Ethical Behavior

          Let's consider the ethics of these two images. The turkey vultures are eating an animal that died naturally or accidentally, whereas the family is eating a docile, defenseless animal that was murdered. The turkey vultures need to eat the animal in order to survive, while the humans are eating merely for pleasure.

Furthermore, we humans did not even have the nerve to confine the pig, stun her with electroshock, hang her upside down, and then slit her throat. Instead, we had someone else do this for us, in secret, so we wouldn't feel bad.

If you do still eat meat, please go to a farm and meet in person the animal you intend to chew on and consume. Sit with him or her for an hour or so, and look into her eyes. Feed her from your hand. Pet her. Then offer to kill her yourself. See if then you can set your table and serve her to your family.

Perhaps the most stunning difference between the two pictures is that while vultures act mostly by instinct, human beings have a Conscience which continues to tell us where the truth is. We are coming to see that all animals deserve to be inside our circle of compassion. Animals feel and have strong preferences, they want to live and be comfortable, and they trust us to take care of them.