What's interesting to me about this story isn't so much Sarah Palin as the nature of the coverage it's getting.

Yesterday on Countdown, David Shuster was all, "We have to warn you, this is incredibly graphic and disturbing, so get the kids out of the room, etc." but somehow even in all that there's not even the hint of a recognition that it's disturbing beyond this particular incident ... that it's, like, monumentally disturbing on a massive f***ing scale.

According to some reports I've read, Sarah Palin knew that this was happening in the background but didn't care. Which is at least more ethically consistent than all these reporters who recognize that it's scary and gross and weird but can't take the logic that tiny but oh-so-important step further.

Posted by: Jack | November 21, 2008 10:32 AM

I almost feel sorry for her. Almost.

It would be bad enough for her to have conducted the interview in front of this at any time but she had JUST "pardonned" a turkey, then she starts waffling about her son in Iraq etc.

She is just a walking disaster.

Those poor turkeys. But it's true that nobody who actually eats turkey should be under any illusion about this

Posted by: Bill | November 21, 2008 10:46 AM

Someone needs to help them!!! She needs help!!! She's a witch in someone eles's shell!! And the piece of crap in the back ground is a piece of poop with arms!! Sarah I will help you... GET THE H*** OFF THIS PLANET!!!

Posted by: Carla | November 21, 2008 11:03 AM

Sarah Palin is a disgusting human being and a disgrace to women......first, we know that she had NO feelings involved for the Pardon - it was a media event. Second, maybe she raises her kids to see nothing wrong with killing but that is not the way the rest of the country lives.

It probably raised great awareness.......but oh my.... I think I am getting too old for this.....

And then the elephant just rescued who is 2000 lbs underweight.......

Posted by: Ruth Cummings | November 21, 2008 11:25 AM

This bitch is evil! Even if she doesnt care, would it be so hard for her to turn her damn back so we didnt have to see this! I cannot believe this!

Posted by: Nesha | November 21, 2008 11:28 AM

In our culture (of generations of vegetarians) we believe that our sins from this life will haunt us during our next lives. Which means the people in slaughter houses that treat those poor creatures the way the do will suffer the same fate in their next lives. We cannot prove or disprove that but do we want the remotest possibility of becoming those animals in any life?

People realize that human beings need to be trated with respect and not like"animals". They have life and intelligence too; just because they cannot talk back to us, we assume we can treat them any way we wish. Shame on us!

Posted by: Nina | November 21, 2008 11:55 AM

If more "ordinary folks" had to kill their "meat" before eating, there would be a whole lot more vegetarians. Why can't we get more to understand that we don't need meat....and all the downside that's associated with it?

Posted by: Colionne | November 21, 2008 12:10 PM

Exactly the kind of cluelessness you'd expect from this worthless, jesus-freak, piece of trash. But personally, I'd rather have my head chopped off than ever be "pardoned" by that skank.

Posted by: Lars | November 21, 2008 12:17 PM

Prolife she is NOT! Apathetic and cold she is.

Posted by: Eric S. | November 21, 2008 12:40 PM

I am not a big fan of the taste of turkey but after watching this video, I don't think I will even take a tiny piece this year from the Thanksgiving table. I have pretty much lost my appetite for all things poultry.

Posted by: Nikki | November 21, 2008 12:40 PM

Uh Carla, Animals on this planet are eaten everyday, and a lot of them are eaten by other animals too, just a fact of life, if you can't except this than maybe you should get off the planet, because Vegetarians and Vegans are a very small percentage of the population, and do not represent the average person, especially in places where people don't care what they eat because food is scarce, so any food they can get their hands on, animal or otherwise, will be eaten.

Posted by: Chris | November 21, 2008 01:02 PM

The thing that really sticks in my craw about this footage is that the asshole waited to put the animal out of its misery until Carribou Barbie stopped her yapping. So it had to stay upside down for over three minutes waiting to die.

Although I have to give this she devil credit for practicing what she preaches while the rest of America hides their eyes from the truth. You're eating something that had a really crappy life and a horrifying death.

Posted by: doodles | November 21, 2008 01:30 PM

Thank you, Obnoxious Woman, you've done more for vegetarianism thaan all of my pleading to my carnivore friends . Maybe PETA will make you Honorary Member of their great club

Posted by: Michele Mooney | November 21, 2008 01:34 PM

You know I am familiar with SMALL town farms and some of their slaughtering processes. USUALLY the heads are chopped off THEN brought to the cylinders to drain the blood but this victim is STILL alive when brought to the drainer and I can't make out exactly WHAT is happening, is the executioner cutting his head off or just slitting its throat after pulling the head through the cylinder end? VERY ODD. Can anyone ENLIGHTEN me?

Though this is NO where NEAR the DISASTROUS brutal murder the corp farms inflict but if turkeys ARE to be killed, chopping off the head with a VERY SHARP edged hatchet in ONE quick stroke IS the MOST humane process possible but I can NOT make out in the video just exactly WHAT it IS that he is doing to kill it, NEVER seen it done THIS way...EVER!

I LOVE the beautiful birds, I don't partake in eating the mascot at Thanksgiving (DON'T eat anything that previously had a face, heart and soul) but the 'programmed' majority (KEEPING UP with the Jones's) MUST keep up with holiday tradition (a but hypocritical in MY eyes) of eating from death but IF the slaughter must PREVAIL then only the PROPER (QUICK painless kill) process should take place.

I'm NOT pleased with what I witnessed as there were NOT a mass to be killed at one time yet the turkey seemed to be struggling for a while so death was NOT instant (SLOPPY kill) and THAT is the UNPARDONABLE crime! Same goes for PALIN, an UNPARDONABLE crime! A COMPLETE JOKE! Thee most IGNORANT and so OUT OF TOUCH, COLD hearted bitch whose words she speaks ARE WRITTEN for her, a MASTER reciter and Carla is SO RIGHT, she is EMPTY headed and VERY shallow with absolutely NO respect for life whatsoever. Absolutely NOTHING genuine about THIS governor who sold her OWN state out via GREED.

