"If all slaughterhouses were made of glass...."

From Animal Person:

"As many of you know by now, as a result of the investigation at the Hallmark slaughterhouse, Congress is calling for cameras to be installed at slaughterhouses.

...[The author argues] that this is in no way related to animal rights and will not lead to animal rights...(because it's just about oversight (i.e., "cover your ass") not about respecting each individual as a sentient being, or to expose the torture of animals).

Perhaps the footage might lead to the alteration of some practices. Perhaps not. The cameras are meant to catch those individuals who think it's funny to sit on a turkey, or throw chickens against a wall for fun or sexually molest a pig. [Cameras are] meant to make sure that business goes as it should...  

Practical concerns arise, as well: [The author writes,] "We don't know if all (or any?) of the footage will be for public consumption."  

Regardless of the above stated and well founded cynicism, this legislation ought to be supported as a means to the end of providing some level of protection against the most egregious displays of the human species' inhumanity.  

Indeed, having limited access to the goings on in a slaughterhouse may provide a justification for the exploitation of animals (e.g., "Look, the animals are treated "well"), which may make even the factory farm a producer of "happy meat."

However, maybe not. Perhaps it will force people to re-examine their own lives and their explicit support of these industries when they feel that moral pang as they watch a pig struggle for his life, which may engender a more inclusive worldview about the moral community. I don't know, but I still think that this legislation should be supported. 

One thing is certain, cameras in slaughterhouses will force these companies to adhere to regulations, which will cut into their profits because adhering to regulations (instead of ignoring them to keep our meat cheap and their profits high) costs money: more input into these processes means higher prices in the supermarket and a hit at the company's bottom-line, which is, of course, all they care about. Tyson doesn't want cameras in its slaughterhouses because when meat's expensive consumers are more apt to be shaken from their stupor.

This link will take you to a petition where you can show your support for this legislation.

Elaine Vigneault has two different posts about this on her blog, including a very well-written letter to her representatives asking for their support.