So, the Oregon State Fair officials want to protect their pigs from sick people: “Help us protect the piggies,” (from swine flu).

I think a more real threat to the piggies would be the “pork producing” animal exploiters who torture “harvest” over 100 million of the intelligent animals per year in the United States.

The issue that the pig torturers are fretting over is public perception of swine flu and how it may affect the swine- and therefore their profit margin.  “If you take those big opportunities (state fairs) away, it would have been devastating to the show-pig industry and the breeding industry,” said Darrell D. Anderson, the chief executive of the National Swine Registry.

And this statement, “To keep illness from spreading back to home farms, some fairs discourage farmers from showing any animals that are not “terminal,” due to be slaughtered right after the fair”, is disturbing at best.  Does anyone read this and not think there’s something inherently wrong with systematically killing animals in an industrialized fashion, just for the taste of its flesh?

The “pork producing” industry- the huge agri-conglomerates down to the small “farmer” who raises “prize pigs” for breeding purposes- are only concerned with the health of their piggies as it relates to money earned.  Pure, simple greed, not true concern for the animal’s well being and happiness.

What if this article was about Persian kitties raised for their fur for sale to garment manufacturers?

“And there is the worry of public relations: Would a report of an infected Persian kitty at a fair harm the cat fur industry, already wrestling with economic misery in part because of people’s unfounded fears over fleas and lice in their children’s winter-wear?  To keep illness from spreading back to home kennels, some fairs discourage breeders from showing any Persian kitties that are not “terminal,” due to be slaughtered right after the fair.”

“Still, for some who raise Persian kitties to sell to commercial fur producers, the possibility of a show kitty’s falling ill at a county fair sounded like one more needless horror in a crushing year.  Others wondered if mere talk of safety measures at fairs’ kitty kennels actually scared people more than the measures would spare kitties.  Might reminders to keep kitties safe just plant new, irrational fears about kitty fur in some people’s minds?”

“Terminal.”  Human induced terminal that is.

And pigs, just like kitties, love affectionate attention (even petting and scratching behind the ears!) and are incredibly intelligent little beings.  Pigs, like kitties, like to play and bonds with other pigs.  A pig, in fact, is very similar to a kitty.  The only difference between them would be how you categorize them to your moral self.  But just remember, justifying the death of one animal simply because you classify them as “food” doesn’t make it morally sound.  Indeed, just the opposite.  You are saying that it is okay to kill as long as it benefits a human.  Does it matter what species of animal you are killing?  Non-human or human?  It shouldn’t.  Last time I checked, we are all live, sentient beings.

via newyorktimes.com