Peace, Love & Truth

HEY HELP US OUT HERE...
Support Our Freedom &
Join The Resisters!

www.grassfire.org/home.shtm

http://restoretherepublic.net/GreenEyes

http://endthefed.us

We NEED you!!!

Posted by: Shari | November 21, 2008 01:46 PM

I direct this quote to Sarah Palin: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated"
Mahatma Gandhi

Posted by: Pamela L. | November 21, 2008 01:55 PM

Doesn't pardon mean to excuse? Yea it looks like she failed. But at least from what I can tell the turkeys look healthy, but when that man was killing them I noticed the thing shaking. Made me sick, I'm glad I hate eating turkey. TOO DRY! Plus it breaks my heart to see these animals or any tortured.

Posted by: Denise | November 21, 2008 02:09 PM

As usual, she resides on a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLANET than the rest of us.

Evil, evil woman.

Posted by: Canaduck | November 21, 2008 02:19 PM

Wow... And I thought she couldn't go any lower in my book. This is just disgusting.

Posted by: Monika | November 21, 2008 02:20 PM

Palin is a psycho! Talking about how she'll be in charge of the turkey this year, as if it's not gonna be one of those turkeys in the background struggling against its death. She acts like it's no big deal, smiling and talking aout how much fun she's having, as the animals are being slaughtered, I f*cking hate her red neck hillbilly ass

Posted by: stray | November 21, 2008 02:35 PM

I'm a vet tech and this morning at staff meeting I told all my co-workers about this (many of them are veg), saying "Sarah Palin did more for PETA in 5 minutes than any other political figure EVER." At least there's that.

Posted by: yawning_greyhound | November 21, 2008 03:17 PM

Incidentally, yesterday I heard on MSNBC that her response to the person pointing out what was going on behind here was "No worries!"

sigh.

Posted by: yawning_greyhound | November 21, 2008 03:18 PM

Palin is neither bright nor compassionate. What a winning combination---NOT!!! Need to get her out of office.....this animal killing machine knows no boundaries.

www.grassfire.org
www.defendersofwildlife.org

Posted by: Ana | November 21, 2008 03:42 PM

I can't stand This poor excuse of a woman,something is missing in her gene pool. After reading the "Sarah Palin's Sleazy Safari" article at Alternet.com, I was shocked at how pro-hunting, anti-animal rights, & anti-environment this horrible person is. She threatened to sue the EPA & Bush administration if they classified polar bears as an endangered species! Why, to protect the polar bear hunting season. Read this article, it's an eye opener how her & her fellow Republicans fight against all animal's rights to live a cruelty free life. I mean she speaks at the 'safari club' you know where they participate in the sickest type of hunts known to god and man, 'canned or trophy hunts'. And that's just fine by Safari Sarah to hunt animals in a closed, fenced in environment where they are raised by humans, have no fear odf them, then are blasted into oblivion by humans they've come to trust.

Posted by: Jazmin | November 21, 2008 03:43 PM

"I'll be in charge of the turkey."

I find it hard to believe that she can find the thought of eating a turkey appetizing after standing in front of a slaughter house.

Posted by: Becca | November 21, 2008 04:01 PM

I don't understand what she did wrong. I understand that it was probably a little tacky and inappropiate for the worker to be doing his job in the back ground. She probably used bad judgement to let that be in the shot.
But I don't know why so many of you are calling her evil and psycho. She is a hunter, she was raised eating meat.
What makes her any different than 98% of Americans who aren't vegan. Are we all evil?

Posted by: Kurt K | November 21, 2008 04:12 PM

Sarah Palin is not only not bright or compassionate, she's thoughtless about the sensitivities of countless Alaskan families who probably were sitting down to dinner with their young innocent children, taking time to watch the early evening 6 PM news so that they could have "family time" later.

Imagine how the parents felt when the kids asked, "what's she doing now, Dad? Why is that bird upside down?"

And yes, Palin knew exactly what was going on, despite the kool-aid defenses thrown up by her avid supporters over at TeamSarah.org. The cameraman (or perhaps it was the producer of the interview segment) specifically asked her if this is the angle she wanted for the interview, and she answered in the affirmative, as noted by others above.

What a crass attention-seeking idiot this woman is.

Posted by: Karen | November 21, 2008 04:18 PM

I cannot watch the video you are all commenting on. I tried, but had to turn it off. Just knowing about it has made me feel horrible all day. I am disgusted with the apathy and disconnect that goes into the horrible treatment of animals. Here is an Albert Schweitzer quote that is very fitting for this time of year: "The thinking man must oppose all cruel customs no matter how deeply rooted in tradition or surrounded by a halo."

Posted by: Stacy | November 21, 2008 04:40 PM

Kurt K: That is the first intelligent comment I've heard you make--yes, you are ALL evil.

Posted by: antigone1000 | November 21, 2008 05:18 PM

I am so upset about this. This is the most horrific and sad thing I have ever seen. I am so angry, I don't know what to do. I wish more than anything in the world this animal brutality and cruelness would be outlawed and stopped. People are the most selfish and hateful of all animals. I am so ashamed of the human race. Lord have mercy on all God's creation, especially his beloved animals.

Posted by: Lynda | November 21, 2008 05:20 PM

Everything with her is all about her and is always totally self-centered. That is how she always comes across. That is why she has no care about the suffering of her victims. Because everything, and any view on anything, is just all about her. "I like this! This is fun! We're gonna win! I'm going to do the turkey! I like to hunt! I wink at people! I..." This is why she is so alarming as a candidate. Awful.

But the media is so frustrating because they know that what is done to animals is horrible, and evidence this by rarely mentioning it, let alone showing the public. That's right, it is so terrible so instead of being against it and exposing it and becoming vegetarians, lets cover it up.

