Vegetarianism Persuasive Speech Outline

Abstract

PERSUASIVE SPEECH OUTLINE General Purpose: To persuade.Specific Purpose: To persuade to adopt a vegetarian diet. Become a Vegetarian! Introduction: Attention Getter: Paul McCartney once said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian." Motivation for Listening: Would you save your pet if they were awaiting their deathbed in a slaughterhouse? Animals in slaughterhouses can smell, hear and even sometimes see others being slaughtered before them. Establishing Credibility: I researched more than what you would just find on a PETA or pro-vegan website. I looked for specific articles that show animal cruelty all over the country, with all different types of animals. Thesis Statement: You should become a vegetarian in order to help stop animal cruelty. Preview of Speech: Animal cruelty happens all the time and is often overlooked. Many people argue that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy, but I am going to prove them wrong. Finally, I am going to show you that a vegetarian diet is possible while still tasting good. Transition to Body of Speech: To begin, animal cruelty happens much more frequently than you would think. Body Establishing the Problem Analysis and Research: According to Federal Law, mammals are required to be stunned before they are slaughtered. Usually, slaughterhouses use electric current to cause either a heart attack or a seizure, or they use a bolt to the skull or the brain. Very frequently, the animals may endure one or two attempts that fail when stunning them. When the electrical stun guns fail, the animal could become paralyzed, but they will not lose their senses and ability to feel pain. In addition, animals that are unconscious when their necks are cut may regain consciousness when they are hanging to bleed. There are no federal laws protecting birds. They are sent to scalding tanks. Every year hundreds of thousands of chickens and turkeys face the scalding tanks still alive ("If Slaughtemouses had glass walls''). Analysis and Research: In an article in the New York Times, beloved fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken was accused of animal cruelty. They purchase 700 million chickens every single year. A video was released showing a supplier of KFC showing slaughterhouse workers jumping up and down on completely live chickens and kicking the chickens like footballs. Apparently, this was for fun to the workers (McNeil). This is not an isolated incident. Analysis and Research: According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, a slaughterhouse in Vermont was shut down because there were videos that showed calves that were kicked, shocked, and even skinned alive. In addition, a USDA inspector went to the slaughterhouse and was helping a worker learn how to avoid the plant shutting down, failing to stop a calf from being cut alive. This particular slaughterhouse produced what is called "bob veal" which is made from calves that were only days old. "Bob veal" usually ends up in hot dogs and lunchmeat. ("Vermont Slaughterhouse closed''). Again, this isn't something that only happens at one slaughterhouse. Animals are treated unfairly and endure excruciating pain every single day. Analysis and Research: In a pig farm that supplied for Smithfield foods, the nation's largest pork producer, a PETA activist videotaped the workers beating, dragging, gouging out their eyes, and castrating the pigs without anesthesia. Some of the piglets had the word "kill" spray painted on their backs before they were dragged while screeching to their deaths. Some of the women who worked there laughed and aid that watching the pigs was their stress reliever for the week ("North Carolina Authorities Investigate''). Would you feel comfortable eating chicken, pig, cow, or any other animal knowing that animal was the one that survived the stun and felt every part of its death? Although you may tell yourself you could have never possibly done so, it is likely we all have eaten an animal that has fallen victim to animal cruelty. Transition: Next, many people argue that a vegetarian diet would be unhealthy. Establishing Opposing Viewpoints: Build-up and Refutation: A large amount people argue that government laws protect animals from cruelty. Slaughterhouses are required to follow the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which states, "It is declared to be the policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock in connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods". The USDA has vets and inspectors that are to monitor federally inspected plants ("If Slaughterhouses had glass walls"). However, like I told you before with the slaughterhouse in Vermont, USDA officials are not always doing what is expected of them. Another example from an article in the Los Angeles Times shows that the workers in slaughterhouses are completely aware of where and when the federal inspector is coming. They radio to each other before the inspector arrives to their section of the slaughterhouse to be on their best behavior. Slaughterhouses even occasionally assign a pretty and talkative woman worker to follow the inspector and distract him. The inspections of all of these slaughterhouses are being completed, however they are not always thorough (Kim). Build-up and Refutation: In addition, many people argue that we...