Last week I put together our wedding reception playlist.
The D.J. requested that I include a “Do Not Play” list of the artists that Aaron and I wouldn’t want to hear on our big day.
Both Aaron and I make our living producing safe and wholesome meat products, whether that’s on my family farm or in Aaron’s family restaurant.
Our wedding reception playlist is no place for artists who oppose family businesses like ours by working with animal rights extremist groups!
These artists are on our “Do Not Play” list because they support organizations that are trying to put family farmers like us out of business.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie is a huge supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a lobbying organization that tricks animal lovers into donating money they think will help animal shelters when in fact, HSUS does not operate a single shelter!
Carrie has made personal donations as well as releasing songs with proceeds going to HSUS.
Kellie Pickler
Pickler is an example of the power of propaganda videos from extremist groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She told People Magazine that she decided to become a vegetarian after “googling” information about how animals are treated on farms.
Its a shame that Pickler would do something as drastic as becoming vegetarian without getting the truth from a farmer!
Shania Twain
Though Shania Twain has fallen from the limelight in recent years, she was PETA’s first “Sexiest Vegetarian Alive.” Even though her love songs were very popular when we were kids, you won’t hear a single one at our wedding reception!
Emmylou Harris
This vegetarian country legend has been a long time supporter of PETA’s spay and neuter campaigns. PETA famously quotes Harris as saying, “I’m a proud member of some great organizations. One is the Grand Ole Opry—another is PETA.”
Emmylou sure knows how to make this Kentucky farm girl blue. Its a shame to see a country legend support an organization that opposes country music’s agricultural heritage.
Colbie Caillat
Caillat is a supporter of Farm Santuary, an animal rights extremist group that works to eliminate family farms and put farm animals in “sanctuaries.” The singer actively helped both Farm Sanctuary and HSUS on a ballot initiative in Ohio (a state that she does not reside in) that would have allowed these extremist groups to have a say in how farm animals are treated.
Justin Bieber
Bieber recently recorded a public service announcement for PETA promoting adoption of shelter pets.
Bieber’s work with PETA is shocking since he has often remained neutral when it comes to current issues. Its even more concerning to think that there are thousands of teenage girls struck with “Bieber Fever” who could be influenced by his association with this extremist group.
Leona Lewis
The British singer has long been a vegetarian but in 2009 became a vegan and has her own vegan clothing line. She’s an active PETA supporter and is outspoken about her dislike of modern farming practices both in her native country and in the U.S.
P!NK (Alecia Moore)
Known by her stage name P!NK, Alecia Moore has a reputation for being outspoken. Its no surprise that she works with PETA regularly in their outlandish protests. Most notably, P!NK has helped with PETA’s campaigns against hunting, fur wearing and circuses.
Ruben Studdard
What is it about American Idols? Ruben credits his over 100 pound weight loss to adopting a vegetarian diet and exercising. Unfortunately, no one explained to Ruben that he could have kept enjoying lean and healthy meats while exercising and lost just as much weight!
Sean Kingston
Rapper Sean Kingston and his dog star in a PETA public service announcement opposing the use of dog chains.
A little online searching yielded mixed reviews on Kingston’s diet choices but even if he’s a loyal meat eater he’s lending his talents to an organization that advocates against every form of livestock production.
How many of these artists are on your iPod?
How many of their albums have you bought for your kids?
How many times have you given your hard earned money to these celebrities who lend their talents to the organizations trying to put family farms out of business?
Does it make any difference to Carrie Underwood that she’s not on my wedding playlist? Of course not.
But whenever someone suggests that we play her recent hit “Momma’s Song” at the reception I have the chance to explain to them why I would never consider it!
I get to use something as simple as my wedding playlist to teach people the truth about animal rights extremist groups.
Finding an unexpected opportunity to advocate for family farmers, now that makes a difference!
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Nicely done! What a great way to start some important conversations with your friends and family.
Awesome list that you have put together. I will definitely be sharing with others.
http://www.crystalcattle.com
Great List! Celeste you continue to impress me on how you are able to incorporate your wedding plans into advocating for the industry. Keep up the good work :)
I had no idea that Colbie Calliat and Shania Twain were extremist fans – great post and good luck with your wedding planning! Don’t sweat the small stuff!
You can add Katy Perry
I came across a site that sent a portion of a concert ticket purchase to HSUS.
Great info! I didn’t know any of this! Thanks for workin’ hard to advocate for agriculture! :)
Thanks for the heads up Ray!
I did a little searching and found what you were talking about. Its called Tickets-for-Charity and artists or can release tickets to be purchased through the site with a portion of those sales going to charity. When you buy tickets you can pick which charity you want your donation to go to, however, Katy Perry’s tour lists HSUS as a “Featured Charity.”