You know what, let's get Sarah Palin to stupidly go all over the place to all kinds of hellish places and yap her mouth so we can show what is actually going on, and she can say how fun it is to be there and at least then we could show those in the public who might care what is really going on!

Yeah, offer her trips places all buddy-buddy, like, Hey, Sarah come visit this fur farm and this vivisection room and this hellhole and tell us about all your great ideas! It'll be fun!

She is like a facade, behind which is torture and murder.

Posted by: she is awful | November 21, 2008 05:55 PM

I'm picturing a cartoon where a turkey is talking and in the background, a Sarah Palin character is held upside down and her throat cut to bleed out as she struggles there being held by some dumb jerk, and the turkey is saying, "I'll be in charge of the Sarah Palin!" Yeah, if Peta had the nerve....

Posted by: she is awful | November 21, 2008 06:08 PM

There is no logic to soundbites. There is no logic to the american political scene and/or the greedy consumerist nightmare that is loosely called the american dream. Sarah Palin is a disgusting human being as is the turkey slaughterer in the background. and that cup of coffee in her hand coupled with the stupid questions/answers says it all. Dumb.

Posted by: vegancoin | November 21, 2008 06:43 PM

Sara Palin is the most ignorant person I have ever seen in my life.

If there is Karma, she will come back as either a wolf who is chased by helicopters and shot or a Turkey at a slaughter house.

SARA = SCUM

Posted by: Cynthia Smith | November 21, 2008 06:59 PM

This video is horrible! That heartless witch is trying to get publicity while animals are being killed behind her. That guy in the back looks like pure evil. Thanksgiving is a disgrace- all it is to most people is a day of killing. I am so tired of hearing about "turkey day". People need to open their eyes to the truth.
Nikki- get a grip on reality. Vegetarians & vegans do represent the average person. We are growing in numbers every day, and I don't know know any animals that torture other animals like humans do before they eat them. There is no excuse for eating meat!

Posted by: kathleen w. | November 21, 2008 07:44 PM

I won't be eating turkey for Thanksgiving this year. Thanks Palin. How in the heck did you become governor of Alaska. Must not be much competition. And to think you're pro-life.

Posted by: Neal Norvell | November 21, 2008 08:02 PM

Most of us grow up eating animal flesh.Unless you live on a farm and see slaughtering first hand, all you know about the animal you're consuming is the nice packaged product brought home from the grocery store.
I was an omnivore until the age of fifty six.I was watching a documentery film titled "Brother's Keeper". Toward the end of the film there was a particular brutal botched slaughter of a pig. My stomach knotted and I felt so sad for the poor animal. I have not eaten meat of anykind since. Seeing the Palin turkey video just made me ill all over again.
If people must continue to eat their fellow creatures, can't a humane method of killing be used? Why must the poor animal suffer and struggle while it is being put down? Why?

Posted by: Timothy Hobbs | November 21, 2008 08:14 PM

I was going to have turkey this Thanksgiving until I saw this video! I am going to Whole Foods and buying the "Tofurky Feast" for me and my family! I never really thought about all of the killing until I see it with my own eyes!

Posted by: Tiffany | November 21, 2008 08:18 PM

Too many people have been brainwashed into thinking that meat just magically appears in the store. At least Palin and those who grow or hunt their own meat are realists. I've raised livestock for food and hunted for my meat. Its much more work, but its worth it. My kids (and I) have a much better appreciation for the animals that we eat as a result.

Posted by: Jay | November 21, 2008 09:12 PM

I am so sad and furious about this treatment of turkeys and all animals. I think it should be outlawed to treat them like this and to kill them in such a horrific manner. I am so upset and I want to do something to stop this. God Bless the turkeys and all of his fur kids. I know that as I grieve in my heart and soul for these angels that the Holy Spirit is grieving deeply and loudly. How could anyone do that to any animal. I am ashamed of the human race that we allow such a barbaric and hateful crime to come upon our animals. I am Republican because I am ProLife and that means all lives. I am changing to Independent as these are no friends of mine. I am vegetarian because I love animals and would never want one to suffer for my selfish wants or desires. No More! We have to stop this barbaric animal cruelty. I think the man who wasn on the camera should be charged with animal cruelty. I will never forget the way he smiled. Satan incarnate. Lord have mercy on the innocent, helpless victims...the animals. Please God, make it stop. Lynda

Posted by: lynda | November 21, 2008 09:20 PM

I just wrote a letter to the editor of the Roanoke Times in VA describing how factory farmed turkeys are kept and killed. If you write one to your paper too, then maybe we can change the minds (and hearts) of two or three people.... (or hopefully more!!!)

Posted by: Brad | November 21, 2008 10:06 PM

"At least this is fun" Fun? what fun? Murder and brutality in the background and she finds that fun? What a sadist bitch.

Posted by: Nefarity | November 21, 2008 10:58 PM

Warning, I am not a fan of peta, or animal rights. No gory detials in this comment

people in Alaska aren't people in New York. They don't life upstairs to their business, they don't go and take the subway. They don't care either

Alaskians have been known to a a traditional people, and live on the land to live on. They hunt, it what the Aluetians did when they first came there. It is what the one today do.

They don't care to go down in dirty. What do you think they do, push papers?

I understand, PETA fans, that ou love animals, and I respect that. But some people don't mind as much, and some are not ready to let go of the traditions that they have carried since the first Americans came to Alaska. Palin is used to it, its is normal day life. Hey governership is not bad, she understands and suits the needs of Alaskans. She may not be suited for national office, but she is suited for Alaska. And respect their ways.

Posted by: Dragon X | November 21, 2008 11:22 PM

Did she really say "this was fun being here today"? It was obvious when you watch the video that she knew exactly what was going on in the background. This will be my first year as a vegetarian at Thanksgiving. Watching this video makes me realize I made the right choice. Bring on the Tofurkey!

