On Thu, 01 Jan 2004 21:49:38 -0600, Keynes > wrote:

>On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 02:25:22 GMT, "Rubystars" > wrote:
>
>>
>>"Jonathan Ball" > wrote in message
thlink.net...
>>> Rubystars wrote:
>>>
>>> > "Jonathan Ball" > wrote in message
>>> > ...
>>> >
>>> >>OF COURSE "this country" could be fed without raising any
>>> >>farm animals.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > That would force a lot of people to go on vegan diets though and most
>>> > wouldn't know how to do so properly, even some who do know how to do the
>>> > right things have to stop.
>>>
>>> They could figure it out. The point is, farm animals
>>> aren't necessary to feed people.
>>
>>At the population we have now, I think they are.
>>
>>If there was a smaller population broken up into villages, etc. then sure,
>>we wouldn't need farm animals, but we do right now.
>>
>>-Rubystars
>
>It's just customary. Pre WWII folks in the US ate less than half as
>much meat per capita. A political candidate ran on the platform
>of 'a chicken in every pot'. Even meat on sundays was a luxury
>for many (bacon possibly excepted).
>
>Now we have an obesity-diabetes problem that's becoming epidemic.
>There's an indian tribe split by the mexican border. Those on the US side
>are nearly 100% obese and diabetic. Those on the mexican side kept their
>traditional diet and don't even have those problems.
>
>There's also the problem with the stink and pollution of
>factory farming and the increased likelyhood (near certainty)
>of epidemic e coli and salmonella infections. I don't mention the
>morality of killing animals.

The biggest diference between raising animals for food and
not doing so is the animals' lives, not their deaths. They don't
exist before they're born, or (as far as we know) after they are
killed, so their lives are what is important. Raising animals for
food provides life, not just "killing" for billions of animals. Veg*nism
on the other hand doesn't provide life for any farm animals, it only
contributes to the death of wildlife.

>Animals kill animals even if we don't.
>All life feeds on other life. Those poor birds, mice, snakes and
>bugs in the fields are eating one another. But if I had to kill animals
>to eat myself, I would only do it in times of direst emergency.
>
>It takes about nine pounds of feed to make a pound of beef,
>not counting quite a bit of water both for cows and feed.

Grass raised beef and dairy products contribute to fewer animal
deaths than grain based substitutes...a fact which veg*ns won't
accept much less point out to others.