None of the animals in the husbandry industry have any moment of goodness, from their day one. As shown in the film, these animals are being tortured and humiliated even as they are walking to their final destiny. Temple Grandin is an autistic person with sensitive to the environment and to animals. In the film, she is only responding to this part of the cruelty that she could lay her hands on, even the moment of peace or comfort is momentary. Yet to her, before an animal becomes meat, is still a living and feeling animal deserving respect.

The reason for choosing this film is not that Temple Grandin’s walkway system could justify meat eating….it is exactly the other way around. The movie is the second film of the Sistah-Vegan or Go Veggie for Christmas series. The first BBC documentary Making the Connection has already displayed many of the ills enmeshed in meat eating, whether it is to ourselves, to the animals or to the earth. This is a follow up to show the deep seated problem of a patriarchal culture. The film starts by showing how the medical and health system and the education system discriminated against Temple and her mother, and then moves on to the still male dominated meat production industry to see how people there take brutality and harrassment as norm.

Temple Gradin loves being around animals in the film. She could only do so much for the animals that she cares, but she may also be only adding more brutality to the world, as she brings effectiency to the system, and lessen the sense of guilt amongst meat eaters. Thus, she is not the solution to the dilemma. The solution is in our hands that we gaze back to a system of discrimination and cruelty, by embracing veganism, feminism as well as other forms of equity. The world will have no peace if any part of it is suffering.

note: The 3rd film Vegucated is about three New Yorkers taking up and vegan challenge. The documentary follows them and their transformation during those 6 weeks. Come again to have your veggie movie journey complete.