USA: Traditional Thanksgiving: Where the “Sacred” and the Profane Intersect.

Turkeys being transported in freezing temperatures from Des Moines, Iowa to the Sara Lee slaughter plant
This photo shows turkeys being transported in freezing temperatures from Des Moines, Iowa, to the Sara Lee slaughter plant in Storm Lake, Iowa. Though this photo was taken in 2007, the exact same conditions prevail in 2021 for turkeys in the Midwest. After their long, hellish ride through ice and snow, the truck pulls into a gigantic steaming Inferno where the birds are slowly tortured to death.

REFERENCES (1) Mariana Alfaro, Nov. 19, 2021. In Thanksgiving tradition, Biden grants presidential pardon to turkeysThe Washington Post, Nov. 19, 2021. (2) Margaret Visser, 1991-1992. The Rituals of Dinner. New York: Penguin. (3) Eric Hobsbawn and Terence Ranger, eds. 1983. The Invention of Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.   KAREN DAVIS, PhD is the President and Founder of United Poultry Concerns, a nonprofit organization that promotes the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl including a sanctuary for chickens in Virginia.

Inducted into the National Animal Rights Hall of Fame for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Liberation, Karen is the author of numerous books, essays, articles and campaigns. Her latest book is FOR THE BIRDS: From Exploitation to Liberation: Essays on Chickens, Turkeys, and Other Domesticated Fowl (Lantern Publishing & Media).

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Regards Mark



2 thoughts on “USA: Traditional Thanksgiving: Where the “Sacred” and the Profane Intersect.”

  1. Thank you for publishing my article about the role of the “Thanksgiving” turkey in gratifying conventional society’s taste for the slaughter of animals in order to “properly” celebrate the holiday. Hopefully, our preference for animal-free feasts is growing year by year, day by day. — Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns.

    “Don’t Gobble Me!” – Turkeys United International

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