I had attempted to watch this documentary before...but only managed to get through about 20 minutes, this time I painfully watched the entire film. It was ugly, disturbing, and...brutally honest. I had seen the link to the movie on a Vegan forum and it had awesome reviews. It's called Earthlings. Really, the most important movie you will watch! I have seen other documentaries about the food industry, Food Inc., Forks Over Knives, but this movie was unbelievable, heartbreaking, and so so sad.
It starts with Pets, mostly unwanted ones, puppy mills, and shelters. I am a pet owner and love my dogs like they are my kids! I enjoy their company, I snuggle with them, I seek comfort from them, they are part of my family. I couldn't imagine hurting them, giving them away, or dumping them on the side of the road and leaving them to die!!! The movie reveals some very disturbing behaviors humans will do...throw a stray dog into a dumb truck to be crushed, euthanize hundreds of dogs because some selfish person decided they didn't want them anymore :( The images were real and horrifying, so intense I began to cry.
The film moves on to the food industry, meat & dairy. I don't eat meat or dairy anymore, but I never thought about where my cheese or chicken came from when I did. I never gave it much thought until I began researching organic foods and plantbased diets. This is the most graphic and horrible part of the movie, not only the way we treat our food supply, but also the behaviors of the employees in these factories. I think the moment we begin slaughtering animals in such masses, and so brutally, we become desensitized & mentally ill, and no longer see animals as actual living, breathing beings. The amount of meat produced in this country is out of control, we are destroying our land, creating illness and disease, and being extremely inhumane! Next time you go to the store, think about where your meat came from, the horrifying process, and the filth it lived in, and the disease it caused...do you still want to eat it???
The film sadly continues to expose the whaling and dolphin industry, mainly in Japan. Images one can only bare to watch for a few minutes without getting sick. I didn't know this was happening, I had always considered these amazing animals something pretty incredible, not anything we would harm, and definitely not food! Earthlings then goes on to expose fur farms, the circus, zoo, and animal testing. Very disturbing images of animals getting their fur removed while they are still alive, monkeys being used to simulate head injuries, and it goes on and on. I cried through the entire movie.
Is this just one of those "shock factor" movies made to make us feel bad or scared? Some might say it only exposes the bad and doesn't show the good, like local beef farms, or no-kill shelters. It is shocking, only because this is reality and it is the majority! I bet 90% of Americans DO NOT purchase local farm-raised meat, or local raw milk from the dairy farm. We get these items from a HUGE grocery store, and they get them from industrial meat/dairy factories. We don't care or question the quality of the food, the living conditions, the horrible of work conditions, and the disease and illness these foods have caused...not to mention the stress put on the environment. It is easier not to ask questions because we know the answers would make us angry.
I want to know, I want to teach my child the truth, I want to stop this madness, I DON'T believe that ignorance is bliss. Ignorance equals health issues, disease, pollution, destruction, and a horrifying future for our kids and grand kids. Selfish? Yes we have become a selfish and greedy specie, where we ONLY think of ourselves. The problem here is that as we live these lavish, over fed, yet empty lives, and karma is already winning. This lifestyle has created more problems, more illness, more death, more addiction, and more mental disorders than ever...KARMA!! So maybe this selfish behavior is proving to be destructive, and change is needed now more than ever. When we start opening our eyes to the devastation we have created and are supporting, we can begin making changes, but as long as we keep our eyes and minds closed and turn the other cheek we will continue down this path.
You decide...but your decision will effect me and my family, so please don't be selfish!
Everybody needs to watch this film!!!!!
http://earthlings.com/?page_id=32
