Laura Paskus’ article on the traveling
butchering unit in Taos seemed very insensitive.
“Beginning this spring, cattle, pigs, lamb, goats, even
bison, will trot up the ramp leading into the back of the Mobile
Matanza, where they’ll be met by …” This line is
complemented by a picture of a man sharpening a large knife. And
there are other turns of phrase that makes the whole butchering
process sound like all participants are engaged in a play date.
However, if you’ve ever seen Peaceable Kingdom, or
witnessed animals being led to slaughter, you’ll know that
they don’t want to die any more than we would under the same
circumstances. And we’re informed that Knox is capable of
wrestling any animal reluctant to go to slaughter. Was there ever
an animal in the history of slaughter that wasn’t reluctant?
We owe these animals that involuntarily give up their lives for us
more respect than was contained in that glib article.
Carolyn Bills
Sedona,
Arizona
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline A moment of silence for our meat.
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