Posted by: Margie Quirk | November 22, 2008 12:07 AM

It was very hard to watch this video, but I disagree with most of the people posting when they are demonizing Sarah Palin. I'm glad this footage was caught on video because now people cannot pretend to be ignorant on how awful farm animals are treated.

Why is everyone blaming Sarah Palin though? Why is she more evil than Barack Obama, who ordered a corned beef sandwich at lunch today? I am not a fan of Sarah Palin, but it doesn't make sense to me to blame one person when the vast majority of Americans eat meat.

Response to Karen - I know it is sad for kids to see something like this, but shouldn't they learn the truth? I'm not going to let my kids go to the circus just because its too hard to explain to them that the animals are tortured behind the scenes.

I think Sarah just helped a few families decide to forgo the turkey this year, and that is what I'm choosing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Posted by: Melissa | November 22, 2008 12:30 AM

I am only writing this here, because anywhere else, I would be chastised.

I watched this video, actually I "made" myself. I have this belief, that seeing things that make me ache will make me strong enough to change the world I live in. After I watched it, I sobbed for 20 minutes after wards.

Watching that, not to be dramatic, was like watching a human being be cut and hung to bleed to death. I'm not saying it IS the same thing, I'm saying it makes me FEEL the same.
I truly hate some human beings.

How can we be so disconnected, that we could do that to living, feeling beings?

The truth of it is, survival has nothing to do with it. Human beings can live without meat. Actually, human beings live longer, and healthier without it. Every nutrient we think we "need" from meat, we can get from a vegetable, fruit, or grain. Eating meat, is for the enjoyment of it only, not necessity.

The more of this pain we ingest, the more it becomes a part of us.

The more emotionless, cruel acts I see towards the creatures we were created to protect, the more I fear our fate.

Posted by: Lora | November 22, 2008 12:41 AM

Somewhere in Alaska a village has it's idiot.

Posted by: David | November 22, 2008 12:46 AM

That ''intellect/compassion handicaped'' train wreck does it again...but this time she is promoting animal rights without even knowing it...many people still think that death in slaughterhouses are quick and painless. This video sure makes people talk , but it is also letting them know the reality behind their plate...and that is a good thing (although it is truly awful and sad).

Palin's blankness is weird (she's like an ''evil femme robot'' from a bad sci-fi b- movie)

Posted by: Stephane LeClair | November 22, 2008 02:30 AM

As other people have commented, I wasn't surprised by this - this women has no compassion or intelligence! I also think this heartbreaking video has been an eye opener for many people. I used to love turkey (I don't eat red meat) but I can tell you from now on no meat of any kind will be on my plate again - all I have to do is think of this video. Thanks Sarah you've helped me take that final step to becoming a vegetarian. So you have been good for something!!!!

Posted by: kathy stirrat | November 22, 2008 08:01 AM

I think she knew exactly what was going on behind her. Why would she be standing there! Its sick, sad for the turkeys to be put on tv for this cruelty act. I cry for the animals. She knows. Damn her.

Posted by: marianne | November 22, 2008 09:27 AM

I have to say, as horrible as this sounds, that I was expecting worse. A friend of mine told me that they were feeding turkeys into a grinder "Fargo" style. When I saw it, I did see some struggle, but I hope I go so quietly. I promise that the bird would not have met such a humane end if it got caught by a coyote in the wild. I agree that most people should know what goes on in killing these animals. I look at it this way, we are programmed to be omnivorous and if your heart is able to overlook that programming then great, if not, strive to put pressure on the industry to make sure they are humane. Look at all the struggle that companies have had go through to greenwash after this summer's go green fad. All it takes is the right kind of pressure. I myself will continue to eat turkey.

Posted by: Scott | November 22, 2008 11:07 AM

About 2 months ago, I saw a horrific video on the inhumane slaughter of animals for the purpose of fur coats. Since then, I have become a vegetarian. I am proud to be a huge rice and beans eater now. Sarah Palin is the most monstorous person alive at this moment. She is ignorant, stupid, inhumane, and just a plain dumb ass. I cried last night when I saw that video on TV. But what was shown, will hopefully help to destroy the turkey business this Thanksgiving. I don't know how anyone watching will be happily eating Turkey this holiday season. I feel Palin did a justice to this slaughtering act, and actually ruined it for alot of businesses. People I am quite sure were unaware of how these turkeys get from the farm to their tables and lot of people will have this impacted in their brains now. Thanks Palin for your stupidity, fore, it has educated alot of people!

Posted by: Sandy | November 22, 2008 11:17 AM

???? Turkey pardon?? While turkeys are being killed right behind her? And then she talk about going home and being "in charge of cooking the turkey."?" Plus, she's still giving THE SPEECH. What did the RNC do, implant a microchip into her brain? What a brainless twit.

Posted by: janna harriss | November 22, 2008 11:45 AM

Animals that are bred for human consumption, should not be mistreated in any way, especially at the time of their slaughter. These poor animals are clueless as to what their fate in life will be, and to face death the way those poor turkeys are...is a sin and a sacrilege. I feel the person who is slaughtering that poor turkey, by putting his head in a grinder alive should have this happen to him...as for Palin, she is an insensitive cold hearted disgrace to women...I know from this point on, I will never eat turkey again...

Posted by: Louise | November 22, 2008 12:38 PM

how the hell is this dumb whore pro-life?!

Posted by: heather | November 22, 2008 03:50 PM

Yes, this absolutely horrible, but we must not allow misogynistic bigotry to inject itself in discussion (e.g., use of slurs like "bitch" and "skank," not to mention "she devil"). My God people, there's no need to demonize a gender just because Sarah Palin happens to have been born a girl. I hated Alberto Gonzalez and yet I didn't use racial slurs against the man.

Again, the only good that can come of this is that people are finally forced to deal with the brutal reality that is having meat as dinner. This is disturbing video but something more Americans should see.

