Save Bacon from becoming bacon

[Be Happy!]

Stop Coral Reef High From Auctioning “Pet” Pig for Slaughter

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Please take action before March 16!

Coral Reef Senior High School’s Future Farmers of America Club is raising a pig, derisively named “Bacon,” with the intention of auctioning her off to the highest bidder in order to generate funds for the school. The auction is set to take place at the Miami-Dade County Fair on March 20. PETA became aware of the event after being contacted by students at the school who, after becoming attached to “Bacon,” are desperately trying to raise funds to save the animal’s life and send her to a sanctuary.

Encouraging students to raise an animal, letting them grow fond of her, and then teaching them that it is acceptable to dispose of the animal to make a quick buck desensitizes them to the suffering of others. The manner in which “Bacon” was raised at the school does little to “train” the students to work on factory farms and, in fact, misrepresents the reality of the current practices used on intensive feedlots.

Coral Reef Senior High School is a new, $32.3 million facility built on more than 59 acres of land. The school generates thousands of dollars from soda and candy sales and other fundraising activities. There is no need for the school to resort to cruel and insensitive teaching practices that foster insensitivity and apathy toward the well-being of animals.

Please write to the principal of Coral Reef High School and School Board member Betsy Kaplan, urging them to put an end to curriculum and fundraising activities that use and dispose of live animals. Tell them to listen to students who demand that “Bacon” be permitted to live out her life at a sanctuary and save her from her current path to slaughter. Help force the Miami-Dade School Board to enact a policy that puts an end to lessons that condone violence and disrespect for life:

School Board Member Betsy Kaplan
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Ave.
Miami, FL 33132
305-995-1334
bkaplan@sbab.dade.k12.fl.us

Adrienne F. Leal, Principal
Coral Reef Senior High School
10101 S.W. 152nd St.
Miami, FL 33157
305-232-2044
ALeal@coralreef.dadeschools.net

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by Be Happy!
Please write to the principal of Coral Reef High School and School Board member Betsy Kaplan, urging them to put an end to curriculum and fundraising activities that use and dispose of live animals.

sangeeta,

it's great that you are involved in assisting these students who have evidently come to a different realization than what they have been expected to.

i have written to the principal and the board as per your post and enclose that letter below.

in friendship,
prad


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To: Adrienne F. Leal, Principal
Cc: Betsy Kaplan
Re: Bringing the Bacon home

With regards to the fate of Bacon, may I suggest that there is more at stake here than the life of one pig or the precedent set by showing mercy to a creature that was admittedly purchased for the pending fate that awaits him.

In education, our goal should not be to churn out automatons that compliantly conform to the existing system. Rather the whole purpose of education is to develop character in those we teach through meaningful experiences, that they may contribute towards making that system a better one.

In working to send Bacon to the sanctuary rather than to slaughter, some of your students have demonstrated the qualities of resourcefulness, perseverance, courage and even compassion. They are fighting on behalf of one who can't, even though they themselves will reap no reward for their efforts.

Since Bacon was well cared for by the students, why not dignify their commitment and affection? There will be other pigs. However, this one, will symbolize much more than the mere auction monies involved. What will be shown is that your school can make an exception and not let the efforts of some of its dedicated students go in vain; that the hardworking can surmount difficult obstacles; that there are still many who recognize the fiery independence of those who take a stand for what they believe in.

It is written that 'when God measures a person, He puts the tape around the heart and not the head'. Some of your students have very large hearts that will no doubt test the limits of even God's tape. Surely, in their honor, allowing Bacon to go to the sanctuary is the worthy thing to do.
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[Evo]

physicsisphirst, that was beautiful!

 

[Hurkyl]

I find it interesting that I can't find any reference to this on google or on their website. I was wondering what the other side to this is, but now it's smelling of a hoax.

 

[Be Happy!]

