On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:42:45 -0400, Mike Horlick <[log in to unmask]> 
wrote:

>I also think that one can distance oneself from the killing process to a 
certain 
>degree because usually you see only the clean end product (a piece of meat 
>covered in plastic in a styrofoam container).  I guess most people don't make 
>an association between the actual animal and that burger they're eating.
>They would rather not think of the messy part.  I wonder how many people 
>could actually kill an animal but that maybe because we are so far from the 
>Neolithic times. 

I think part of the problem, particularly with vegetarians, is that most people 
know nothing about hunting and processing animals.  Until you actually do it, 
it may seem an impossible and horrific concept.  Once you have the 
experience and understand its purpose it becomes, in the words of my eldest 
daughter, "a matter of life".

BTW, I have no qualms about shooting a deer, skinning it, and frying the 
backstraps on the spot.  Likewise, I have no qualms about eating beef which 
requires the slaughter of cattle.  

Covenant of the Wild is a worthwhile book to read for more on this subject.