Now for something serious...

If you are a vegetarian, you can disregard this post (and know that you are probably living a healthier and more ethical life than the rest of us).

If you are not, then I have a request for you.

Think about where your meat is coming from. If at all possible, avoid purchasing Tyson meats. Tyson is an example of all that is evil in capitalism - profit over the well-being of people.

Tyson's record on workplace injuries is disgraceful. One in four of its workers is injured in the work place. One in four! Meat-packaging is a dangerous job in this country. The pressure to work quickly under stressful conditions with little training make for a deadly cocktail. Yes, those are sharp objects that cut the meat from the carcass. They cut human flesh pretty well too. It is not a surprise that most Americans do not want to take that risk, especially for the low wages that are paid. So most of the workers are foreign, which adds another safety concern: language.

The sad thing is that it does not have to be that way. Other countries have much safer (and cleaner) meat-packaging factories. Greed pushes companies here to have the fastest production at the lowest cost.

Some of the workers at the Tyson plant in Wallula, Washington are unionized and are trying to fight for better working conditions. However, Tyson is resisting their actions and is even trying to decertify the union. I see it as institutional racism, since most of these workers are from Mexico. What is even more depressing is that Tyson seems to have a local Latino businessman in their pocket. This particular businessman is the publisher of the local Spanish newspaper and he has used the newspaper to slander the Union leaders (there is a lawsuit pending).

I am just trying to get the word out in what little way I can. So the next time you stop to buy some meat, think about the people who suffered, perhaps in more ways than one, so that you could purchase it. And think about the people who are profiting from that suffering.

There are alternatives. Eat less meat. Buy meats that are produced by small farms. Look for organic/pasture fed meats. I urge you to pursue these.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation.

And if you can, let Tyson know that you refuse to purchase their products until they treat their workers fairly and take an interest in their safety.

I wish I could be more eloquent, but my current state of health is impeding that. Nonetheless, this is something I wanted to get out.