What If You Were Treated Like a Chicken? June 2, 2009
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It can be hard sometimes to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but what about putting yourself in a chicken's ... err ... feet?
Shane O'Loughlin, an 18-year-old high school student, helped to show people just that, by writing a story for his creative writing class about chickens. All of us here in peta2 were so impressed by his story that we just had to share it with you all.
Shane says: "I wrote a short story designed to compel readers to feel sympathy for the chickens who are brutally abused and then murdered without mercy. It's a bizarre future world where the roles are switched and Chickens put us in awful farm houses and pump us full of hormones and kill us if we're sick." Check out what Shane has to say below, then be sure to read his story, "Broilers."
What inspired you to write "Broilers" in the first place?
I've been writing for a long time, I used to write silly fiction stories as a little kid, and more recently I've been writing songs with my acoustic band, The Gay Street Alliance. This year, though, my senior year in high school, I took a creative writing class. The class was asked to write a short story, and I thought, "What could I write about that I'd actually care about?" Almost instantly animal rights came to mind. I've been a vegetarian for two years and I'm constantly frustrated by the ignorance people show towards the inhumane treatment of animals. I realized though, that if I wrote a story about a bunch of chickens being abused, people would just dismiss it as that crazy vegetarian kid ranting again. So I decided to write it about humans.
That was a great idea. What's your favorite vegetarian food?
Spanakopita is fabulous. Spinach as a vegetable is simply amazing. I'm also fond of couscous salad, and anything with artichokes.
Mmm. I love couscous! After you stop thinking about delish food, read Shane's story here.
What do you think of it?
♥ P.S. It's always a great idea to incorporate animal rights into your school projects and papers. Check this out for more info!
Comments
A very chilling story, it sounds like a horror movie plot so it's shocking that it's absolutely true for all those poor chickens.
Very well written, thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Little_Lotte at June 2, 2009 1:56 PM'the gay street alliance'
that's *hilarious*
Posted by: cody at June 2, 2009 2:41 PMSounds like a story you would see on the Twight Zone. Unfournately all too real.
Posted by: Erin at June 2, 2009 5:57 PMOh my God. I never even thought so deeply how much of a horror story that is! The entire time reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about if there was any way at all to escape something like that. That's horrifying.
Posted by: Juli at June 2, 2009 6:31 PMShane nailed this one.
If only people could switch around their points of view as well as Shane does here... we wouldn't have all of this mess.
I'm so inspired now :)
Thanks, Shane, for this incredible story.
WOW THAT GOT U THINKING AND THAT IS REALLY SCARY
Posted by: at June 2, 2009 8:39 PMThat was a very gripping story. I always want to write an essay on animal rights but none of my classes ever give me the opportunity. Sigh.
Posted by: kat at June 2, 2009 8:49 PMWow. I remember writing a similar short story about pigs when I was 13. Of course it wasn't as refined but nonetheless, I really think stories like these are good for people to read. It's so sad that this happens everyday but by tricking people to relate to the animals as humans, well it makes them have to think about the journey from birth to the plate. I really enjoyed the story. If I weren't expecting it to end with the people being chickens I would have gone the whole story thinking it was some sci fi tale.
Posted by: Hilary at June 4, 2009 2:13 AMCan i get a @$%& yeah?
@$%& yeah.
Posted by: Cody Dennis at June 5, 2009 1:26 AMI love this story, Shane. Your words are incredibly moving and paralyzing at the same time. This is an issue that a lot of people have difficulty facing/caring about, and that's why stories (and other works of art) like this are so important.
I hope you never stop writing and working towards the humane treatment of animals.
I have a HUGE problem with PETA's treatment of women, but I must say, they have made some great accomplishments, and I'm SO glad they posted this.
xoxo
Posted by: Jen G at June 5, 2009 2:05 AMPretty cool post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say
that I have really liked reading your blog posts. Anyway
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!
deffinatley going to share this post on my twitter.
Posted by: chicken coop at January 21, 2010 8:18 AMPost a comment
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i just read the story and all i have to write is wow...
Posted by: karen at June 2, 2009 12:53 PM