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The New York Times was butchered on social media after an op-ed published on Thursday found a potential silver lining from the coronavirus outbreak: a meatless society.
In a piece titled «The End of Meat Is Here,» writer Jonathan Safran Foer argues, «If you care about the working poor, about racial justice, and about climate change, you have to stop eating animals,» hoping that the disruption of the meat supply chain will encourage people to give up meat altogether.
«Most everyone has been doing more cooking these days, more documenting of the cooking, and more thinking about food in general. The combination of meat shortages and President Trump’s decision to order slaughterhouses open despite the protestations of endangered workers has inspired many Americans to consider just how essential meat is,» the «Everything Is Illuminated» author wrote.
Foer pointed to meat plants that have become hot spots for coronavirus that have lead to shutdowns with ripple effects. However, he later says, «an increasing number of people sense the inevitability of impending change.»
«At the very least it has forced us to look. When it comes to a subject as inconvenient as meat, it is tempting to pretend unambiguous science is advocacy, to find solace in exceptions that could never be scaled and to speak about our world as if it were theoretical,» he explained. «Some of the most thoughtful people I know find ways not to give the problems of animal agriculture any thought, just as I find ways to avoid thinking about climate change and income inequality, not to mention the paradoxes in my own eating life. One of the unexpected side effects of these months of sheltering in place is that it’s hard not to think about the things that are essential to who we are.»
He went on to insist that «we cannot protect our environment while continuing to eat meat regularly» and «we cannot protect against pandemics while continuing to eat meat regularly,» saying that the problems go beyond China’s wet markets since meat farms are a «breeding ground for pandemics.»
While vegetarians celebrated Foer’s meatless plea, passionate carnivores slaughtered the Times op-ed on social media.
«Cmon I already recycle,» Washington Examiner executive editor Seth Mandel reacted.
«FFS. Nope. I love how everyone uses the virus to justify their prior beliefs,» conservative commentator Erick Erickson dismissed the piece.
«My filet mignon says you’re wrong,» filmmaker Robby Starbuck told the Times.
«Right. Because veganism is so affordable and practical,» podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey wrote.
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