Students showcase livestock at the 88th annual Little International show in February 2014.
Degrees in animal science are plentiful at North Dakota State, though not everyone thinks they should be.
David Cantor, executive director of Responsible Policies for Animals, recently wrote a petition letter requesting the end of NDSU’s animal science program.
Cantor sent the petition letter to President Dean Bresciani, North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple, The Spectrum and attempted to contact the presidents of all land-grant universities and governors in America.
Cantor said the goal of his organization is to stop animal science in schools and to stop schools from operating slaughterhouses.
“All of us animal advocates are always trying to get people to go vegetarian, but we could never compete with a massive network of universities that are trusted and respected that are actually teaching people to eat meat.” he said. ” … Universities should not train students for careers in animal abuse.”
NDSU has a slaughter room located in the Shepperd Arena in conjunction with the meat sciences department.
Animal science at NDSU is more than just learning meat production, it also leads to veterinary learning and other beneficial studies to animals.
North Dakota’s state government reports the state is home to over 1.75 million beef cattle and to over 100 dairy herds.
Cantor said the livestock industry is one of the largest factors in creating greenhouse gasses and causing global warming and that it would be more detrimental to the economy to not change trajectory.
“What are we going to do if we don’t?” he said.
Cantor proposed the idea of converting livestock farms into growing organic greens and to bring back the popularity of heirloom crops such as potatoes and carrots.
Sadie Rudolph, NDSU media relations coordinator, said in an email, “At this time, President Bresciani has not received a petition letter about ending NDSU’s Animal Science program.”
The Spectrum contacted but was unable to obtain a comment from Gov. Dalrymple.
I attend NDSU in animal science and I worked in the meats lab in Shepard. I not only learned valuable knowledge about nutrition diseases and prevention, and the end product. I currently own and operate a ranch in western North Dakota. I would like to tell Mr. Cantor that my ranch doesn’t have the ability to be converted to a farm to grow green crops for human consumption, not because I don’t want, but because it would be the most environmentally irresponsible thing I could do. My ranch is made up of native grass, I use herbivores to harvest grass to produce meat and wool for human use. If Mr Cantor can teach humans to graze I will stop raising herbivores and open a timed grazing restaurant.
Human beings are natural herbivores, as pointed out in Responsible Policies for Animals’ mailing to NSDU President Bresciani. This helps explain why eating from animals is so unhealthful for humans. The only alternative to ranching and other misguided human use of animals for food is not growing green crops. Human beings are not indigenous to this continent and have recklessly rampaged over it, causing incalculable suffering and early death to other animals. We are morally obligated to return as much land as possible to natural ecosystems as quickly as possible. That is crucial for halting and reversing global heating and otherwise restoring Earth’s life-supporting capacity.
David Cantor
Executive Director
Responsible Policies for Animals
Animal Welfare or Animal Rights?
Here are some of the differences:
As animal welfare advocates. . .
· We seek to improve the treatment and well-being of animals.
· We support the humane treatment of animals that ensures comfort and freedom from unnecessary pain and suffering.
· We believe we have the right to “own” animals — they are our property.
· We believe animal owners should provide loving care for the lifetime of their animals.
As animal rights activists. . .
· They seek to end the use and ownership of animals, including the keeping of pets.
· They believe that any use of an animal is exploitation so, not only must we stop using animals for food and clothing, but pet ownership must be outlawed as well.
· They want to obtain legal rights for animals as they believe that animals and humans are equal.
· They use false and unsubstantiated allegations of animal abuse to raise funds, attract media attention and bring supporters into the movement. (The Inhumane Crusade, Daniel T. Oliver)
The Twelve Steps of the Animal Rights Agenda
(“The Politics of Animal Liberation,” by Kim Bartlett, editor of Animals’ Agenda, November 1987.)
1. Abolish by law all animal research.
2. Abolish by law all other types of animal testing.
3. Encourage vegetarianism for ethical, ecological, and health reasons.
4. Phase out intensive confinement livestock production.
5. Eliminate use of herbicides, pesticides, etc.
6. Transfer animal law enforcement of Department of Agriculture to another agency.
7. Eliminate commercial trapping and fur ranching.
8. Prohibit hunting, trapping and fishing for sport.
9. Urge US action to prevent destruction of rainforests and end international trade in wildlife and goods produced from exotic and/or endangered fauna or flora.
10. Discourage any further breeding of companion animals, including pedigreed or purebred dogs and cats. Promote spay and neuter of all pets by government subsidized clinics.
