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From: devi@maisha.DEC (Gita L. Devi PKO1/D1  223-7046)
Newsgroups: net.veg
Subject: Is a dead bird the best way to show your appreciation????
Message-ID: <421@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Mon, 13-Jan-86 15:50:50 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.421
Posted: Mon Jan 13 15:50:50 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jan-86 07:59:47 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.DEC.COM
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 42

How does a company express its appreciation of our services?  At 
Thanksgiving, Digital gives out dead turkeys!!!!  As an inveterate 
vegetarian, I've always been offended by the practice, especially on the 
evening of the "give-away", when I have to walk out of my building past 
large piles of cartons holding the poor birds' remains.  "Into the valley of 
the shadow of death..." ( I know that we live in a meat-based society so I
can't blame Digital for their method of appreciation)

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The fact that I have no say in the matter irks me.  A living creature has 
been killed IN MY NAME!  And the company response is that if you don't want 
the turkey, donate it to charity.  I don't want anyone to eat that turkey, 
so I tear up my "turkey card" knowing full well that the creature is still 
going to end up in someone's stomach.  

Over the past five years, I've often wondered who would be the appropriate 
person to talk with about this.  Well - a new group has been formed:

Affirmative Action/Valuing Differences, managed by Barbara Walker.  I've
written and spoken with Ms. Walker, and she agreed that the area/issue is 
very "provocative"..  She has forwarded my letter to the head of the turkey 
give-away committee.

Anyway - for you DECcies out there, please write to Ms. Walker and let her 
know how you feel about this matter.  She's on TURBO::WALKER.   And for 
those of you working for other companies, have you ever dealt with a 
situation like this?  I told Ms. Walker that I would rather get the money 
they spend for the bird, or that we should make it an option for all 
employees:  take the money or the turkey.

Any comments???

------------------------------

And - in answer to the question of why it's okay for animals to eat meat and 
not man:  Man has the option, the capacity to use higher reasoning and live 
by a morally higher standard.  Animals don't have those choices.  

I also agree:  why should it matter to someone who eats meat whether an 
animal is killed uselessly for food or for its fur, etc?  Can you really 
make a distinction where death is concerned (other than for self-defense)?