Meat is...manslaughter?

I know I say this often; it's a great vegetarian catch phrase (though annoying, this I also know--but why is ALL of economics based on the price of meat anyway?): "Meat is Murder!" But when meat has literally killed people, am I so wrong to say that? I think not.

Most people are well aware of the nearly 22 million pounds of beef recalled in the United States in the last couple of weeks, and the some 30 people who've fallen ill with E. coli. Since August. Yes, August. Raise your hand if you know when Topps started recdalling its beef! Yes, that's right, Jimmy. Late September. After 30 odd people have come down with E. coli related illnesses. From eating the beef.

Many people are saying, "A whole month to recall? That's ridiculous! Something fishy is going on here!" I disagree--it's something very very beefy, obviously. But in the past decade, think of all of the beef that has been recalled. More than I'd like to think of, and not just because I go a little squeamish at the sight of meat; I haven't ALWAYS been vegetarian, you know.

What's really wonderful, I think, is that this so magically coincides with the Made in China toy recall because of lead contamination. Is the US relying too heavily on Corporate Responsibility to keep products safe and...I don't know, bacteria free? I think we're relying too much on what I like to ironically call American Justice (McDonald's made me fat because I ate twenty meals a day there every day!) and the FDA.

In light of this theory, I'd like to bring up the Number One Theory of Economics. If you want more of one thing you have to give up something else. If we want more military funding, we have to give up some of ALL of our domestic programs. Like FDA research funding. Like restrictions or guidelines for foreign manufacturers--the goverment needs the consumer spending, no strings attached, because we're facing a MASSIVE deficit. Trillions of dollars massive, with a compounded Extremely Weak US Dollar.

So what do we do about this meat recall? We can't ask the government to stretch the already overworked budget any further. We can't ask Topps to figure something out; the company has been effectively erased from existence because of the immense monetary repercussions of the meat recall and lawsuits from families affected by the contaminated beef.

I think the real question here is, Is Meat Fighting Back?

Look at Mad Cow in the early nineties. I remember that. And again in the mid-nineties. Contaminated poultry. Dog food, made with low grade slaughter scraps. And just remember that gelatin is derived from animal tissue. Recall after recall of the Meat We Most Eat.

It's silly to say that meat is literally fighting back. Don't expect to try biting into a burger and ending up getting socked in the teeth instead. That's absurd. But statistically, more emphasis on vegetable based diets can only do us good. Plants are cheaper to process than meat, requiring significantly less energy. On the whole, less meat and more plants will lower cholesterol and overall risk of heart disease. It promotes digestive health because of the high fiber content.

An America that thinks a month to recall bad beef is insane and irresponsible should really consider this: is there any better time to try being vegetarian? Would the problem be more manageable if we took control of our lifestyles and as consumers refuse to buy the sorts of things that will more than likely kill us faster? I think so.

I say, down with corporate responsibility. I say, give the FDA a break. I say, it's time for Americans to take our lives into our own hands and make responsible dietary choices. Like the FDA has been advising for years. Do we need more studies to tell us what we already know, that high meat, low vegetable diets shorten life expectancies andput some serious strain on the heart? I don't think so.

Stop letting meat kill the people you love.

Stop letting meat kill those cute fuzzy things you could keep as pets. (I helped raise a black angus calf once--his name was Bo and he was adorable!)

Buy and eat responsibly. Save money--try eating one meal a day with NO meat products. Think about it. Is a twenty two million pound recall in a single week the America YOU want to be a part of?