Apparently every year the President of the United States pardons a turkey. Meaning, he publicly announces he is not going to eat a turkey. Not only does he pardon one turkey but he also pardons an alternative just in case. That may seem odd but it is rather likely that the first person would rather die because we breed turkeys to be so fat that their organs cannot support their huge size. The typical turkey bred to be eaten only lives for about 18 weeks.
What is the meaning of pardoning a turkey? Does this mean that the first family eats no meat on Thanksgiving or do they just eat chicken and feel like that's better than eating a turkey?
The article can be found here National Turkey Dies, but the Alternate Lives
Another interesting turkey pardoning story is about Sarah Palin. Brett showed this to us in class.
While she is talking about pardoning a turkey the other poor turkeys who weren't pardoned are being killed behind her.
I hope this doesn't ruin eating turkey for you.
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I'm glad you got the embedding to work! It seems like what might be really interesting is to look, as we were discussing in your group, at the historical / rhetorical function of pardoning. Who is the audience, and what is the purpose? How do these rhetorical elements get re-figured in the video you have included, and what makes that 'significant enough' (if indeed it even is) to discuss on the news?
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the clip...although I only watched half of it, I thought it was hilarious that they were slaughtering turkeys in the background while Palin was pardoning one.
Anyway, I am very confused about this whole concept of pardoning a turkey. Honestly, I had never heard of it before we discussed it in class, and am amazed by the whole concept? What's the point? I like how you said that they may just eat chicken anyway. Aren't chickens often overcrowded and inhumanely treated unless they are free range? What makes it so special to pardon a turkey? I mean honestly, it's just one turkey, and I know I'm not going to stop eating turkey at Thanksgiving because one was spared. Is this tradition supposed to get meat-eaters to stop eating meat? If so, is it asking them to change habits for a day or for life? Is the purpose to make us aware that when you eat meat that means an animal was killed?
I am really confused of the point. Sure, turkeys may not be raised in the best conditions. But normally cows, chickens, and pigs aren't raised well either.
I wonder how long presidents have done this far and what the point was then, and if we are doing it just because of tradition of because of a legitimate reason.
Nice use of weblink & video clip!
James