Some animal advocates are protesting the killing of two hens on CBS's Kid Nation last night. While I respect their concerns, I do not share them. We see kids eat chicken all the time on television, and it is no better for the animals if they are killed off-screen. While some people differentiate when animals are killed "for entertainment," given the wealth of information on the health of plant-based diets, and the ease of finding superb vegetarian protein sources, it could be argued that billions of animals are now killed every year mostly for entertainment -- to entertain human taste buds. I found the chicken killing scene distressing, but I hope that those across the country who shared my discomfort might make some adjustments in their eating habits. If they do, then overall the scene was good for the animals and also for the health of any people who trade their chicken nuggets for soy. (See http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/GM00SpringSummer/GM00SpSum2.html for more on chicken a
nd human health.)
With modern technology, those who missed the show on CBS can watch it on line at http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation and see how they feel about it.
Please post some pro-veggie messages on the site message board linked from that page. CBS needs to know that animal advocates are out there.
On a brighter and less controversial note, the season premiere of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, Thursday, September 27, had a wonderfully animal friendly subplot. After a multi car accident, a man arrives at the hospital delivering a human arm he has found on the road. His son charges in and begs yelling, "Help, help! We need a doctor's help! Dad, tell her she's hurt."
Doctor Isobel Stevens, or Izzie, sees blood on the boy's shirt and asks if he is hurt but the boy responds, "She is in our truck and she's not moving. Please, she is bleeding really bad."
Izzie says to her brand new interns who she has been hoping to impress (she has just become a resident and been put in charge of them)
"There's another crash victim. We are going to need gloves ... gauze....."
They run out to the truck, and one of the interns says "No way," as we see a deer in the back. The boy asks, "Is she dead?"
Izzie looks sad but explains to the boy, "Michael this is a hospital and I am a people doctor."
The boy pleads, "Can you save her?"
His father sternly says, "Michael."
And Izzie says, "Sorry, she's.."
One of the interns finishes the sentence with "road kill."
The boy, Michael, then squeals, "She opened her eyes, look, she's still alive."
Izzie is clearly upset. We see the dear raise her head and Izzie says,
"Oh God, don't look at me like that." Then she looks down at little Michael's pleading face and says, "Or like that."
Michael's dad says, "Michael, let's go back to the truck. C'mon."
But the boy keeps begging Izzie.
Izzie relents and says to her interns, "Alright. I am going to need..." (and she reels off a bunch of medical supplies). The intern who had called the deer 'road kill' looks like her jaw is going to hit the floor and the others look similarly shocked.
We next see Izzie poised over the deer with a stethoscope. She says,
"OK, we've got a 150lb female with lacerations on the chest and haunches, short fast breath. Any recommendations?"
One of the interns rolls her eyes.
The father says, "Doctor, Michael is a big boy -- he doesn't need you to perform make believe medicine. Right Michael?
Michael: "It's not make believe, she can help!"
Father to Izzie: "I apologize we are just wasting your time."
Intern: "No kidding."
Michael: "Please don't let her die."
Father: "Michael, it is a deer. We are going to take her home and skin her and freeze the meat, okay?"
Michael shrieks: "What? Why?"
Father: "Because that's what you do . You don't try and save them. You eat them."
Michael: "But the doctor could save her."
Father: "No she can't!"
Izzie: "You don't know that."
Father to Izzie: "My son needs to learn to grow up and face things."
Izzie to Father: "You're right! I am not helping him, I am helping Bambi. So ... I am starting an IV."
The boy thanks her and she nods. We then see her asking other doctors if they know anything about the anatomy of a deer.
Next, as Izzie works on the deer, the father asks his son:
"You like hamburgers don't you?"
Michael: "Yeah."
Father: "And spaghetti with meatballs, and lasagna."
Michael: Um hmm."
Father: "That's beef -- That's cow you're eating, son."
Michael: "What do you mean?"
Izzie: "Can we have the circle of life lesson later?"
They notice the deer's eyes are glassy, and Izzie tells one of her interns to get in and ventilate. Then she says, "We are losing her."
Father: "This is absolutely childish and ridiculous."
Izzie: "No it's not. It's not childish to hold onto hope, it's actually hard -- very, very hard. Your son just wants to believe that some things can work out for the best."
To her interns, Izzie says: "Give me the paddles."
Intern mutters: "What is she doing?"
Another responds, "Ensuring we never see the inside of an O.R. this year."
Izzie exclaims, "She is in defib -- I am going to shock! Charge at 300 and stand back. clear!"
They shock, and the deer stands up.
Izzie: "Oh my god, she's alive? It worked! She's ok, everything is going to be ok! Oh my God!"
We later see the deer being led off by animal control. Izzie is unapologetic to her interns, who would rather have spent the time elsewhere.
Izzie says, "I am the kind of doctor who lets a little boy convince her that she can do the impossible."
Please thank ABC for this heartwarming piece. An appreciative audience response to animal friendly stories will encourage more of them.
ABC takes comments at http://tinyurl.com/2szdx4 . Select "Grey's Anatomy" from the pull down menu.
I send a huge thank you to activist Judith Fish for making sure we knew about the episode. I remind people that I live on the West Coast, so if those of you on the East Coast see something animal friendly that will be heading West in a few hours, please let me know.
Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn
(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You may forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts if you do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this parenthesized tag line. If somebody forwards DawnWatch alerts to you, which you enjoy, please help the list grow by signing up. It is free.)
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Date: Fri Sep 28 18:00:09 2007
