Angry Bean Blog

This is an article from NOLA.com (New Orleans, LA) Its concerning the closing of a chicken processing plant and PETA requesting Governor Bobby Jindal to turn it into a museum dedicated to chickens. Following the article I have posted my response as also seen on NOLA.com

PETA wants Jindal to turn bankrupt poultry plant into ‘Chicken Empathy Museum’

by Robert Travis Scott, The Times-Picayune

Thursday March 12, 2009, 7:34 AM

BATON ROUGE — Chickens have feelings, too. And unappreciated brains.

That’s the message delivered Wednesday to Gov. Bobby Jindal by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as the group suggested that Louisiana use state funds to turn a closing Pilgrim’s Pride poultry processing plant in Farmerville into a “Chicken Empathy Museum.”

“The museum could feature exhibits such as video footage from research . . . showing how smart chickens are,” the group wrote in a letter to Jindal. “The Chicken Empathy Museum will have educational displays that highlight interesting facts about chickens, including that chickens are intelligent animals with mental abilities comparable to cats, dogs and even primates.”

PETA, known for its publicity stunts to attract attention to its vegetarian and anti-fur agenda, keyed into Jindal’s offer to spend $20 million in state money to assist another company attempting to buy the north Louisiana plant from Pilgrim’s Pride, which is in bankruptcy and reducing operations. The closing will put 1,300 people out of work.

Jindal said no to PETA’s offer to use its funds along with state money to turn the plant into a “monument to compassion” honoring the barnyard fowl for its intellectual and social qualities rather than as a food.

“This issue is about the future of our people. Not chickens,” Jindal said. “I’m from Louisiana. We think of the chicken first and foremost as an eating animal. I think this is a lot of squawking about nothing.”

PETA suggested a restaurant at the museum serving “heart-friendly and delicious faux-chicken nuggets and a gift shop that could provide free plush chickens for kids, with tags reading, ‘I am not a nugget!’

“Outside the museum, children could clamber through a preserved chicken-transport truck to experience how cramped and uncomfortable the trucks are,” PETA suggested. “The museum would also provide area residents with much-needed jobs that are not the high-risk and psychologically damaging jobs associated with slaughter operations.”

The PETA letter, signed by the group’s executive vice president Tracy Reiman, ended with a request to Jindal to “please contact me so that we can begin the planning process.”

David Perle, PETA’s senior communications coordinator, said the group understands that its suggestions will sometimes be ignored.

“In the end it’s all about bringing attention to it,” Perle said.

My Response:

PETA does tick me off. I am very BIG on animal rights and welfare. PETA constantly wastes their time and money pulling stunts and pitching ideas that are so far out there no one takes them seriously. It angers me cause if they weren’t so obsessed with shock value they might actually get some important things done to benefit animals!

I do not eat meat, but have nothing against people who do. I know the level of fear an animal faces prior to slaughter so I don’t feel right eating something that experiences that much fear before it dies. Because slaughter house workers (not all of them)have zero respect for animals and do not care about their pain or emotions.

PETA was right about one thing, Chickens are intelligent. I happen to have 10 pet chickens (9 hens, 1 rooster)They are very much like dogs and cats. They get excited when you come home and are happy to see you. They know their names, they recognize what is in a bag just based on the bags outer appearance…They also have a complex hierarchy in their flock. Chickens also form bonds with each other, dust bathe together and sleep together. I believe from observing their behavior that they may even feel love for each other.

Chickens are quick to startle and you would be too if you had predators waiting to attack you from both land and sky. Just respect all animals even if you eat them. There is no reason to be cruel to any living thing.