By Dan Wilson
“You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
This event has it all: food, booze, live bands AND (now here’s the bonus) a portion of the proceeds going to local charities. What could be better?
A pig dancing at Niagara, Ontario Rib Fest. Photo by Dan Wilson
The thing is that this benign, altruistic, helping-others-while-we-all-have-fun event, like so many others in our society, revolves around the exploitation, suffering and slaughter of other animals (mostly pigs).
There’s no question that pigs (and for that matter cows, chickens and other “food” animals) are at least as intelligent as cats and dogs (and it’s been documented that pigs may be more so). The question is: why don’t we care about these animals the way we do about cats and dogs?
I think it’s because we’ve been conditioned NOT to care, by the same groups and industries that benefit from the exploitation and destruction of other animals, and because eating the flesh of other animals appeals to our most basic desires. It tastes good (sensory pleasure), it makes us feel important (status, vanity) and we’ve always done it and everybody else does it (habit, tradition, social acceptance).
All in the name of 'peace & love' at the Rib Fest. Photo by Dan Wilson.
We don’t like to think of the ugly truth and the fact that these animals are squealing and screaming when they go to their deaths, knowing full well what is about to happen them and experiencing the ultimate terror before their throats are slit.
On the other hand, WE don’t want to know what happens to THEM – that’s why we don’t slaughter pigs AT venues like Rib Fest. Can you imagine the look of horror on little Johnny’s face if he actually had to witness how his “food” was “prepared”? Try and visualize the shock (not to mention the flood of tears) if whole families had to watch this gruesome display.
But because it’s done out of sight, out of mind, people don’t give it a second thought, and the ads and cartoons promoting the occasion reinforce the false idea that these animals WANT to be eaten. They’re happy to give up their lives so you can suck on their ribs.
Painting the BQ sauce on those ribs. Photo by Dan Wilson
And the fact that it helps local charities is the icing on the cake. Who can argue with supporting charities? But I think we have to question any charity or activity that supports the cruelty and killing of some (cows, pigs and chickens) to help others. Is there no other way of entertaining ourselves or raising money for charity? Of course there is.
It’s the twenty-first century folks. So why are we still acting like savages? It’s time we ended our cycle of violence, and extended our circle of compassion to include the animals. We can no longer defend our actions simply because we’ve always done it this way, anymore than we can justify other time-honoured traditions, like human slavery, ethnic cleansings, witch-burnings, subjugation of women, extermination of indigenous peoples and religious wars.
'Ribby' the pig wants you to feed him at the Rib Fest. Photo by Dan Wilson
We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. We need to, in the words of Albert Schweitzer: “Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” And we need to tap into the goodness and compassion that’s inside each and every one of us. And then we need to ACT upon those qualities that we hold in such high regard. Now that would be something to really celebrate!
Dan Wilson is a Niagara resident, previous contributor to Niagara At Large and long-time animal advocate.
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I’m a meat eater in spite of the paradox of also being an animal lover. I would truly find it difficult to kill something myself for food but could if necessary and am for humane (if there is such a thing) raising of animals as opposed to crated calves and chickens. I hate fruit and veggies and could never live on soy or some protein substitute. I tried veggie hot dogs and such but they tasted awful! I really don’t consider eating meat as “entertainment”. Sorry, but if you can find some palatable alternative I would love to know.
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as usual Dan, you are right on the money …
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Thank you Cath.
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I could not agree more. I avoid downtown when this spectacle is on. It is just plain sad. The same logic is used by the Shriners raising money with a circus for sick children.
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Your articles have changed the way I look at meat consumption. Thanks for the insights.
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By insinuating that the eating of meat in any way compares to human slavery, etnic cleansing, witch burnings, subjagation of women, extermination of indiginous people and religous wars you have turned your post from what may have some legitimacy into a ridiculous rant.
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My apologies Nick, please allow me to clarify. What I meant was that for a long time humans kept other humans as slaves, committed genocide on other human beings, tortured and burned other humans alive at the stake, and tried to wipe out other human beings because their “god” supposedly commanded it.
These atrocities were accepted as proper behaviour and a “normal” part of life for the people of the time and encouraged (or even created) by the church or state. Needless to say this caused an awful lot of unnecessary suffering and death, and most people today would agree that these actions were wrong.
I’m suggesting that to cause other animals, such as cows, pigs and chickens, an awful lot of unnecessary suffering and death (we don’t need to eat them to be healthy, therefore it’s unnecessary) is also wrong, even though we’ve been doing it for a long time too.
Slaughtering and eating other animals seems “right” and “normal” today only because we’ve always done it, just as slavery, the oppression of women, etc. was considered “right” and “normal” in the past.
Does that mean I think pigs are the same as humans? No, of course not (although we’re both mammals). Humans are clearly different in so many ways. We do know however, that animals suffer. They feel pain, are capable of experiencing fear and terror, and they have a desire to be free. Maybe not the same way you and I do, but that doesn’t justify us torturing and killing them.
I think animals should have one basic right: the right not to be exploited by us. Or said another way, I don’t think we have the right to exploit them.
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You are still making the same comparison–again.
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Yes Nick, I know. I just thought you didn’t understand what I was saying so I tried to clarify. So what if I’m making the same comparison? What’s your problem with that? Please explain why, in your opinion, it’s wrong to compare the oppression/exploitation/slaughter of non-human animals with human animals? I’d really like to know. Thanks.
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I don’t understand why drawing parallels to the way people thought and treated other humans in the past and how things have changed in that regard with how people now treat/think about animals and how that will change for the better, also, can be considered a rant. Nothing will change until people start to think about the issue. In my veiw, Daniel presented a thought-provoking arguement, not a rant.
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Anyone who equates killing a chicken with ethnic cleansing is not capable of “reasonable” debate.
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I really enjoy Niagara at Large’s articles about animals. I am a vegetarian now, but was previously a vegan, food choices I made out of my awareness of how much suffering animals endure in slaughterhouses before they are killed. It is atrocious.
NICK – could you justify castrating a human man (male pigs are castrated to keep them from raping each other, a stress-induced behaviour), keeping a person in a cage for their whole life, so tiny that they cannot even turn around (the depressing life of egg-laying hens), or tearing an infant away from its mother within a day of being born to be butchered (as veal calves are)? To any person with a shred of empathy, the answer is no. My question to you is, why do you have such a hard time accepting that animals also do not deserve to be treated in these ways?
This may be above your head, but the connection between the abuse of “food” animals and cultural atrocities (human slavery, ethnic cleansing, witch burnings, subjagation of women, extermination of indiginous people and religous wars) is something called oppression – treating one group/person as inferior in order to make yourself/your group feel more powerful. We do this to animals, and it has historically happened (and in many cases, is still happening) for the other human groups. Is the connection more clear to you now?
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In order to debate ‘reasonably’, you must learn to understand the other individuals` opinion. Nick, I believe the problem is that you are afraid of how real and truthful the comparison is. It is terrifying to be confronted with the reality that in your life, you contribute to the pain and suffering of animals and its difficult to admit or talk about. Dan, I comend you for writing about such a “controversial” topic. If no one ever talks about the suffering of animals, they will continue to be ignored.
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Thanks Brittany. 🙂
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Anyone who equates a veal calf with a human baby is not capable of “reasonable” debate. Brittany, I am so afraid that you are correct that I am now going to enjoy a steak dinner–rare.
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