The vigil will take place between Giant Foods and Boston
Market at the intersection of Bethesda Avenue and Arlington Rd in
Bethesda, Maryland.
Over forty-million innocent beings are inhumanely
slaughtered for a holiday that is supposed to signify gratitude, not a
brutal ritual.
Mourners will hold candles, signs and distribute
literature. Karen Davis from United Poultry Concerns in Machipongo,
Virginia will be in attendance, as will social activists from all around
the area. The purpose is to honor the memory of all those beings who
were never given names, much less affection. The event also kicks off
the many vegetarian feasts at farm animal sanctuaries around the nation.
Surprisingly, turkeys are quite affectionate. To witness
this, visit Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolsville, Maryland and
meet Alice, a turkey found stray in Frederick. She casually walks about
mingling with guests, whenever there is an open house. She is no rare
exception, as her predecessor, Nathan was just as extroverted, although
preferring the company of folks his own height, (children). Don't let
their odd appearance and small heads fool you. If head size were the
only parameter of intelligence, then humans would be less intelligent
than elephants and cows. These vertebrates pack a lot of emotional,
social and problem-solving abilities into their compact skulls. Alice
will even join her human friends in dancing if the music is right.
Then there are the turkeys that don't have names. Their
lives begin after their mothers are raped, via a process of artificial
insemination. They will never see their mothers and fathers, who
themselves will be killed before they reach a year of age. Assembly line
workers debeak the baby birds without anesthesia. In the past one
hundred years these birds have been genetically altered so severely that
they begin to outgrow their skeletons and hearts in about three months.
Thousands of birds are "grown" in crowded filthy buildings. Many suffer
pulmonary infections, broken legs and heart failure. At 3-6 months the
birds are loaded into trucks like bags of garbage. At the "processing
plant" they are strung upside down on fast-moving conveyer belts. The
horrified turkeys are pulled through an electrifying spray before
someone cuts their throats. An "acceptable number" reach the scalding
station fully conscious. There are no laws in the United States, (as in
other nations), to regulate the raising, transport or slaughter of
poultry. This is a lot of suffering for a product with more cholesterol,
saturated fat and Salmonella than taste. Thanksgiving feasts are just as
wholesome and delicious in vegetarian homes. (E.g. dressing, mashed
potatoes and gravy, breads, sweet potatoes, lentil casserole, Meat of
Wheat turkey, green beans, pumpkin pie and vegan ice cream)
For more information please call Jamey Lee West at
301-990-0593 or watkinsgl@usa.net
For information on Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary call
Teresa Cummings at 301-605-0120
United Poultry Concerns is an official sponsor of this
event, (contact Dr. Karen Davis 757-678-7875, United Poultry Concerns
http://www.upc-online.org)
Source: franklin@smart.net
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