Posted by: Jackson | November 22, 2008 04:01 PM

Being a smart and compassionate human being (I am vegan, after all), I tend to pity stupid people like her. I would except she hunts...and she wears fur...and she eats meat...and she's a Republican!!!

Posted by: Rain Mashlan | November 22, 2008 04:05 PM

Shari- this turkey is most likely being killed by being placed in the cone (for restraint), and having its throat slit (just under the beak.) This is a very common slaughter method for small farmers and homesteaders.

Posted by: Circe | November 22, 2008 04:28 PM

Well done Sarah Palin. How horrible can this woman get?! Thank goodness I'm Canadian, I couldn't stand to be in America or American like her and people who are like her, who think hunting and wolf-shooting is ok.

Posted by: Aneliese | November 22, 2008 04:45 PM

She's "happy to be invited to participate in this." (in her nice pretty city girl clothes sipping her latte).

Eww. But I guess that's an "average person" of the economically powerful first world seeing nothing wrong with the slaughter of animals for TASTE PREFERENCE, not pressing nutritional needs due to limited food/distribution/access etc. Vegans and vegetarians may be a small part of the population at present, but so were abolitionists at one time.

Sorry, but I'm choosing to evolve further toward a compassionate world for all of us critters and eating the vegan option this Thursday. I reject the apathy, the disconnect and the pre-packaged fake holiday consumerism.

Posted by: Jenn | November 22, 2008 05:21 PM

To the poster that couldn't figure out how the turkey was murdered. The man shoves the turkey in the killing funnel. Then slits it's throat. The reason he holds it for so long. The turkey bleeds out slowly. Not a quick death.

I can't stand this woman. She is a cruel heartless piece of work.

My husband and I saved two little turkeys last spring. We are old timers and they were in a pet shop. The runts and almost dead. One of the staff
showed them to us and begged us to buy them. She knows we are tender hearts. I would like all who eat turkey to know a bit about Mort and Icy, this is their names. They will only live I understand to about 3 years of age. If they are lucky. The breeding of these wonderful turkeys, cause a short life. Mort and Icy are huge. They love us and we love them. They know their names. Follow like puppies. Love to be hugged and stroked.Play with their beach balls. Love to see people visit and greet them with lots of turkey talk.
When we first got them, Mort was to weak to eat and had given up. Icy kept taking bites of the food and held it up to weak little Mort's mouth. She did this over and over for several days. Even though I was feeding him with a drooper too. She cuddled him and rubbed his head with hers.

If Mort or Icy lose sight of each other they panic and call out. Then come running to each other.
These are not dumb animals put here for our eating pleasure to be murdered. Mort and Icy have more compassion and love, then many people I know.
Grandma Joyce

Posted by: Joyce Tryon | November 22, 2008 06:47 PM

I couldn't watch the video either -- but I've seen it all before, it's why I don't eat meat. The thing which distresses me, which was brought up earlier in this thread, is the detached response I'm hearing across the net and networks. There seems to be a lot of "yuck" and "gross" without any real connection to the brutality and cruelty of the meat trade. I can't help but think that we have, indeed, reached that point addressed in "My Dinner With Andre" -- where Andre suggests that one day we will be so desensitized (because of over-stimulation) that people will pay $10,000 to get castrated. When I read about these "new" hunters getting into the sport because they finally feel "connected" to life, I always think of Andre. It's a sad statement that we're missing this intermediary step between ignorance and apathy -- and then outright graphic shock.

Posted by: Figg | November 22, 2008 08:19 PM

Correction Kurt K. 93% of Americans consume meat. There are a lot more vegans/vegetarians than you think and the number is growing everyday. I'm sure Sarah P. helped increase the numbers before Thanksgiving.

Turkey pardoning is a joke! People are so vain to "pardon" an innocent turkey from slaughter so they can feel less guilty eating it. Give me a break!

Posted by: mlo | November 22, 2008 09:18 PM

o.k.; keep in mind Sarah IS NOT looking through the camera to set-up the shot... The NEWS CREW is, they could have just as easily recorded the interview at a different angle that would've kept the worker out of sight, but they DIDN'T...

Posted by: Mac | November 23, 2008 02:11 AM

Oh you know, Sarah Palin does this kind of crap for attention and the backdrop was purposely chosen by her for media controversy. She is a real whack job. Ever see that old movie where Dan Akroid is a psychiatrist? In actuality he is a mental patient only pretending to be a psychiatrist and pulling it off. This is Palin's world ..she is a true nutcase playing professional and the media buys and a few others buy into it. Speaking of movies... that disgusting turkey slaughter and the redneck doing it, reminded me of that chipper-shredder scene in the Movie 'Fargo'. If anything good came from it, the turkey that died made me become a devout vegetarian.

Happy Thanksgiving Sarah. I only hope you choke on your turkey.

Posted by: Cindy | November 23, 2008 04:10 AM

Shari, you asked what that man was doing to that bird. I wondered too because it was certainly a slow death. It seemed as if he was sawing the poor birds heads off unless Palin had told him before hand to "drill, baby, drill"

...Kharma is a good thing.

Posted by: Cindy | November 23, 2008 04:20 AM

Dear "the Majority of People" as well as Kurt and Chris in these comments,

Albert Schwitzer, German physician, author, Nobel Peace Prize 1952 stated:

"It is the fate of every truth to be an object of ridicule when it is first acclaimed. It was once considered foolish to suppose that black men were really human beings and ought to be treated as such. What was once foolish has now become a recognized truth. Today it is considered as exaggeration to proclaim constant respect for every form of life as being the serious demand of a rational ethic. But the time is coming when people will be amazed that the human race existed so long before it recognized that thoughtless injury to life is incompatible with real ethics. Ethics is in its unqualified form extended responsibility to everything that has life."

Just because you reside in the majority doesn't mean that the majority is right. It only means that more education on compassion is needed.

Humans have the ability to reason and it is that ability that requires us to behave with morals and ethics. It is our responsibility to protect life in all forms.