Story in the Media

Originally posted by Hurkyl
I find it interesting that I can't find any reference to this on google or on their website. I was wondering what the other side to this is, but now it's smelling of a hoax.

Here is the story on NBC news in Miami...it is far from a hoax, it is very real to the students fighting for Bacon's life, and unfortunately even more real to Bacon herself. :(

http://www.nbc6.net/education/2907952/detail.html

I trust you will find this a worthy cause for your time.

 

[Andy]

Screw that, i love bacon! heck if i lived out there i would buy her myself.

 

[Dissident Dan]

A school is the worst place to do something like raising a pig for slaughter, because it teaches disconcern for other creatures.

 

[kat]

Not neccesarily. Although I'm not sure that school is the place to teach children about raising and slaughtering animals...it is a reality. It beats the misperception that getting your meat from a sterile cooler at the grocery store gives.
Years ago, when my youngest daughter was 5 or 6, I had a pig given to me for my birthday (to raise for meat). At the time we were also raising laying hens, ducks, goats for milk, cheese and to make soap. So, it was a natural addition to our little homestead. When our pig, who we aptly named "Dinner" became full grown..and quite a nuisance (that's another story though)We had the butcher pick him up and take him back for slaughter. Now, when we went to pick up our packaged meats...the kids knew what it was and where it came from. Well, the older boys weren't phased a bit and were looking forward to eating thick slabbed bacon, ham and ribs etc...my youngest daughter however was not so excited. In fact to this day she won't eat meat and we no longer raise ANY animals for slaughter as a result of her somewhat silent protest. So, I'm not sure we can always predict what something will teach our children but..one thing is for sure, many children haven't a clue where the meat in their fridge and on their plate comes from. Perhaps, this is not such a bad lesson after all. *shrug*

 

[Njorl]

My mother grew up on a farm. Her dad had the philosophy, never name an animal you're going to eat.

Njorl

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by Evo
physicsisphirst, that was beautiful!

Thanks Evo. I hope it will do some good. It can be pretty lonely when you go against the mainstream.

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by kat
So, I'm not sure we can always predict what something will teach our children but..one thing is for sure, many children haven't a clue where the meat in their fridge and on their plate comes from. Perhaps, this is not such a bad lesson after all. *shrug*

You may a good point of course. We have dissociated ourselves as much as possible from doing the dirty work.

We get others to do the dirty work in places we never have to see. I think it was Paul McCartney who said 'If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.'

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by Njorl
My mother grew up on a farm. Her dad had the philosophy, never name an animal you're going to eat.

Njorl

That is understandable. Names draw us closer in identity and stir our conscience.

Animal experimenters apparently number their victims.

People do that sort of thing to each other too and where you would least expect it. At a vocational school where I used to teach, the general trend was to look down on the students who had been labelled 'dumb' in various ways. At 'normal' schools we usually referred to the students as 'our' kids. Here we called them 'these' kids. The particularly bad lot of behavioural problems that were kept out in the portable were referred to as 'those' kids. We did call them by their names though

 

[kawikdx225]

This is a Future Farmers of America class right? Dont Farmers raise and kill animals for food? Isnt that what they should learn?

If killing animals is a problem for some kids then maybe they should take a different class like home-ec or something.

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by physicsisphirst
Rather the whole purpose of education is to develop character in those we teach through meaningful experiences

Isn't part of building character learning that you sometimes have to encounter difficult experiences in life and live up to the burden of facing your responsibilities regardless of how hard that may be at the time?
There isn't much that will build character more effectively than having to face up to a difficult task that you don't want to deal with.
We should be teaching our children that, although compassion is an important trait, integrity also includes sometimes finding the strength to put your personal feelings aside to fulfil an obligation.

