The Center for Consumer Freedom Wants You to Close Your Eyes to Animal Abuse

Stories of animal abuse and meat recalls abound in the news, a quick search of YouTube will result in ghastly videos of animals being tortured and undercover investigations turn up hideous acts of violence that some would like to decry as propaganda from animal rights zealots. If activists aren’t helping, then who is? The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) would like us to believe they are, but the realities of factory farming are getting harder and harder to ignore, deny or explain.

In an article by Wayne Pacelle, head of the Humane Society, that appeared in the Huffington Post in response to the investigation of Bushway Packing Inc., Pacelle called out the CCF for what they really are; a front group for industries including tobacco, alcohol, agribusiness and essentially anything else that could possibly be bad for us.

With a name like the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), one might be inclined to think they’re some sort of watchdog group looking out for the consumer. Unfortunately, the name is misleading, and they appear to be anything but.

CCF, which was originally called the “Guest Choice Network,” was founded by lobbyist Rick Berman of Berman & Co., and is now responsible for websites including the Employment Policies Institute, which strives to keep minimum wages low and Animal Scam, which is supported by the food and beverage industry and promotes misinformation about animal cruelty and factory farming. They’re also against Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and would even like to see more pregnant ladies consume mercury laden fish.

Regarding animal abuse, CCF’s spokesman David Martosko said, “Cheap solution to PETA & HSUS? Stop animal-rights infiltrators in farms & slaughterhouses … ” He also provided a link to a site that sells a supposed gadget to detect the presence of hidden cameras on his Twitter page.

Wow. Seriously? Abuse to the extent that even those in the industry are appalled is alright just so long as no one sees it? Of course, everything will be fine if we could just stop those meddlesome do-gooders from doing the USDA’s job and telling the public the truth.

It’s about time CCF gets the spotlight for being a worthless organization that isn’t driven by anything but profits from the food industry and agribusiness.

creative commons

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Chinmayee J.

2:26AM PDT on Mar 21, 2010

It's terrible that the CCF is doing nothing about the obvious abuse. In fact, they are trying to hide it!! How ridiculous - for Goodness' sake, open your eyes - these animals are suffering hideous pain, and they are living, breathing, feeling creatures of this planet. Perhaps the members of the CCF should take the time to consider what it would feel like to be one of these animals, helpless, terrified, with no room to move, and suffering all sorts of pain...

send a green star

Deb H.

7:11AM PST on Mar 12, 2010

Simply, "right ON!", Alicia.

But you can't legislate against stupidity, re: those who believe the BS from such orgs as the CCF. This said despite not being a fan of the HSUS anymore, either...but they're still several steps up from the CCF.

Catrina W.

8:44PM PST on Nov 17, 2009

what...a...jackass!
lets just say that CCF is going down!
weither I round-house kick them there or not!

Yvette T.

8:45AM PST on Nov 13, 2009

Humans who can seek enlightenment inside, instead seek to dominate life in the physical world. Non-interference for all life forms is the only way to accomplish anything spiritual while living in a human body, and leads to compassion and opening of the true eye and inner ear. Meditation, not eradication is the key. Research the sources of all religions and locate the texts that were omitted and altered. All state there is to be no harming of any animal for any reason other than self-defense, especially eating and sacrifice, and that no one is allowed to harm another human unless attacked directly. When will we actually become truly human?

Echo E.

11:30AM PST on Nov 12, 2009

More about CCF, scroll down to 2nd article.. TONS OF INFO

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/8051

Megan S.

4:55PM PST on Nov 10, 2009

All Life on Gaia should be respected.

Peace Love & Light

clara H.

9:49AM PST on Nov 10, 2009

Wow people should be ashamed of themselves for this. Animals should be protected eaten or non eaten animals.

Janis T.

8:38PM PST on Nov 9, 2009

I wash my hands of the human race. There really is no hope for this planet not while there is one human left alive on it. We will always fight, want the cheapest of everything, be the cruelest and thoughtless animals that ever lived. We are taking this beautiful planet down with us, and it's going rather quickly now. It's the Titanic sinking all over again. I can't say that it was even nice knowing you all, as the humans I have come across a lot in my life weren't worth the effort their poor parents put into them. What a sad excuse for just one species of animal we are. We have the power to destroy like know other animal before us, and we are doing an excellent job of it.

So unless the human race, and the particular humans living in the United States wake up, there will be no other species or world left to save soon. We have run out of time because all we can do is talk about it and make films about it. Yet no one is doing what it will actually take to halt and reverse the damage with we have done, and are doing every single day we breath.

Wake up for goodness sake, live it don't write about it!

B D.

3:17PM PST on Nov 8, 2009

Rachel Maddow has had a lot of coverage of Rick Berman and all of his Astroturf organizations for anyone who would pay him.

Email to shame him or let him know he was outed? Maggots would gag at their circumstances easier.

Vera T.

3:34AM PST on Nov 8, 2009

With the on set of the Internet you can run but you cannot hide - more and more of the dreadful ongoing animal cruelties should be beamed to every type of media so that pressure can be put on those who abuse animals - Good on you those that have brought these atrocities to the surface - the Govt needs to intervene, and they can, but only with the help from all animal activists- so good luck and keep on campaigning.