And while animals may kill each other for food it is what nature intended them to do. Humans do not need to kill for food (or clothing, or transportation, entertainment, ect.) as it has been proven over and over again that a plant based diet is better for the human, the environment and the animals.

But it all goes back to morals and ethics. Respect all life, not just humans.

Posted by: KD | November 23, 2008 10:05 AM

I cried watching this video that poor turkey was kicking his lil legs and fighting for his life how can this be considered ethical it took minutes for that guy to kill that poor turkey it wasnt fast it was terrible and sooooo inhumane...I dont understand how someone can hurt a defenseless animal its so incredibly sad..

Posted by: chel | November 23, 2008 06:18 PM

Makes me wonder if Hitler did the same kind of interviews in front of the people killing machines. This is sick.

Posted by: Shauna | November 23, 2008 06:55 PM

This is probably the one and only thing I will ever thank Gov. Palin for but here it goes... "Thank you Sarah Palin for inadvertantly bringing the abuse of turkeys into the main-stream and into public awareness. Hopefully, after seeing your turkey-gate fiasco video, which has been plastered all over the internet these past few days, many meat-eating individuals will realize that meat is murder and will find vegetarian alternatives to their Thanksgiving turkey feasts."

Posted by: Sara Venney | November 24, 2008 09:27 AM

Not that I am justifying the situation, but it really coulda happened to anyone. Yes, she should have been more careful what was in the background. And being in the public eye, these people should always be on the look out for things that could "accomplish".

My husband mentioned this video to me when it happened. I have no watched it. Who is to say that she even cared about pardoning a turkey anyway. Everything these celebs and such do is for publicity. Behind closed doors, who knows how she really feels. She's gonna pardon a turkey BUT she'll be eating a different one on Thursday? Yeah, that totally makes sense, right?

I'm not foolish enough to believe that what we see is what we get. Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin- gimme a break. They all have their true colors. We are fortunate enough to only see a few of those colors.

Posted by: bbr | November 24, 2008 11:27 AM

When will the media stop paying attention to this ill-informed, obviously dumb woman??!!! Let Palin and others like her fade into the past!
She has helped many people turn away from eating turkey this year, so at least that is a positive...
Final statement: PALIN IS AN UNCOMPASSIONATE BITCH!!! I am ashamed to share the classification of "woman" with her. Enough said...

Posted by: Cathleen | November 24, 2008 12:41 PM

i saw the clip on TMZ late last nite and there was NO WARNING as to what was to follow. it was shocking and i am sickened and horrified. palin is an idiot...i would love the chance to get face 2 face with her and that ASS behind her - it was shown AGAIN this morning about 1/2 an hour ago on Fox - WHY IS THIS FILM CONTINUING TO BE SHOWN????? how many times are they going to run this obscene piece?

Posted by: Jeanne | November 24, 2008 01:48 PM

I am a meat eater but this is just dumb. What person in his/her right mind would be seen in front of this guy, who looks like he just walked off the set of Deliverance, killing turkeys? When I think of turkey, somehow I always imagined them being hunted in the wild, not slaughtered like pigs, cows, etc. Why in the heck would any politician or celeb want to be seen in front of a nasty, bloody, animal farm? Thanks Sarah, Thanksgiving will never be the same :(

Posted by: Christina | November 24, 2008 02:28 PM

This is to Aneliese who said she is glad she is Canadian and said "I couldn't stand to be in America or an American like her and people who are like her"...
Aneliese, what country slaughters baby seals?? CANADA!

Posted by: Rex's mom | November 24, 2008 03:03 PM

I would no more trust a person who is only compassionate to other people than I would trust someone who is only compassionate to animals. In other words, beware of people who are not compassionate to all living creatures. Spoken from experience.

Posted by: Sarah | November 24, 2008 03:30 PM

This is absolutely horrid. #1 reason why I am a vegan. Did you see how long that turkey was flopping around in pain?! We don't even let our serial killers and rapists on death row suffer that long as they die. People need to wake up and realize that animals feel pain and are exploited and tortured just to feed them! It's not worth it. If you say you love animals, then you shouldn't eat meat.

Posted by: Janie | November 24, 2008 03:39 PM

I didn't think I could dislike Sarah Palin anymore than I already did until I just saw this video. I've been a vegetarian for a year because of practices such as this and I don't understand how anyone who knows this happens can continue to eat meat. I'm happy to prepare my Tofurkey this year!! Hopefully this video will make others do the same!

Posted by: Heather | November 24, 2008 04:09 PM

This was stomach turning. It was probably the most televised non-undercover investigation into the turkey farms they didn't even try to hide anything. PETA didn't NEED to put out a PSA, She did it for us without knowing it. When asked if she was sure she wanted that as a backdrop, she said, "No worries." Horrible, Right?
What do you expect from someone who hunts wolves from a helicopter? She's one person this would would be better off without.

Posted by: Joseph | November 24, 2008 04:19 PM

Wow... I knew something like this would happen. Her encouraging the slaughter of animals... And the sad part? She's proud of it. She disgusts me.

Posted by: Danielle Bourgholtzer | November 24, 2008 04:19 PM

To Cindy

No I believe he sliced the birds head off swiftly as the bodies WILL thrash about afterwards for a certain amount of time (nerves & muscles shutting down) depending on their size and THIS poor victim's size is MASSIVE therefore he/she thrashed and flinched hard for quite some time after decapitation.

Actually, as I stated previously, if an animal must be slaughtered for ANY hideous reason, then THIS process is the ONLY way to go about it as it's quick and painless, no long agonizing death for the reason I stated, this is NO WAY part of the corp factory farms, this is a privately owned, small time turkey farm that DO have compassion and DO care for the comfort of their products.

The corp world with its fast food JUNKIES are what KILLED the small family farmer and THEY were the ones who CARED for their animals, they considered them part of the family and NEVER treated or confined them as slaves.