 

[one_raven]

And the angel of the lord came unto me, snatching me up from my place of slumber.
And took me on high
and higher still until we moved to the spaces betwixt the air itself.
And he brought me into a vast farmlands of our own midwest.
And as we descended, cries of impending doom rose from the soil.
One thousand
nay a million voices
full of fear.
And terror possesed me then.
And I begged
"Angel of the Lord
what are these tortured screams?"
And the angel said unto me
"These...
are the cries of the carrots.
The cries of the carrots.
You see, Reverend Maynard...
tommorow is harvest day.
To them...
It is...
THE HOLOCAUST"
And I sprang from my slumber drenched in sweat like the tears of one million terrified brothers and roared
"Hear me now
I have seen the light!
They have a consciousness
they have a life
they have a soul!
Damn you!
Let the rabbits wear glasses!
Save our brothers!"
Can I get an amen?
Can I get a hallelujah?
Thank you Jesus.

This is necessary.
Life feeds on life feeds on life feeds on life

"Disgustipation" Reverend Maynard James Keenan

 

[one_raven]

Honestly, if prok products weren't so damned tasty probably would be a vegetarian.
Actually, a fruitarian.
It's really pig alone that keeps me eating meat.

But I still love the song!

 

[Dissident Dan]

Compassion is a more important than value than mere duty or "responsibility." Perhaps, brutal dictators have really strong work ethics?

When you find out that you are doing the wrong thing, it is your responsibility to stop doing what was previously considered your responsibility. One example (with a strong parallel to the current discussion) in a set of many: You work for the Soylent Greens company and just realized what the food that you are preparing actually is...

I would say that exercising compassion is our most important responsibility.
-----------------

As for the carrots thing, do I really need to address that? Do you really think that that is a valid argument or are you just cracking jokes?

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by one_raven
Isn't part of building character learning that you sometimes have to encounter difficult experiences in life and live up to the burden of facing your responsibilities regardless of how hard that may be at the time?

It depends on the responsibility, doesn't it? Just because you are expected to do something, doesn't mean that you should do it.. It hardly looks like not killing Bacon will bring your pork industry to rack and ruin either.

If these kids feel obligated to saving this pig whom they have befriended, then that is what they should do regardless of what is expected of them.

as for the poem - ?

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by kawikdx225
This is a Future Farmers of America class right? Dont Farmers raise and kill animals for food? Isnt that what they should learn?

If killing animals is a problem for some kids then maybe they should take a different class like home-ec or something.

Possibly not. It may have been a project sponsored by them in the school. Either way, some of the students evidently didn't accept the fate of their friend.

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by Michael D. Sewell
I am NOT doing anything wrong. I do NOT eat carrots.

who is this carrot man?
he should be recruited for the cause!
perhaps a breatherean?

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by physicsisphirst
Just because you are expected to do something, doesn't mean that you should do it..

It's not simply that they are expected to do it unfairly out of the blue.
They knew what was going to happen.
They voluntarily signed on for teh program, and knew what they were expected to do.
They should be held up to the responsibility to uphole their obligation.

Originally posted by physicsisphirst
It hardly looks like not killing Bacon will bring your pork industry to rack and ruin either.

That's hardly the point.

Dan,
I thyink it is obvious that your absurd parallel is not even close to the same thing and an unfair comparison.

 

[Evo]

Originally posted by one_raven
It's not simply that they are expected to do it unfairly out of the blue.
They knew what was going to happen.
They voluntarily signed on for teh program, and knew what they were expected to do.
They should be held up to the responsibility to uphole their obligation.

I disagree. If they went into this uncaring, I think it's wonderful that they learned to feel compassion for this poor animal.

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by one_raven
It's not simply that they are expected to do it unfairly out of the blue.
They knew what was going to happen.
They voluntarily signed on for teh program, and knew what they were expected to do.
They should be held up to the responsibility to uphole their obligation.

my understanding is that is not what happened. the kids were asked to look after the pig. i don't believe they signed up for anything, but perhaps sangeeta could clear this up.

it doesn't really matter though because there's nothing wrong with changing one's mind because you feel you should do something differently (so long as it has merit and is not whimsical).

