Persuasive Speech Introduction A. Imagine going out to eat at a restaurant, and you read entrees like "fried human legs" and "human baby parmesan." B. I believe the world would be a happier, healthier, more humane place if everyone were vegetarian -- you should become one! C. Today I am going to enlighten you all about the animal cruelty involved with food processing that goes on behind closed doors, and the healthier lifestyle of being vegetarian. [First let me tell you a little bit about what else your are eating when you choose to eat meat.] Body A. Every year billions of animals are raised and slaughtered for human consumption. In today’s factory farms animals are confined to extremely small spaces so farmers can concentrate on maximizing production. 1. This over crowding breeds disease, so the animals are fed antibiotics and sprayed with pesticides. 2. The animals are also fed growth hormones. 3. So, the chemicals, antibiotics and hormones are passed on to the consumers. 4. USDA fact sheet, bacterial contamination of animal products often causes illness and death. Salmonella poisoning can be fatal. 5. Time Magazine, bad chicken is responsible for at least 1,000 American deaths each year. [Now, here are some more disturbing facts you should know about meat production.] B. According to the Animal Protection Institute, in the U. S. alone, every year 41.8million beef cattle, 115 million pigs, and 8.785 billion chickens are slaughtered for human consumption. The animals endure much more. 1. Beef cattle called "downers" are prodded or dragged to the slaughterhouse, or left without food or water to die. 2. Pigs are stunned, hung upside down before their throats are cut and bled to death. If missed, they go to the scalding tank where they may be boiled alive. 3. Crowed, chickens peck each other to death. Instead of providing space farmers "debeak" them by cutting off their upper beak with a hot blade. 4. I would like to show you some photos taken inside a slaughterhouse. [If animal cruelty is not enough to change your mind, then maybe your own health concerns will make a difference.] C. Studies show meat-eaters are twice as likely to die from heat disease, and 60% more likely to die from cancer than vegetarians. 1. Meat consumption has been linked to many diseases, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, and obesity. 2. Quoted by William Roberts, MD, editor and chief of The American Journal Of Cardiology, "When we kill animals to eat them, they end up killing us because their flesh, which contains cholesterol and saturated fat, was never intended for human beings, who are natural herbivores." Conclusion I hope that I have enlightened you all about the matters of vegetarianism, and I hope you all will make the right moral and health decisions as I have. Quote by Leonardo de Vinci, "I have, from an early age renounced eating meat. The time will come when we will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of humans. Review the persuasive speech outline. What is the speaker’s ultimate goal? a. convince the audience to become vegetarian b. convince the audience to keep eating meat c. convince the audience to protest animal cruelty d. convince the audience to eat more vegetables