David Cassuto
Halloween is my birthday. That fact alone likely would not merit the holiday’s mention here. I note it because only this year – some forty-odd years into my marking of the day– did I stop to consider what makes this holiday unusual. First, my son, Jesse, whose tastes seem to be rather typical for his age group, debated for weeks whether to dress up as Genghis Khan or as John Dillinger. Other candidates on the slate include the Grim Reaper and an assassin. This approach seems atypical of our cultural observances.
A second unique characteristic of Halloween lies with the fact that it does not revolve around the consumption of animals. Easter and Christmas require hams, Thanksgiving involves turkeys, Passover needs a sheep shank and chicken soup, and July 4th is about barbecue. The list goes on. American festivals are meal-based and animals pay a mortal price for our food-related revelry. Except, that is, during Halloween.
Filed under: animal ethics, factory farms | Tagged: animal abuse, animal advocacy, animal cruelty, animal ethics, animal rights, animal suffering, animal welfare, battery cages, factory farms, farmed animals, Halloween, industrial farming | 3 Comments »
It’s difficult to believe, but Animal Blawg just turned 1!! These last 12 months have been wonderful. Animal Blawg received only 5 or 6 hits per day during the first month or so. Slowly, but surely, the number of hits started increasing. I’m pleased to report that during the last month or so the Animal Blawg has received over 1,000 hits per day on several occasions. Our goal is to reach an even broader audience, but I believe this is a good start.
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A while back, the 
