Editorial by Richard H.
Schwartz, Professor Emeritus at the College of Staten Island
As you point out in your thoughtful editorial,
"Canada's mad cow," the Canadian incident spotlights how our lack of
records, and inability to readily acquire them, is a serious gap in
our ability to protect ourselves from an outbreak of "mad cow
disease." However, I believe that far greater threats are associated
with what, with some writer's license, I call "Mad People Disease" (MPD).
MPD enables some intelligent people to be greatly
concerned about eating meat after one "mad cow" is found in Canada,
while they ignore the many scientific studies that link animal-based
diets to heart disease, stroke, many types of cancer, and other
chronic degenerative diseases, as well as various digestive
problems.
MPD enables otherwise compassionate people to ignore
the fact that 10 billion animals in the United States alone are
raised for food annually, under cruel conditions, in crowded,
confined spaces, where they are denied fresh air, exercise, and any
natural existence.
MPD enables people normally concerned about the
well-being of their fellow human beings to disregard the fact that
70 percent of the gain grown in the United States and over one-third
of the grain grown worldwide is fed to animals destined for
slaughter, as an estimated 20 million of the world's people die
annually because of hunger and its effects.
MPD enables people who are concerned with the
sustainability of the planet to ignore the significant contributions
of animals-based agriculture to air, water, and land pollution,
species extinction, destruction of tropical rain forests and other
precious habitats, shortages of water and other resources, global
climate change, and many other threats.
I urge the Advance to do a tremendous public service
by using your excellent reporters and editors to help make Staten
Islanders aware of the urgency of a switch toward plant-based diets
for our personal health and that of our imperiled planet, and
thereby to help reduce "Mad People Disease."
