“State Of The Art” Murder

Source Veganism is Nonviolence

I was reading today that slaughterhouses in New South Wales (Australia) have been employing a “new” and “improved” method of murdering animals. It’s considered a “humane” alternative to the current torture which occurs routinely in every slaughterhouse worldwide. If you have been paying attention to my blog and my abolitionist page LiveVegan, you would probably understand by now there is NO such thing as a “humane” slaughterhouse and even if there were, it would still be unjust.

Here we are again, with yet another myth about “humane” murder using “controlled atmosphere killing” (CAK) slaughterhouses. It is claimed to be the “biggest” and “best” and “state of the art equipment”. Why CAK? Because it’s cheaper, it reduces worker injuries, ensures that animal’s flesh is “undamaged”, cuts down on bacteria and is a public relations exercise in which industry can tell Australians that these pigs were killed “humanely”.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has been promoting “controlled atmosphere killing” in Australia for a number of years now. What happens inside a ‘state of the art’ Australian execution gas chamber? Recent evidence reveals crate after crate of pigs thrashing and screaming and gasping for air. Is it any surprise filling a chamber with CO2 would make anyone panic and feel terrified? The company which uses this method would be aware that using CO2 would produce a sense of asphyxiation and they would be aware that using an inert gas instead would not produce this same feeling of suffocation, but CO2 is cheaper and industry is about economic efficiency, not any concern for nonhumans. Nonhumans animals are viewed as mere economic commodities. In any event, whatever the method, all methods of killing are morally wrong and death is the ultimate “harm”.

Remember that this “improved” slaughter method has not been employed because it’s “humane”, it’s been employed because it’s economically efficient. In short, animal welfare is all about economic efficiency, not about nonhumans. That’s the first thing we need to understand about welfare. The second thing to understand is that welfare is designed to make people feel comfortable about consuming animals. The third thing is, as is evidenced here, that it does little or nothing for animals and is just a slightly different form of torture. But even if we stroked their heads, cuddled them, talked to them calmly and played Mozart while we murdered them, it would still be unjust and morally wrong.  Despite what utilitarians like Peter Singer claim, nonhuman animals have an interest in their lives continuing.

Abolitionist veganism recognises that it’s not HOW animals are being used that is the issue, it’s THAT they are being used at all that is the problem. We recognise that nonhuman animals deserve one very basic right — the right not to be used as property. If we believe animals matter morally, then we need to stop eating, wearing and using them.

What is beyond sad is we have an entire animal movement dedicated to promoting “humane” use of animals, instead of promoting the solution to animal use – veganism. What those who promote welfare “reform” do not seem to understand is that they would get their reforms anyway if they promoted veganism to the public, because industry would respond with these reforms. Industry would do this to prevent people from rejecting animal use, and to make people “feel better” about using animals. In fact if everyone promoted veganism clearly, industry would probably go above and beyond these pathetic “reforms”. Instead, all large animal organisations like PETA, HSUS, “Mercy for Animals” etc., partner with industry, help them peddle their products, assist them with their PR campaigns and regularly promote the idea that it’s morally acceptable to use animals as long as it’s “humane”. They are the  self appointed “watchdog” for industry.

Speaking of the lengths we go to find “better” ways of doing the wrong thing. Yesterday I saw this article;  “Scientists race to develop farm animals to survive climate change” in which it says “The idea is to create animals that are more efficient“. I mean seriously? Scientific evidence (ignored by mainstream media and played down by the IPCC) about climate change would strongly suggest our species only has a few decades left before near-term extinction, and we are engaged in this kind of irrationality? Species fail.

Let’s stop the nonsense and stop looking for “better” ways of doing the wrong thing. Please go vegan and educate others to do so. It’s the minimum standard of decency. If we claim to be against violence and injustice, it is the only rational response.

If you’re not vegan, please start here