On Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 10:36 AM, Elizabeth Masoner <[email protected]> wrote: > Yeah, they really are trying to pass this garbage. > > http://photography.about.com/b/2011/02/25/bill-introduced-in-florida-senate > -would-make-farm-photography-a-felony.htm
For some reason I keep getting drawn back to this (and your blog post). I woke up in the middle of the night and lie in bed thinking about things, this issue being one of them. I wonder why there are those in the agricultural business who are afraid that the public see what goes on at their farms? Actually, that was a rhetorical question. I know exactly why: because much of what happens at large agribusiness animal factories (because that's what they are) would sicken us. If we buy meat or eggs or dairy from any supermarket, we're buying produce from animals that have been horribly mistreated and lived short, miserable lives as economic units. Even if we buy "free range" eggs or chicken, it's unlikely that the animal that produced your food has ever seen the light of day. Many "organic" farms, or farms that sell locally to (for instance) farmers' markets are pleased to have visitors tour their farms. They tend to be the farms that are like the "ma and pa" family farms of the days of yore; you know, red barns, silos, farm house on the hill, cattle contentedly grazing in the fields, chickens pecking about the barn-yard. They are pleased to have you know that if you buy meat from them, that their animals live (relatively) happy lives. In fact, it's been proven that meat from happy animals is tastier and healthier! (and here you thought I was going talk about the wonders and glory of veganism!) ;-) So while I posted earlier saying that I wasn't worried about this bill passing, after having slept on it, now I'm not so sure that it won't pass. The agribusiness lobby is huge, with lots of money behind it. Beyond the bill's sponsor, I'm sure they've been courting many other Florida legislators. Too bad that openness and transparency are the first things to go when people feel under attack. I know that a lot of people on this list don't like PETA. While I agree with some of what they do, their in-your-face methods leave me cold. That being said, if they uncover some injustices or show people some inhumane treatment of animals, that would be a good thing, wouldn't it? cheers, frank -- "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