11. End the use of animals in entertainment and sports, with reappraisal of zoos and aquariums.
12. Prohibit genetic manipulation of species.
Quotes From The Animal Rights Movement
“For one thing we would no longer allow breeding. People could not create different breeds. If people had companion animals in their homes, these animals would have to be refugees from the animal shelter and the streets But as the surplus of cats and dogs declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship — enjoyment at a distance.” — Ingrid Newkirk, National Director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
“Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.” — Ingrid Newkirk, National Director of PeTA
“One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.” — Wayne Pacelle, Vice-President of the Humane Society of the US, former Executive Director of Fund for Animals)
“There are fundamental and profound differences between the philosophy of animal welfare and that of animal rights Thus welfare reforms, by their very nature, can only serve to retard the pace at which animal rights goals are achieved.” — Gary Francione and Tom Regan, “A Movement’s Means Create Its Ends,” Animals’ Agenda
“HSUS is definitely shifting in the direction of animal rights faster than anyone would realize from our literature.” — John McArdle, then director of lab animal welfare for HSUS, 1986. McArdle now works for the American Anti-Vivisection Society.
“Avoid the words ‘animal rights’ and ‘anti-vivisection.’ They are too strange for the public. Never appear to be opposed to animal research.” — John McArdle, HSUS convention 1984
“The life of an ant and that of my child should be given equal consideration.” — Michael W. Fox, HSUS vice president.
“There is no rational basis for maintaining a moral distinction between the treatment of humans and other animals.” — HSUS News, 1980
“The cat, like the dog, must disappear. We should cut the domestic cat free from our dominance by neutering, neutering and more neutering, until our pathetic version of the cat ceases to exist.” –John Bryant, *Fettered Kingdoms* (PeTA, 1982) p15
“Hit them in their personal lives, visit their homes. Actively target U.S. military establishments within the United States… strike hard and fast and retreat in anonymity. Select another location, strike again hard and fast and quickly retreat in anonymity … Do not get caught. DO NOT GET CAUGHT. Do not get sent to jail. Stay alert, keep active, and keep fighting.” Craig Rosenbraugh, radical animal rights spokesperson for terrorism and a recipient of PeTA funds, in Open letter to activists, published on the Independent Media Center website, March 17, 2003″Here’s a little model I’m going to show you here. I didn’t have any incense, but — this is a crude incendiary device. It is a simple plastic jug, which you fill with gasoline and oil. You put in a sponge, which is soaked also in flammable liquid — I couldn’t find an incense stick, but this represents that. You put the incense stick in here, light it, place it — underneath the ‘weapon of mass destruction,’ light the incense stick – sandalwood works nice — and you destroy the profits that are brought about through animal and earth abuse. That’s about — two dollars. ” Rodney Coronado, animal rights felon for the 1992 Michigan State University fireboming, and recipient of PeTA funds, speaking at “National conference on Organized Resistance, American University, Washington DC, January 26, 2003. Note: Coronado pled guilty to the charges stemming from the 1992 MSU arson case but even so, PeTA donated $45,200 to the Coronado Support Committee in 1995. During the previous year, while Coronado was still on the loose and living underground, PeTA granted a loan (not yet repaid) to Coronado’s father for $25,000.
Hyperbolic HypocrisyThe critics of consumer choice and enemies of a wide variety of menu options have never been known for their consistency. From flip-flops about obesity lawsuits to schizophrenic support of domestic terrorism, the food cops, animal rights nuts, and other radical activists have practically got the market cornered on hypocrisy. Here are a few of our favorite examples.
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Director of Nutrition Policy Margo Wootan on personal responsibility:
“We have got to move beyond personal responsibility. ” –2003 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting
Versus:
“Of course, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents to feed their children well.” –Senate Testimony, March 2, 2004
People for the Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA) President Ingrid Newkirk on PETA’s support of violence:
“Let me set the record straight. PETA does not condone or commit violent acts, nor do we threaten anybody with violence.” –Deseret News, February 12, 2002
Versus:
“If I had more guts, I’d light a match.” –The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 12, 1999
And:
“I wish we all would get up and go into the labs and take the animals out or burn them down.” –Animal Rights Convention, July 27, 1997
PETA Senior Vice President MaryBeth Sweetland on her use of insulin, which was tested on animals:
“I’m an insulin-dependent diabetic. Twice a day I take synthetically manufactured insulin that still contains some animal products — and I have no qualms about it … I’m not going to take the chance of killing myself by not taking insulin. I don’t see myself as a hypocrite. I need my life to fight for the rights of animals.” –Glamour, January 1990
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk — in a Machiavellian moment — explains how killing more than a thousand animals PETA accepted for shelter in 1999 is “ethical,” because it frees up more money to mount offensive “press slut” campaigns:
“It is a totally rotten business, but sometimes the only kind option for some animals is to put them to sleep forever… It sounds lovely if you’re naïve. We could become a no-kill shelter immediately. It means we wouldn’t do as much work.” –The Virginian-Pilot, August 1, 2000
Kelly