I've been fighting for a LONG time to get these farms back, they are the ONLY moral and ethical answer for the abuses perpetrated on the innocent by the addicts who refuse to stop eating meat ')

PEACE & LOVE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING &
DON'T EAT THE MASCOT

Posted by: Shari | November 24, 2008 04:46 PM

This is what our "civilized" society has come to -- acceptance of the unacceptable.

Acceptance of horrific acts towards animals in every which way they can be used and abused, and acceptance that giving a narcissistic idiot like Palin the dignity of an interview is not completely insane.

I am disgusted.

Now, after having seen this, you know that recent undercover video of a turkey slaughterhouse where workers were stuffing feces in the turkey's mouth?

Well, I can think of a much better mouth to put those feces into now... Good eating, Palin!

Posted by: andi | November 24, 2008 05:13 PM

To Circe

Thanks for clearing this up for me, I've never seen it done this way, I always saw the tree stump and hatchet then place it in the drainer but this way is quicker...more like killing 2 birds with 1 stone ' )

~~~NO pun intended ' )

YES you are 100% right Circe, thee MOST humane way to slaughter a bird if NEED be done.

PEACE

Posted by: Shari | November 24, 2008 07:01 PM

"Why is everyone blaming Sarah Palin though?"

If you stop and think about it, it is what Sarah Palin represents. The dying fragments of the american dream and our disappearing freedoms.

For my money she is an insensitive arrogant psychopath and a sadistic and fractured soul, we don't have to argue about that. But more precisely what she actually pretends to represent is the typical and all too familiar incomprehensible NIMBYist apathy and irresponible behavior coupled with a totally irresponsible lifestyle.

Selfish greed long lost in the material world of imaginary give and take.

But what can you expect from someone who is an avid hunter and who shot her first rabbit when she was only 10 years old and goes on to kill caribou with her dad during her teen years? Cruelty on a stick. She now mercilessly bangs the drum for cruel and totally sadistic aerial wolf hunting and wants the polar bear to not be listed as an endangered species, get this now, so she can still hunt and cruelly torture these creatures. In a word insanely inhumane.

That is not typical responsible behavior, she is a typical insensitive non-thinking coward personified. The media of course bends over backwards to paint this as respecting nature in one form or another, instinct-driven survivalist actions and/or as being inspired by the great outdoors. The Big Lie.

She represents the thoughtless cruelty that goes on behind the scenes. i don't think that this video did more than any AR activists have accomplished in the past, no in fact this signifies business as usual for the comfortably numb, the tragically inept, and the greedy consumerists whom live their entire life with both eyes wide shut. The american way.

It is morally reprehensible behavior, but yet here it is "rewarded". Notice that cup of starbucks coffee in her hand, almost like magic, and the attention span far removed from reality, grounded in half-truths, outright lies and propaganda, yes it is indeed tragic that this "political" misfit represents visions of success and hardwork for some misguided neanderthal americans.

Posted by: vegancoin | November 24, 2008 08:27 PM

Sarah Palin is completely idiotic. It's hard enough to watching the horrible cruelty in the background of the video, but to hear her blabbing on about herself and her family while a worker is draining the life out of an innocent animal adds insult to injury. Enough of her, she's a self involved moron!

Posted by: Rose | November 24, 2008 08:42 PM

Finally Peta...Finally Finally I have continually sent letters regarding the b...h Sarah Palin being an animal hater but they were never prionted! I talked to anyone who would listen to me about her. She is evil! I despise this clown. Nothing that she does anymore regarding animals surprises me. I hope she burns in hell!!!

Posted by: susan | November 24, 2008 09:04 PM

The method being shown is the "killing cone" method. It is very commonly used on small farms for chickens as well. It's considered one of the more "humane" options when killing a poultry bird in small farm operations.

People who have not witnessed the slaughter of poultry (as I have) don't often realize that chickens, turkeys, etc., almost always flap around wildly for 30 seconds to sometimes 2 minutes after they are desensitized and are dead. It is a reaction of the nervous system. You can cut the head completely off a chicken or turkey, and the body will still do that. That is why you see the turky here moving around so much. The cone method allows you to slaughter birds without it flapping about and disturbing the flock and/or risking injury to yourself or others.

Not everyone who has raised and killed their own food is "sick" and "twisted". I am fully aware of the nature of the animals that I have raised in the past, the same with the vegetables and flowers I've grown. It's given me more respect and reverence for life, and where my food comes from. I think anyone who eats meat should be comfortable with the process of how it got to their table, the slaughter included. Being aware of (and thankful for), the life that was taken so that I may eat too, does not make me a "monster". Not everyone thinks like the lot of you... do you all feel everyone SHOULD think just like you, like religious zealots? Or are you open for a little debate or the opposite side of the coin?

Posted by: Gretchen | November 24, 2008 11:25 PM

To Gretchen!

You are 100% right! I don't eat meat but if I DID all the above would be the ONLY way I would allow it in my life.

I am also familiar with the small farm processing being from the north woods and as I stated above also, the small farmer DOES care about the welfare of its animals raised for food it was the killing cone I was not familiar with as it's been about 35 yrs since I witnessed fowl killing and it was chop off the head then place it in the drain cone and I can remember the cats on the farm were having a FIELD day with severed heads.

Either way, thee ONLY way to kill fowl it NEED be done.

GREAT post Gretchen!

Peace, Love & TRUTH!

Posted by: Shari | November 25, 2008 12:25 PM

This is absolutely disgusting. I have been a vegetarian for many years and after seeing this video I cannot conceive of how anyone could possibly eat a turkey after this-- let alone any other animal!!! What baffles me about Sarah Palin, is how could someone who is so PRO-LIFE not give a rat's ass about an animal's life?! LIFE IS LIFE, folks! But I do thank Palin for inadvertently doing us a favor by exposing how turkeys REALLY make it to the Thanksgiving Day table. So many people just want to hide their heads in the sand and not think about HOW these animals are killed and WHERE their meat comes from! Well wake up, America! I hope that more people have a meat-free Thanksgiving thanks to this video.

