"You're protecting the animals from the people that are trying to protect the animals?"
Al Madrigal pointed out the ag-gag laws attacked those who want to protect the animals in the factory farm system. Emily Meredith from Animal Agriculture Alliance didn't see the irony.
"Standard industry practices" isn't abuse, Meredith notes, and groups such as PETA and the Humane Society are presenting a false narrative.
Meredith's comparison about open-heart surgery was so laughable, the Daily Show had an easy time mocking that take.
We have two different issues of animal cruelty videos. Animals being slaughtered for meat and how animals are treated when they are alive.
The video that Mercy for Animals shows at events where they pay you $1 is in the former category and an example where Meredith has some credibility.
But the ag-gag laws aim at those who want animals to have a better life while they are alive. Meredith may be correct that her Orwellian euphemism of "standard industry practices" is accepted, but that doesn't mean that animals aren't abused.
Cows grown on sustainable farms die so we can eat their meat. Pigs, sheep, lambs, goats, and chickens all die so we can eat them. The difference is in how they live and how well they taste as a result.
We can disagree on whether to eat animals, but in doing so, we should the respect the animals, including ourselves. We deserve better grown meat and dairy products. And undercover videos serve a greater purpose in exposing those who are abusing animals while they're alive.
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