“Big Brother” Brownell, who has led the charge to tax Americans back into shape, offers this indictment of personal responsibility, but admits his own paunch is due to his personal food and exercise choices:
“Why quarrel with the personal-responsibility argument? First, it’s wrongSecond, it ignores biologyThird, the argument is not helpfulFourth, personal responsibility is a trap.” –with Marion Nestle in TIME, June 7, 2004
Versus:
“He sports a good-size paunch thanks, he says, to a book project that has kept him relatively sedentary and snack-prone for the last year or so. In photographs taken a few years back, he looks much trimmer.” –Associated Press, November 10, 2002
CSPI Executive Director Michael Jacobson on the rash of lawsuits against food companies:
“There’s been one obesity lawsuit in the history of the United States, and suddenly everyone wants protection. It’s a non-issue.” –Restaurant Business, February 5, 2004
Versus:
“There is no one lawsuit that will solve the obesity problem that has become an epidemic. It’s going to take a whole lot of lawsuits to make a difference in public policy that will affect the dietary habits of the thousands that suffer obesity-related disease.” –Washington Times, June 22, 2003
PETA on targeting children:
“Everything we do is based at adults.” –PETA President Ingrid Newkirk on CNN, March 21, 2002
Versus:
“Our campaigns are always geared towards children and they always will be.” — PETA Vice President Dan Matthews on FOX News, Dec 19, 2003
Pop Singer Pink on her support of PETA:
“I have very conflicted views on everything. I’m a proud member of PETA and I got leather boots on my feet, you know what I’m saying?” –MTV.com, March 30, 2004
Australian supermodel, PETA supporter, and self-described “world’s most downloaded woman” Sarah Jane on her favorite foods:
“…’raw meat’, lamb kidney, lamb curry and ‘haggis’… Her turnoffs: ‘Non animal lovers and over cooked meat.'” –The Washington Post, February 24, 2004
Waterkeeper Alliance President Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on exploiting 9-11:
“Using what happened on September 11 to push forward [the Bush Administration’s] agenda is the most cynical thing I’ve seen in American history.” –E Magazine, November/December 2003
Versus:
“Kennedy said large-scale hog producers were a greater threat to the United States and democracy than bin Laden’s terrorist network.” –Des Moines Register, April 18, 2002
Kevin Kjonaas, spokesperson for the violent animal-rights group SHAC, a group that pioneered the tactic of the “home demo,” (which includes the use of bullhorns and sirens in the middle of the night to harass their target) on using an alias:
“Kjonaas occasionally goes by the name Kevin Jonas. He says he uses the alias to spare family members outside Minneapolis from harassing phone calls from people who oppose the tactics and aims of his group.” –Philadelphia Inquirer, July 14, 2002
Those are old-school versions of “animal rights,” and the animal-welfare regime is little more than continued enslavement and abuse of nonhuman animals and destruction of the ecosystems their ancestors created over hundreds of millions of years. The true meaning of animal rights, promoted by Responsible Policies for Animals, is the organized endeavor to establish equal rights of all animals such as human beings have under the Constitution of the United States of America. That is the only way to halt the spread of ever more human disease, war, terrorism, poverty, gross inequality, and, of course, the abuse of Earth’s quadrillions of animals by the meat, dairy, fish, and egg industries promoted by “animal science” (which flouts scientific knowledge) at NDSU and our other agriculture colleges — and by countless other animal-abuse practices generated by civilization over thousands of years. See http://www.RPAforAll.org for more information.
David Cantor
Executive Director
Responsible Policies for Animals
Glenside, Pennsylvania, USS
I very much appreciate The Spectrum’s publishing the article on Responsible Policies for Animals’ 10,000 Years Is Enough campaign to end “animal science” at NDSU and our other land-grant universities. We must all understand how misguided is all human use of other animals, and the origins of animal use in prehistoric times, when human beings had no idea the practice would give their descendants AIDS, influenza, bubonic plague, anthrax, Ebola, MERS, smallpox, and just about every other infectious disease we can name, as well as widespread non-communicable diseases: heart attack, stroke, many cancers, and others. Raising animals for food contributes an estimated 51 percent of global-heating gases. Raising crops to feed nonhuman animals occupies about 70 percent of farmed land, and toxic runoff from the practice has produced more than 140 massive dead zones in Earth’s oceans. Here is a URL for the paper Responsible Policies for Animals recently sent to NDSU President Bresciani and North Dakota Governor Dalrymple:
http://www.rpaforall.org/the-case-against-animal-science-documented.pdf
Raising animals for food is not agriculture, which means cultivation of fields. That is how Congress used “agriculture” in establishing our land-grant universities and the Department of Agriculture. Working together, we can take back our colleges of agriculture and make them pro-life rather than anti-life as they have long been.
David Cantor
Responsible Policies for Animals
http://www.RPAforAll.org
Thank you for your article about Responsible Policies for Animals’ efforts to end land grant universities involvement in the meat and dairy industry. Mr. Cantor, Executive Director of RPA, goes to the heart of the matter in his explanation about the need to discontinue tax-payer support for an industry that is harmful to health, the environment, and animals who are slaves to the industry.
I also want to add my appreciation of the Spectrum’s article on Responsible Policies for Animals’ 10,000 Years Is Enough campaign to end “animal science” at NDSU and our other land-grant universities (LGUs). I believe that it is essential that LGUs end promoting the abuse of animals and promote a pro-life stance going forward. I also applaud Responsible Policies for Animals for taking up this important cause.