Posted by: Marina | November 25, 2008 07:36 PM

I really don't think I could ever understand the logic PETA and the followers use to justify these pointless arguements.

Antigone,
I'm not sure I like you any more. I can't believe you called me evil. If I am evil, and your hate spewing mouth is the example I am suppose to live up too, I think I will stay evil then.
I have never met anybody who can hate some many good people based on one known fact. Eating meat.
You are no different than white supremicists hating blacks, or Nazis hating Jews. You need to get rid of that hate, or someday it will destroy you. I pity you!

Posted by: Kurt K | November 25, 2008 08:17 PM

This animal killing has to stop!We are better off in this world if we coexist with mother earth's harmless creatures.

Posted by: John | November 25, 2008 08:19 PM

Why doesn't PETA broadcast a commercial with the Palin videotape. No sound, just text saying "Maybe being a vegaterain is so dumb. Maybe." End of clip. To unthinking morons, it would mean nothing. To compassionate human beings, it may put them in the veggie column. Plus it would be a PETA commercial that didn't overtly insult anyone.

Posted by: jimmyc | November 25, 2008 09:28 PM

Sarah Palin could care less is turkeys are being slaughtered behind her-of course she knew what was going on behind her. Her family photos include dead moose. What do you expect? Loser!

Posted by: Julie Warner | November 26, 2008 12:16 AM

Even if you tried to ignore that turkeys were being SLAUGHTERED behind her, Palin still is a walking disaster. She can't get through ONE COHERENT SENTENCE! Is it a crime to speak in grammatical sentences nowadays?
The answer is no. Obama speaks in coherent sentences and look where he is.

Posted by: JS | November 26, 2008 12:40 AM

Palin is worse than I thought, and incredibly stupid. As far as I'm concerned, she has no apathy concerning animal abuse. She's colder than an Alaskan igloo. I wonder what her take is on the danger of polar bears becoming extinct? One thing she accomplished by allowing that hideous animal slaughter in the background to be seen: I am now a full-fledged vegetarian!

Posted by: Sheryl Kearns | November 26, 2008 03:37 AM

What if some super species came to Earth and started locking us up in dirty farms and eating us?Sarah Plain can kiss my ass!Did you know they make the turkeys so fat they can't even mate! The farmers(murderers) literally siphon the sperm from the male turkeys and inject the sperm in the females!

Posted by: Rod | November 26, 2008 07:53 AM

After finding out I attended a WWE event and purchased the Wrestlemania PPV while in medical school, one of my old friends once said, "There is a little bit of white trash in all of us."

In Palin's case, there is a lot...money can't buy class, and she is the poster-child for that statement.

Posted by: Derek, MD | November 26, 2008 10:56 AM

"Why doesn't PETA broadcast a commercial with the Palin videotape. No sound, just text saying "Maybe being a vegaterian is so dumb. Maybe." End of clip. To unthinking morons, it would mean nothing. To compassionate human beings, it may put them in the veggie column. Plus it would be a PETA commercial that didn't overtly insult anyone."

Good idea jimmyc, but something tells me the message of that piece would get lost and easily sidetracked in the translation. and anybody can watch animal abuse/factory farm videos and put the pieces of the puzzle together. i haven't watched more than a few precious minutes of Earthlings, but i do get the message. It's undeniable, it's the truth and it's impossible to miss and even harder to ignore. The fact is a nation of indecent, undernourished and immoral "head in the sand" flunkies whose only real religion is dull minded, incourageous and requisite NIMBYist apathy and small-mindedness probably wouldn't get the message. They don't know how, and we live in a culture drowning in misinformation dopey disinformation and expedient mass media propaganda.

After all having a brand new gas guzzling SUV in immeasurably more important, they have better things to do. In the land of hollow materialism and synthetic greed where a credit card is sine qua non and where you don't have any true freedoms, where the Talking Heads do your thinking for you, anything is possible.

"This animal killing has to stop! We are better off in this world if we coexist with mother earth's harmless creatures."

i agree totally with this statement. There is no getting around it.

Remember peace begins on your dinner plate.

Posted by: vegancoin | November 26, 2008 03:39 PM

I find this video shocking! When I first saw Sarah Palin, I thought she was a pretty lady. After seeing how she just stood there talking like she doesn't have a care in the world while that poor turkey was getting killed. It shows how evil and ugly that woman really is. How can she just stand there giving an interview and agnore what's going on right behind her, as if she can't hear the animal struggling and in pain.

Posted by: Crista | November 26, 2008 04:23 PM

Kurt K: Hatred for animal abusers not only will not destroy me, it keeps me going. As a bigot, you will never understand the desire to hold a human accountable for animal abuse. Sad--hatred based on cruel acts committed is logical. Hatred based on species is not.

Posted by: Antigone1000 | November 29, 2008 10:59 AM

Antigone,
I don't hate animals, I freaking love animals. They are a beautiful part of this world and I can understand your anger towards the people who intentionally abuse animals. Beleive me I can.
I would be the first one to kick the shit out of a person who makes dogs fight, starves horses, uses animals for fur, etc. Useless violence towards animals is sick and should be stopped.
We just see things a little differently.
I can tell you have a lot of energy and passion in your life and that is a great thing. I just don't like it when you draw conclusions about me by knowing very little about me personally.
I've said this before, but I'm sure you would like me if we ever met in real life.
Its hard to tell what you are like just be reading your posts. Whether that will ever happen is not probable, but it would be interesting.

Posted by: Kurt K | November 30, 2008 10:58 AM

Who cares about Palin... what about those poor, innocent turkeys??

How could anyone possibly eat meat after seeing this? I'm glad we've finally got such an eye-opener for people.

Vegetarian for 2 years and proud of it :)

Posted by: Stephanie | December 3, 2008 08:15 PM