wrong/cruel if you are hunting for food to eat. I believe most people think it’s cruel when they see someone hunt, kill an animal, and walk away. They do it to kill something, not to collect if for food. This is what gives hunters a bad name.
Hoodoorocket- you are very scary. I hope you end up behind bars before you hurt someone!