How Sick Do We Have To Be...

On Friday, the Agriculture Secretary Edward Schafer, resists banning downer cattle. What does this mean? It means that unless they can prove that the cattle were ill, they are fine for the American people to eat. This was all brought on by the video that the Humane Society of the United States had that showed downer cows being pushed and dragged by forklifts, abused by employees, and being picked up so they could pass the inspection to be slaughtered for your food. The best part came from Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa):

"Listen, Mr. Secretary," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, cutting him off, "the fact is that we don't know if the animals portrayed in this video were sick or not. Unless you can inform me differently, the fact is we don't know. ... We're faced with the possibility that people could become sick."

(via Nation & World)

He's correct, we don't know and how dare our government (the Department of Ag), the people that are supposed to be looking out for me and you, tell us that animals that are, by law, supposed to be humanely euthanized are good enough for me to eat. Does he remember that this was the biggest meat recall in our history? Why would you want to take a chance?