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Animal Activists Get it Wrong: Farmers Are Not the Problem
The Australian state of New South Wales has introduced on-the-spot trespassing charges of $1,000 for each animal activist caught illegally entering private farmland. The penalties follow a series of recent demonstrations and instances of direct action staged by activists at private farms and slaughterhouses. There is apparently consideration of adding jail time and additional fines to the possible punishments. The NSW deputy leader has labeled those who engage in the prohibited activity as “domestic terrorists.”
In targeting farmers, animal activists have gotten it wrong. And I say this as an almost forty-year vegan who is a staunch advocate for animal rights.
The problem is not farmers. They fulfill a demand. The farmers would not be farming animals if there were not a demand for animal products.
The problem is not slaughterhouses. They fulfill a demand. There would be no slaughterhouses if there were not a demand for animal products. You can close ten slaughterhouses today and if the demand for animal products stays the same, ten new ones will open up tomorrow or ten existing ones will increase production capacity.
The problem is that most of us eat animals and animal products.
