1. Executive Order to Open Slaughterhouses - Comment
After intense lobbying from the meat industry, on Tuesday President Trump signed an executive order declaring slaughterhouses “critical infrastructure” that must continue production. By having the federal government both mandate that the slaughterhouses stay open and set standards for employee safety, this action protects the meat industry from lawsuits when workers become ill and die of COVID-19 infection. An industry that has no concern for the well-being of the countless animals it kills cannot be expected to have much concern for the workers it employs, and indeed slaughterhouse work has long had among the highest rates of injury.
However, the industry is concerned about lawsuits, which explains the closing of several large slaughterhouse plants when many workers got sick and some died. I strongly suspect that these closures were part of a strategy to put pressure on the federal government to generate an executive order that would shield them from lawsuits. As slaughterhouses closed, meat producers stood to lose massive amounts of money, and they joined the “meat packing” industry in pressuring the government for action.
2. “Planet of the Humans” Documentary Directed by Jeff Giggs
Mike Hudak, author of Western Turf Wars and other pieces on the impact of
animal agribusiness on the environment, alerted us to the new documentary
Planet of the Humans. He writes:
For the next few weeks the documentary will be available on YouTube for free
streaming or download. I encourage you to watch it if you have an interest
in such things as “sustainable energy,” Green New Deal, and the role of
large environmental organizations in these endeavors.
Much of what you may believe to be positive about some of the most respected
environmental leaders of our time—people such as Bill McKibben, Van Jones,
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Al Gore, and Sierra Club’s Executive Director Michael
Brune—is exposed as false.
The film is by Jeff Gibbs, who co-produced Michael Moore’s films “Fahrenheit
9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine.” Michael Moore, who served as Executive
Producer for Gibbs’s film, said:
“Planet of the Humans” dares to say what no one else will this Earth
Day—that we are losing the battle to stop climate change on planet earth
because we are following leaders who have taken us down the wrong
road—selling out the green movement to wealthy interests and corporate
America. This film is the wake-up call to the reality we are afraid to face:
that in the midst of a human-caused extinction event, the environmental
movement’s answer is to push for techno-fixes and band-aids. It's too
little, too late.
Removed from the debate is the only thing that MIGHT save us: getting a grip
on our out-of-control human presence and consumption. Why is this not THE
issue? Because that would be bad for profits, bad for business. Have we
environmentalists fallen for illusions, “green” illusions, that are anything
but green, because we’re scared that this is the end—and we’ve pinned all
our hopes on biomass, wind turbines, and electric cars?
This urgent, must-see movie, a full-frontal assault on our sacred cows, is
guaranteed to generate anger, debate, and, hopefully, a willingness to see
our survival in a new way—before it’s too late.
Here's the link to the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pXCftKF4uI
And the link to the documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE&feature=youtu.be
Comment: I think a lot of environmentalists are earnest in their concern for
the environment and their efforts to mitigate global climate change, but
this documentary makes a strong case that their attempts to enlist the
support of corporations significantly undermines their efforts. The film
argues that it is not realistic to hope that “alternative energy” sources
can permit human populations to climb and standards of living to grow.
A CVA member has forwarded a critique of this film. It notes that the film
focuses on problems with solar and wind energy that reflect the state of
these technologies more than a decade ago. Newer technologies are more
efficient and more “green.” The critique can be viewed at
https://ketanjoshi.co/2020/04/24/planet-of-the-humans-a-reheated-mess-of-lazy-old-myths/?fbclid=IwAR3A88cAFLhc5tfvhxsVvq64AOxWdoHWrtoqnpg5TKmxmGkv6t0Mf2AE_tQ
3. Justice, part 2: Theories about Heaven
Because we see so much obvious injustice in the world, many people
believe that the scales of justice will be righted in the afterlife. A
widely held belief among Christians is that those who deserved reward will
enjoy everlasting bliss in heaven, while those who deserve punishment will
get their comeuppance in hell. I see several difficulties with this theory.
In prior essays, I have discussed concerns about the lack of reliable
evidence for heaven and hell. For the sake of argument, let us assume that
these places exist. We know that the body decays after death, yet it is
difficult to imagine any notion of bliss or suffering that does not involve
the body. An extracorporeal “soul” separate from the body might enjoy the
presence or grieve the absence of God, but this concept posits a state of
mind that is very alien to typical human existence. Even a monk’s satisfying
contemplation of God likely evokes memories of pleasurable feelings, for
example a child’s sensations in the arms of the child’s parents.
If the experience of bliss in heaven and agony in hell were unlike any
experiences we have on earth, the notions of heaven and hell would lose
meaning. Even if someone returned from heaven or hell and could communicate
their experiences, it is very doubtful that we would understand.
Consequently, we would be unable to conceive of how heaven and hell might be
places where the scales of justice are restored
Next week, I will start to consider whether it is possible for reward in
heaven and suffering in hell can lead to justice that accords with a human
understanding of justice.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
4. All-Creatures.Org Ministry