Dan,
I thyink it is obvious that your absurd parallel is not even close to the same thing and an unfair comparison. [/B]

what's wrong with dan's example? it is simply a case of 'duty' being 'breached', presumably for a good reason, isn't it?

having a duty towards compassion seems to be a pretty good idea, though admittedly not demonstrated universally towards all beings even within the species.


btw, i am curious about your comment earlier about being fruitarian. provided you were not simply being facetious, why would you choose that over being vegetarian?

 

[Be Happy!]

Originally posted by one_raven
It's not simply that they are expected to do it unfairly out of the blue.
They knew what was going to happen.
They voluntarily signed on for teh program, and knew what they were expected to do.
They should be held up to the responsibility to uphole their obligation.

Actually, to clarify for everyone- these kids did NOT sign up with FFA, or take any class to do with farming...they were told that Bacon was part of the school community, they watched her grow from a piglet, would visit her often and became attached. The kids were a "victim of circumstance" as they did not chose to partake in this.

However, there are many many kids who sign-up for such things and have a change of heart once they realize how sensitive these animals really are. Throughout history, you will see people who have "signed-up" to do one thing, but once their conscience is awakened they have a change of heart. Case in point- the song "Amazing Grace" comes from the captain of a slave ship- he had an awakening one day, due to harsh circumstances, and realized the error of his ways. Are you saying to me that he should have fulfilled his responsibility and brought those slave to America just because he "signed-up" for it?

Sometimes our conscience takes us in a different direction than our "duty." It takes strength, courage and compassion to rise above a situation and go where one's conscience takes us. This is a fantastic lesson for all students, and from what I know many students' lives are being changed in that school, several have even sworn off eating animal flesh!

 

[one_raven]

I am not accusing you lying, but I find it hard to believe that members of a "Future FARMERS Of America" club wouldn't know what pigs are raised on a farm for.

Maybe I am missing something in the details?

 

[Be Happy!]

Originally posted by one_raven
I am not accusing you lying, but I find it hard to believe that members of a "Future FARMERS Of America" club wouldn't know what pigs are raised on a farm for.

Maybe I am missing something in the details?

As I stated in a previous post, the students fighting to save Bacon are NOT a part of the Future Farmers of America.

 

[Andy]

Is the Pig dead yet?

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by Be Happy!
As I stated in a previous post, the students fighting to save Bacon are NOT a part of the Future Farmers of America.

OK.
Then why would the other students think that a pig that was named "Bacon" by the FFA that was raising it was NOT going to be killed?

Did they think that the Future Farmers were going to raise it as a work pig and affix a tiny plough to it?
Or it was going to be a sheep pig?

 

[Dissident Dan]

Originally posted by one_raven
OK.
Then why would the other students think that a pig that was named "Bacon" by the FFA that was raising it was NOT going to be killed?

Did they think that the Future Farmers were going to raise it as a work pig and affix a tiny plough to it?
Or it was going to be a sheep pig?

Does it really matter? They saw something despicable happening, and they put an end to it.

 

[Loren Booda]

Is it such a great surprise that we would slaughter "Some Pig" when already our direct or indirect actions lead to the deaths of countless humans each year? No wonder the gore of the evening news comes on at dinner time.

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by Dissident Dan
Does it really matter? They saw something despicable happening, and they put an end to it.

Yes it does.
I think it matters if they claim that they did not know what was going to happen and play the "affected little innocent victims" to gain sympathy support.

Also, Be Happy said that some of the students have sworn off eating animal flesh.
That's fine for them, and let them speak out against what they personally believe in.
I wonder, however, how many of these students are hypocrites that had bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning.
Like someone said earlier, I think that knowing that pork products not manufactured, and is actually slaughtered animals raised to be such is good for them.

You think this is despicable?
I am guessing, then, that you are a vegan?

