OPEN LETTER TO SCOTT BRONSTEIN-60 MINUTES RE: "WHERE'S THE BEEF"
AIRED SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19TH RE: THE DELMARVA POULTRY INDUSTRY
To: Scott Bronstein
c/o 60 Minutes | December 21, 1999
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Re: "Where's the Beef"
Dear Mr. Bronstein:
Thank you very much for your informative report on the
Delmarva poultry industry ("Where's the Beef") on 60 Minutes on
December 19th. I well recall your excellent coverage of the
poultry industry in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution a few years
back. I continue to admire your work.
However, I am disturbed by the lack of compassion for the
birds in these reports. Editorially the birds are represented as
though they and their suffering don't exist or don't matter. Why?
I hope you will find a way to include concern for the birds
and their plight in your future coverage of the poultry industry
if you do more on this subject. I wish you would do a deeper
analysis of the essential violence of this industry and its
primary victims. Otherwise, it seems as if all that is being
asked for is to spread "Perdue" around a little more evenly.
While the workers are treated badly by the companies, these
workers treat the birds just as badly, if not worse. Human
suffering surrounds the birds' flesh, in Mr. Lewis's words, but
the suffering of the birds themselves is imbedded in that flesh.
This suffering deserves our attention. Chickens are sensitive and
intelligent birds. Please find a way to include their viewpoint
in your forthcoming reports on this terrible industry.
Thank you for providing a vital public service.
Sincerely,
Karen Davis, PhD
President
United Poultry Concerns, Inc.