Wednesday, October 29, 2008

I think the ACLU might be behind this.



Proposition 2 - Standards for Confining Farm Animals.

Initiative Statute

Summary

  • Requires that calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely.
  • Exceptions made for transportation, rodeos, fairs, 4-H programs, lawful slaughter, research and veterinary purposes.
  • Provides misdemeanor penalties, including a fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment in jail for up to 180 days.
  • Fiscal Impact: Potential unknown decrease in state and local tax revenues from farm businesses, possibly in the range of several million dollars annually.
  • Fiscal Impact: Potential minor local and state enforcement and prosecution costs, partly offset by increased fine revenue.

What a Yes or No Vote Means

YES: A “YES” vote on this measure means: Beginning in 2015, state law would prohibit, with certain exceptions, the confinement on a farm of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs.
NO: A “NO” vote on this measure means: State law would not contain prohibitions specifically concerning the confinement of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens.

I can't believe that we have to vote on this. I think this is a good cause, but I am openly going to vote no, and here is why:

If I were a farm animal, by the time I am pregnant, I will have accepted that the purpose of my life was to be killed and eaten. I might have even realized that the purpose of my race (be it pig, chicken, etc.) was to be eaten by humans.

Really. We've all seen Charlotte's Web. And even though I didn't realize it when I watched it as a kid, there are a lot of pigs that die in that movie. It might be arguable that they aren't intelligent enough to make those observations. But then I might argue that nobody knows if a pig is sore because he doesn't have enough space to move. When was the last time that you were a pig and your feet hurt?

As for me, I will let Alex get us a pet pig. And we will give it all the room a little pig wants to move around. Even if it is pregnant.

And one day, I might have bacon for breakfast.

3 comments:

Courtney said...

I saw a thing on Oprah about this- I am all for "No". Also there are very few pig farms in CA, the law is mostly for chickens...

The Boring Family said...

I had a merrie miss primary teacher that had a pet pig. She was pretty cute, house-trained, and on a strict diet so she never got bigger than about 5 lbs. That's the kind of pig you and Alex should have. As for the Prop. It's a definite NO in my book.

Alie said...

YES! that's exactly the kind of pig i want to have. people already think i'm strange, but i'm an artist, so i can pull it off, right?