Every 4 four months or so someone incites the FML to rally against Marshall
Farms.  The argument always centers around MF's practice of euthanizing
older breeders, and usually implies that early alter causes disease.
Further, the use of animals in biomedical research is questioned.
 
Then come the responses: the pragmatists suggest that we compromise with MF;
the scientists note that there's no empirical proof that early alter leads
to disease; the wisest FMLers recognize an animal rights scuffle when they
see one and ignore the topic.
 
This latest round started strong but seems to have lost its promise,
disintegrating into an animal rights debate.  Oh well, not too surprising.
 
For those who enjoy debating, I suggest talk.politics.animals, where people
argue for argument's sake, and solutions are forbidden.  It's fun, but no
one ever gets anywhere.
 
swamp
 
"Who, me officer? What's a ferut? These guys?? No, they're Polish cats."
 
[Moderator's note: No, the animal rights debate is over.  This latest MF
debate round did start of very well, and went longer than the previous ones.
I'll regret having to end it if things turn ugly, but I'm pleased we've gone
so far so well.  So people think we went too far a long time ago, some
people feel we have far to go, and both opinions are noted.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 2002]