quote:

ORIGINAL: KittenWithaTwist

I'm all about the freedoms of the American consumer. Hell, I'd have to be. I rely on consumers to get my paycheck (boohiss...retail, bleh). But, after following a link to an anti-PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) article, I was surprised to find an article stating the following:

"HSUS’s current goals have little to do with animal shelters. The group has taken aim at the traditional morning meal of bacon and eggs with a tasteless “Breakfast of Cruelty” campaign. Its newspaper op-eds demand that consumers “help make this a more humane world [by] reducing our consumption of meat and egg products.” Since its inception, HSUS has tried to limit the choices of American consumers, opposing dog breeding, conventional livestock and poultry farming, rodeos, circuses, horse racing, marine aquariums, and fur trapping. "

I was drawn to it originally because my goal, after I finish college, is to work for the HSUS's Companion Animals program (to educate the public on the proper treatment of domestic pet animals), and I was surprised to find a host of HSUS complaints on the website for the Center of Consumer Freedom.

Now, I honestly feel that if someone desires to attend a circus or a horse race, or wishes to purchase a fur coat, a pound of foie gras, or a dog at their local pet store, that it is not my right to stand over them with pictures of animal torture and say "Look what you're doing, you ignorant jerk!" As I stated in another thread, there are more subtle and still effective ways of making your voice heard.
However, I'm surprised that someone is offended by the stance of an animal rights group to end something as cruel and unjust as, say, egg production. For those who don't know, all eggs (that are not organic or cage-free) are produced by hormone-guzzling caged hens, primarily fed with corn or chicken by-products, usually with their beaks removed so that they cannot peck at themselves or each other. It's a disgusting form of existence.
The cost of organic chicken and cage-free eggs is definitely higher. It costs more to feed the chicken proper food, and the farmer needs more land to allow the chicken room to move around. However, the eggs are still available to concerned citizens and health-conscious citizens who wish to help the lives of a few thousand domestic creatures.

So, what's wrong with that? The HSUS isn't seeking to steal the egg off your plate, Mister Writer of the CCF Editorial, they're simply trying to explain that there are more ethical choices available in your grocer's fridge.