Originally posted by physicsisphirst
btw, i am curious about your comment earlier about being fruitarian. provided you were not simply being facetious, why would you choose that over being vegetarian?

I was not.
The choice would have nothing at all to do with it being right or wrong to kill animals for food.
It would have to do with a few things...

Industrialized farming. I strongly believe that if you could not kill something then you should not eat it. Ideally, if you DID not kill it you should not eat it. It comes from a cross between Buddhist ideals of non-interference with the natural flow and course of nature and the fact that I am disgusted not that animals are killed for food, rather how they are treated when they are alive.

Animals ARE food. Whether or not anyone likes it they are. If not for you, for others, if not for humans, for other animals. I try and keep my beliefs and morals in line with nature and the animal kingdom as far as I can see it.
According to that, there is nothing wrong with wild animals being food, and no one should be judged for that.
Industrialized farming and slaughtering of animals so that people can have a more convenient lifestyle and asuage their guilt by buying a steak rather than killing a cow, however, I am against.

There is also the concept of preservation and conservation of natural resources. I think man is already far too involved with removing himself from nature. The arrogance of man's ego makes him think he knows better than nature and can control it without any consequences. This is a whole different thread, and rather than hijacking this thread, you can take a look at what I said HERE.

There is more to it than that, but that alone is enough, in my opinion.
I know that eating pork products makes me a hypocrite, and I can live with that. Because I recognize it, and because I aspire to change it.
I think most (if not all) people are hypocrites, I don't hold that against them.
Those that are ignorant of their own hypocracy bother me, and I do my best to open their eyes.
Those that are aware of their own hypocracy and still wield it as a weapon against others (people in leather shoes condemning people for not being vegetarians... Christians that don't follow their own religion, yet use those same rules they break against others... just as two, of MANY prime examples) make me sick.

 

[Loren Booda]

If we are to eat meat, isn't it most humane to treat the animal as best possible while it is alive? The Native Americans, upon killing game, would sacrifice part of their catch to the appropriate god, acknowledging the sanctity of what they were to eat.

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by one_raven
I was not.
The choice would have nothing at all to do with it being right or wrong to kill animals for food.
It would have to do with a few things...

I still don't see why fruitarian rather than vegetarian. I think both are great choices, but I do not understand your rationale.

Originally posted by one_raven

I know that eating pork products makes me a hypocrite

Not necessarily. People sometimes take a little time to get from one place to the next.

Originally posted by one_raven

Those that are aware of their own hypocracy and still wield it as a weapon against others (people in leather shoes condemning people for not being vegetarians...

This doesn't follow necessarily. People are veg for various reasons. If your main concern is say health, then you won't necessarily have anything against wearing leather. These people are not being hypocritical by wanting others to be vegetarian - perhaps they simply want others to live a healthier lifestyle rather than adopting a healthier fashion style.

Other than that, I cortainly agree with most of what you have said and will look at your other post more carefully later.

 

[Evo]

Bacon goes on the block at 7pm EST tonight.

Pig lover wants to bring home Bacon

A School Board member plans to bid on a pig headed for auction, and may derail an agribusiness program by moving to bar other schools from raising animals for slaughter.

With a picture of his dearly departed pet pig in his suitcoat pocket, Miami-Dade County School Board member Frank Cobo on Wednesday promised to try to buy a 200-pound pig being sold this weekend by a Southwest Miami-Dade high-school club.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/education/8213942.htm

 

[physicsisphirst]

Originally posted by Michael D. Sewell
Then perhaps they are "control freaks".

that doesn't follow either. you might as well conclude that anyone who suggests others do something another way, and that would include the entire education system, the legal system, all advertizing, parenthood and much more, are 'control freaking'.

if people want others to be a different way and provide valid rationale for doing so, it doesn't make them control freaks. it might be interesting, on the other hand to investigate why some people think of them as being 'control freaks'.

in friendship,
prad