It’s maybe the NBA’s worst-kept secret that outspoken Boston Celtics big man Enes Kanter has strong opinions on social justice issues, so it probably shouldn’t surprise his personal convictions cover more than just the human race.
For Kanter, it’s all connected — poverty, the environment, even how we treat animals when we use them as food.
To that end, he recently recorded a new public service announcement with pro-animal rights group Chooseveg.com and Mercy for Animals.
“Today, I’m standing up against abuse not just of workers but of animals and our environment,” began the Turkish big man.
“Every day, most of us enjoy our food without ever thinking about where it came from, how it got there, or who may have suffered or died to get it there. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about those things, and I’m asking you to do the same. I started to learn about our broken food system and the factory farms where thousands and thousands of animals are forced to live in cramped conditions — they can’t turn around or spread their wings. They are forced to live in their own filth, pumped full of antibiotics and hormones.”
“It is a cruel life full of suffering that only ends with their deaths,” he added.
For Kanter, becoming aware of the food system putting various types of animal-based products on his table was a personal game-changer.
Mike Zarren on Ranked Choice Voting: how it works, why we need it https://t.co/bkzYJ37rzA
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 18, 2020
As he learned more, he became aware of working conditions at some factory farms that also disturbed him.
“Our food system also puts slaughterhouse workers at risk,” he explained.
“These workers are often the most disadvantaged among us, often having few other options than to work those jobs under terrible conditions that leave them sick, hurt or traumatized. Factory farms also pose an environmental hazard. Lagoons of waste pollute water and air in many rural communities leading to sickness like asthma or even cancer.”
“That’s why we need to change this factory farming system,” proposed the Celtic center. “Right now, over 90% of our meat comes from factory farms.”
“Three times a day, when you choose your meal, you get to vote for the kind of world you want to live in.”
NBA athlete and activist @EnesKanter is speaking out in defense of animals, workers, and the environment. pic.twitter.com/oB4zDU0faG
— Mercy For Animals (@MercyForAnimals) October 14, 2020
“I learned a lot about this injustice here in the NBA bubble,” revealed Kanter, who evidently spent some of his downtime at Disney’s NBA campus educating himself on the industrial food systems of the world.
“I have been making more mindful choices about what I eat, and I have been leaving meat off my plate. To learn more about plant-based foods, visit chooseveg.com for tips and recipes. Three times a day, when you choose you meal, you get to vote for the kind of world you want to live in, what kind of values you stand for.”
“How do you think we should treat workers, animals and our planet?” asked the big man in a parting question.
Vote with your wallet accordingly.
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