people were trying to find out who
I was. You see, I seem to have created
a bit of a stink when I went up against
the mighty Tyson. But then, stirring
things up is fun, especially when you are
in the right.
It all started one day in January,
2003 with a little email to PETA
(People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals). You see, when I worked
at Tyson conditions were so bad that
I felt it necessary to stand up and do s
omething about it. Nobody seemed to
be interested in the workers, so I
decided to see if anyone cared about
the chickens. Boy, did they!!!
My wife had worked with PETA before
years ago and knew that they would
indeed care, but we had no idea how
much. We are a big part of the campaign
against KFC to have them put pressure
on Tyson to change their ways. They
do indeed need changing.
Did you know that every time you
eat a bucket of "extra crispy" that
you are supporting torture and abuse?
My wife didn't know until the day we
wrote the first email. What I have
seen was horrible enough that we had
quit eating chicken. When we researched
a bit we found out that the poultry
business is no worse than any other part
of factory farming. Now we don't eat
any meat at all. We also spend a part
of each day in the fight against factory
farming.
We are healthier and happier. I'm also
able to compensate some for my
participation in this industry for so
many years. Through my actions I
believe I have done some good and
opened some eyes, but it has not been
easy.
I live in a small town in Arkansas.
Tyson is big business here. They are
a big part of the economy. I have many
friends and family who work there. I
started catching chickens myself when
I was just a teen-ager. After I got out
of the Army I went back to Tyson for
a job because, hey, there is not much
else around here that pays decently
and has benefits.
I worked in the part of the plant referred
to as back dock doing "live-hang." This
is where workers take the chickens off
a conveyor belt and hang the chickens
upside down with their legs in metal
shackles. They go from there to a killing
room where there is a machine that is
supposed to stun them, then on to
another that slits their throats, and on
down the line.
Doesn't sound TOO bad, BUT.....
1) These birds go by at 182 shackles
per minute.
2) Not all the birds get hung properly.
Some of them only get hung by one leg
(referred to as one-leggers). These
have to be pulled down, severing the leg
and leaving the bird to die a long,
painful death.
3) Not all of them get stunned properly.
Some of them get hit in the wrong place,
which usually causes point #4.
4) Not all of them get their throats
slit properly. When this happens they
go into the scalder alive. It is not pretty.
5) Many of the employees do absolutely
cruel things to the birds, especially when
they are having a hard day/night. One
guy even blew up chickens with dry ice bombs!
If you want to read the whole statement
that started all this go here