Giving Thanks...Over a Corpse?

Many people will visit their relatives this Thursday and gather around a dead bird at the center of the table to give thanks about their fortunes -- before stuffing their faces with a slaughtered being. Thanksgiving is the time of year Americans reflect what they are thankful for. Unfortunately, it is also the time of year when over 300 million turkeys are slaughtered so people can eat the traditional Thanksgiving bird. Turkeys are very social, intelligent animals who have their own social groups and when given the chance, enjoy human companionship. On the average farm, however, they are hatched in large incubators, crammed into filthy, windowless sheds by the thousands, and will live out the rest of their short miserable lives there until they are loaded up onto a transportation truck -- briefly experiencing the sun and fresh air for the first and last time -- beginning their journey to slaughter. How can you help these and other animals? "Free range" might sound appealing, but farmers often find loopholes in the system to place misleading labels on their products when the animals were still raised cruelly. Also remember that just because an animal was "free range," it doesn't mean they graciously accepted the knife to the throat. They enjoy being alive as much as you, or any one of your pets you consider part of your family. 

So, if no turkey, what the hell am I going to eat?

Long gone are the days when vegetarians felt left out of the Thanksgiving holiday and had to resort to eating stuffing or salad. Many delicious vegetarian holiday recipes are available over the Internet, or if you feel like just kickin' back this year, Turtle Island foods has a Tofurky roast that can usually be found at your local health food store. Yes, that's right -- a "turkey" made from tofu. No, not a jello-like ball that jiggles when you cut it; this roast is made from tofu and wheat gluten, which gives it the same texture as its competitor, turkey corpse. It also tastes like real turkey, according to vegetarian and non-vegetarian customers, and contains less fat. You and the turkeys will appreciate Tofurky. This year, give the turkeys something they can be thankful for.

               ^{We're thankful for Tofurky!}

Still not convinced to eat vegetarian this Thanksgiving?