Is This Pink Vomit Really Chicken Nuggets?
If this barf-inducing image of pink sludge is truly what you can find in the average processed fast food chicken piece—including the popular McNuggets that my mostly-vegetarian daughter occasionally requests—I don’t think I could ever touch the stuff again. Seriously? I am almost certain that this is the actor that played the giant pink ooze that plagued New York in Ghostbusters 2. It can’t be what’s in our food, can it?
Of course, I have seen Fast Food Nation (as well as Supersize Me, and plenty of other documentaries). I’ve read reports, I used to be a member of PETA before their sexism and elitist attitudes turned me off, and I am mostly a vegetarian myself. Like a dear friend of mine, I consider myself a “flexitarian,” because I will eat meat rather than waste other food if that is what is available. But for some reason, it’s images like this one that truly hit home and remind us that what we are putting into our bodies is disgusting.
What I want to know is why PETA doesn’t use images like this instead of the ones they are so famous for using, which always consist of A. gory scare tactics presented for shock value or B. naked women presented for sexist entertainment. PETA, I am pleading with you, adopt this as your new “I am not a nugget!” campaign photo; it will work! It will reach so many more people on a much more honest level that is appropriate for all ages—that is, if it’s an honest photo.
You can read the whole piece for yourself—aside from the blatant sexism in it (I swear, most of the veg heads I hang out with do not share this philosophy, and I apologize if it turns anyone off of the lifestyle), it looks pretty legit from the sources used. A lengthy explanation about how it gets that color (as well as the disgusting bacteria and other junk in the meat) can be found in the link, too.
So if you’re going to ask friends to try skipping meat with you, you might want to share this piece rather than any of the shock tactics some activists like to use. Many people are skeptical of such footage and photos, even if they are cited with legitimate studies—and unfortunately, despite the fact that animals suffer when we eat meat, that it’s worse for our environment than eating local vegetarian fare, and that it’s not a sustainable way to eat altogether, many do not care. But when faced with this nasty pink goo, I think that some might change their minds.
