Oprah...

I tried. I really did. I wanted to give Oprah the benefit of the doubt. I wanted to think that maybe something about veganism would come about on her show today. And I really wanted my next entry to be positive and not ranting. Unfortunately, wrong on both counts.

I should point out, I am not an Oprah watcher nor fan. Her "Favorite Things" shows drive me over the edge with it's opulence. But, she does have A LOT of viewers. On today's show, which talked about factory farms, she had Lisa Ling (I'm not sure why) and Wayne Pacelle (President of the HSUS) as guests, as well as a host of "farmers". The show essentially gave three viewpoints: Those of the HSUS which included all of your basic welfare thoughts, larger cages, free range, blah fucking blah. Those of the factory farmers, who had the gall to state on national tv and on video that they thought animals on factory farms were better cared for than those on a traditional farm. And finally "free range farmers" who believe that as along as the chicken/pig/veal calf had a good life, it was fine to off them. Whatever.

Again, I believe that most of the show was bullshit. What really got to me was this: during a discussion about how this woman could afford free range eggs but not free range chickens, not once was it suggested that maybe she didn't need the eggs or the chicken. Not once was going vegan mentioned on the show.

The show had many moving video clips, at least I thought they were moving. They showed pigs in gestation crates while their "caretaker" talked about how comfortable they were. The pigs were lying on cement. I wouldn't be comfortable on cement. They showed a film of veal crates and the burns veal get from sitting in their own urine and feces. They showed hens in battery cages, I think you get the picture. Unfortunately, then they showed pictures of "humane" farming methods. Which makes people think it is okay to kill something, as long as you treat it well before it goes.