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Oh, how to whittle it down? When Monsanto wasn't paying people to protest on their behalf and dioxin-tainted chicken wasn't terrifying millions of people, well, there was still a lot of stuff going on. Let's plumb the depths, shall we?
1. Genetically Engineered Foods Banned at Monsanto's Staff Restaurant First, the entire world is collectively kicking their butt over the genetically engineered foodstuffs they tried to force down everyone's throats, and now this. We had to admit it made us giggle. Come on. It's funny. It's really funny. For an extra laugh at Monsanto's expense, click here.
2. Evans Furs Declares Bankruptcy on Fur Free Friday Do you know the German word schadenfreude? It's the feeling of being delighted by another's misfortune. Although schadenfreude is not generally thought of as an admirable character trait, it would be impossible for anyone who cares about animals to not feel a tinge of it upon hearing of Evans' closing for good on such a symbolic occasion. Perhaps a better expression would be poetic justice. Relive Fur Free Friday 1999 in Chicago.
3. World Trade Organization Protests in Seattle Oh boy, this one was a doozy and a big black eye on the face of those who protect biotechnology and big business over human interest. When the World Trade Organization planned to meet in Seattle, they had no idea what was awaiting them. Maybe a scraggly-haired hippie here, a wild-eyed conspiracy theorist there. In other words, the usual suspects and no one powerful enough to throw a real wrench into the proceedings. Instead, what the delegates found were thousands of organized, passionate, creative and committed activists who, through careful planning, training and mutual support, shut down the WTO meeting through non-violent means. What followed was mayhem, and an absolutely terrifying image of a police-state here in the good, ol' U.S.A., all gloriously documented on videotape. Let's see how the police chief fared.
4. Sara Lee and Oscar Mayer Listeria Poisonings Calling the Sara Lee listeria poisonings a blunder or act of stupidity would demean the pain inflicted on those who died, those who lost loved ones and those who suffered. Let's instead call it what it is: staggering irresponsibility. In the end, 15 people died, six miscarriages occurred and at least 62 people were sickened by listeria-contaminated meat from the Sara Lee-owned company. Amid findings that the meat processing plant was unsanitary (link to "USDA Finds Deplorable Conditions at Sara Lee Meat Plant") and did not heed warnings in the past to raise hygiene standards, once again we discover we're not all that far from what Upton Sinclair described in The Jungle. We did a bunch of stories on this. Here's one.
5. U.S and Europe Accuse Each Other of Unsafe Meat. At last, vegetarians and omnivores can agree on the same point: meat is inedible. Read the story. |
Vegan Street Picks the Five Biggest Blunders, Stupid Acts and
Points of Embarrassment for Bad People, Corporations and Trade
Organizations in 1999