Vote for the worst euphemism
Language is important. How we name things determines how we think about them and how we feel about them. That is why we are fighting with the euphemism election against concealing language in the livestock industry. The media often talks about animals as if they were things. Take bird flu. Animals are “culled” with “a warm blanket of gas”. Words that help us believe it's not too bad. When, in fact, millions of chickens are being gassed.
As in: In the event of an outbreak of bird flu, the chickens are culled. Sounds like: Clean up Means: Kill
As in: The NVWA removes the destructive material from the stable. Sounds like: Worthless waste Means: Animals killed
As in: When gasified, a warm blanket of warm CO2 gas falls on the animals .
Sounds like: Going to sleep peacefully
Means: Suffocation
As in: In the event of an avian flu outbreak, poultry farmers receive compensation from the Animal Health Fund.
Sounds like: Animal care fund
Means: Fund to gas animals
