[PackerBoy]

My wife is a vegetarian and is totally opposed to wearing fur. She also prefers not to wear leather, but says she is forced to do so because of the way purses and dress shoes are made.

I guess I am what you would call an omnivore, and I see no problem with people wearing fur or leather.

However, even I have a slight concern about whether the animals eventually harvested for food or apparel are treated cruelly. (Note I did not say "humanely".) I would like to think that my shoes and belt were made from a milk cow that lived a full life in a meadow, and passed away in its sleep from old age. But I know better. Same thing as to my McDonald's hamburger (although maybe not such an "old" cow).

If we all grew up on farms where they fed the cows and then killed them and cooked and ate them, I suppose we all would have a different perspective.

[geege]

I was into furs years ago....not anymore....to me it's a turn off.....I now prefer wool and cashmere for winter warmth:0)

[chiller]

That's exactly what I did, until college. Our dairy cows did indeed live in a pasture, to a ripe old age. Happy cows are producive cows. Just like capitalism; happy customers generate more business.

[chiller]

Animals die.(wasn't it the Disney chairman who reminded cutie Katie Couric of that fact when one of their wales died?)

Should their leather be wasted?

[Nakota]

Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people are growing up on farms and the type of farm where you grow your own food and raise, kill and process your own meat are becoming even more rare. More is the pity. I think the nation loses part of it's soul when most of the population is estranged from the land.

[chiller]

Same thing as to my McDonald's hamburger (although maybe not such an "old" cow).

BTW, if I had to guess, I'd say McDonalds buys beef from old cows, steers, whatever. Cheaper. I'll bet someone here could verify.