eating oxen, vegans object

[bendube]

Hi all,
I’d like to pass on an article about my place of work:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/comments/article/20121009/NEWS07/310090013/Green-Mountain-College-considers-turning-long-serving-campus-oxen-to-hamburger

I won’t share my opinions (read: outrage) out of deference to my employer, just to say that obviously, the people who object do not understand my close, emotional relationship with these animals. I am certainly sad to see them go, but i don’t have a doubt in my mind that its the right decision.

Cheers,
Ben

[Anonymous]

Ben,
I agree, it’s sad, and it is the right decision, in so many ways. There are so many things, that they will not suffer.

[Kevin Cunningham]

Wow, that has been a very difficult decision by the college and it seems to me, an outsider, that the best possible decision was made. I have never been in that particular situation, the useful end of an ox’s life, so I can’t speak to how I would react but in my mind it is more honorable to have the animal continue to nourish and enrich the people whose lives he touched rather than suffer and then rot. I dislike the opinion that food is a waste. If anything good food is the most honorable and righteous thing. Food can actually be more of a sacrament than we let it. I am alarmed at the disconnection most people and especially young students have from their food. I am at liberty to take more of an aggressive stance and say that vegans and vegetarians need to wake up. My personal philosophy is that our salvation as people, is not though connection with plants, although important, or development of technology, also important, but rather our ultimate path to sustainability lies on the path of deep connection and relationship with animals. This does not mean shipping them off to a “nursing home” when they get old, so that out of sight and out mind prevails. We need remembrance and to truly take the essence of these great teachers into our being. I’ll stop here so to stop ranting.

[Oxhill]

I think the decision is spot on and command you for doing so. You are standing by your animals and doing the responsible and difficult task of seeing them through. We have and you can walk them through the process to ensure they are treated properly.

“This is an especially cruel decision given that a reputable organization, VINE Sanctuary, has offered to provide sanctuary to both of them, for the rest of their lives, at our own expense,” Jones wrote in an email.

An especially cruel decision would be to let them needlessly suffer out their remaining days at a sanctuary.

[grey]

The comments section on that article are maddening. But, that’s the Internet for you. Any goofball with a half-baked notion is welcome to share. :rolleyes: Oh, wait…..

[Jean]

I saw that headline this morning and had to read the paper not knowing who they were talking about. I have been a vegetarian for 31 years. However I agree with what the college is doing. It is not easy to say, but I would rather see them humanely slaughtered and used as food on the farm that they grew up on then see them grow older and suffer more pain by keeping them alive simply because it is the less messy option. They should be thanked for their hard work and then thanked again for their final act.

[Michael Colby]

I applaud Green Mountain College for the manner in which they’re handling this. I think it’s spot-on, especially the community-wide discussions they had. The real eye-opener for me in all of this is the level of “outrage” coming from those who disagree with the meal plan. It’s a sad commentary on just how disconnected our society is from the food system. And in Vermont, no less. Miles to go before we sleep.

[Carl Russell]

The animals could be killed and composted to be used as soil amendments on the farm where they worked too.

Carl

[dominiquer60]

It was great that this was discussed on campus and brought into the open there, I completely support the decision and acknowledge that it was a difficult one to make. I truly think that it is best to honor any animal that puts in that much work with a quick and humane death. I can’t help but think it cruel to ask an animal that has worked so hard and is in pain to load on a trailer, take a bouncy ride to a strange place and to live with no purpose just because some people fear death and see the end of life as violent. Death is a necessary part of the life cycle, we celebrate being born, yet so many people are afraid of death, but it too can be an event to celebrate, especially when is ends the suffering.

It is a shame that the people opposed to this decision cannot see the kindness to both oxen in the schools action.

[J-L]

Hell, the vegans won’t be eating them anyway.

[near horse]

Thanks Ben. Reading that article with some of the outrageous comments forced me to temporarily reactivate my FB account so I could add my $0.02 —

[bendube]

Sorry to do that to you Geoff!

[near horse]

Ben – heard the story on NPR yesterday AM.

[Tim Harrigan]

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=163257176&m=163336889

I did not hear it yesterday but found it today. Thanks, Geoff.

[Anonymous]

Hats off to Mr. Throop, Staff and students at Green Mountain College

http://www.wcax.com/story/19782348/gmc-oxen-pair-headed-to-slaughterhouse%5B/URL%5D

[Author]

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