Thanks for the list and interesting info! I was aware of most of them but learn some new bits too. Kelly Pickler commented on a tweet of mine, about a year ago. She stated the reason she didn’t eat meat was b/c it was ‘rotten fresh’. I quickly informed her that the beef and pork we produce is safe and healthy. I plan to never support her by listen to anything of hers!
This doesn’t surprise me. I’m sure there are many, many more
‘celebrity’ types that can be added to the list. I will continue to write for farmers who toil to put food on our tables and I will continue to promote agriculture and livestock producers who feed the world – and I will enjoy a prime rib from our home-raised steers, my absolute favorite.
And, oh yes, I will continue to sing about the hard working cowboys who tend those cattle that help feed the world.
I knew about Carrie Underwood, but had no idea about the others. Great list to know about.
Darryl Worley can appear in your list of songs, as well as the late Chris LeDoux (suggest “Look At You Girl”!). Don’t overlook the Zac Brown Band for the reception, Montgomery Gentry and Reba – none will likely be at a PeTA function any time soon!
Great suggestions Jan!
If I see Reba at a PETA function I’ll have bigger problems because our pigs will have flown away!
thank you!
It’s nice to know that not ALL country singers are uneducated hillbillies that don’t know how to take care of themselves and their bodies. I didn’t know it was a crime for someone to promote healthy eating, humane treatment of animals and an education that promotes a healthier diet than cholesterol-laden meat and dairy products. I understand the business aspect of your argument considering it’s the industry that (literally and figuratively) puts food on your table, but just because people choose to march to a different beat and live different (and factually healthier) lives doesn’t mean they’re bad people. Good for them for not rotting their bodies with pig corpse. YEEHAW.
This was linked by a fb friend of mine and dear god am I glad that I’m not one of your wedding guests if you plan to spend the reception explaining your political views. You’re upset that Ruben Studdard simply said he had success losing weight on a vegetarian diet? Really? I read his interview and nowhere in it did he say “Everyone should go vegetarian! Meat is murder!” or even really DISCUSS meat. All he said was that it worked for him and there are a surprising amount of vegetarian options, which there are. Being a vegetarian or opposing fur (and so on) doesn’t automatically mean that someone is opposed to you making a living.
And what in the world is wrong with encouraging people to adopt pets? Are you against people who advocate adopting children, too?
Mandy- First of all, I think we disagree on what constitutes as healthy eating. My dietician says that meat is the most efficient source of protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins for the body. That being said, there are people who eat too much meat and that can be detrimental to their health. At the same time, not eating enough meat is also be unhealthy. (Here’s some additional info for you on the nutritional value of meat in your diet.)
Secondly, I am opposed to what PETA, HSUS and Farm Sanctuary stand for as a whole. While they do advocate for adopting pets, they also work to pass legislation to eliminate meat consumption and put family farmers out of business.
By working with these organizations, the artists I mentioned above are not just supporting adopting pets but also a world without family farmers to provide us with a safe and affordable food supply.
JAG- I’m not upset that Ruben Studdard had success losing weight.
I think its a shame that he gave up enjoying lean and healthy meat products along the way.
The reason I added Ruben Studdard to the list is because he supports PETA. Even if Ruben isn’t personally opposed to family farmers, his support of PETA sends the message that he is.
Thanks for the list! I will share this with my 15 year-old daughter. She is a fan of Pink, but this may change her view!
Thanks for this post. I don’t know of very many who oppose adopting animals, and people can be vegetarians if they want, though so many science-based publications show that lean meat is by far the best-suited complete protein for your body. I think I do get what some have missed here. If these ‘artists’ don’t have better sense than to do whatever they do through PETA, HSUS, and other groups who use things like ‘adoption’ to cover for their anti-meat, anti-agriculture agenda, they are clearly naive, misguided, or worse. I’m all for freedom, and I want mine, but whoever you are, don’t support a group who’s agenda-driven mission is to mislead the public and destroy an industry, based on hype rather than fact.
Celeste, you’ve made several good arguments, and you are defending them well. I think the point that many people, including these famous musicians you’ve mentioned, miss is that the agricultural community supports animal shelters and promotes the proper care and treatment of all animals. I saw an interview that Justin Bieber did recently, and he spoke about his passion for helping animal shelters. Perhaps he just does not understand that while organizations like PETA do support some animal shelters, their main goal is lobby against animal agriculture. Hopefully, with the help of articles like yours, they will learn the truth!
I love Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, they’ve both got some really good songs and pretty sure they aren’t going to be supporting PETA or HSUS anytime soon. There are some great songs on Miranda’s album Revolution that haven’t been released to radio but are still awesome, just like her. :)
Celeste, thank you for taking the time to research what music artist’s are supporters of ( Radical Groups) such as HSUS and PETA. I would also like to say that Iam proud of the fact that I can call you my friend and how EXCELLENT a job you do with your website on informing not only the Producers in Agriculture but also the Consumer. Keep up the great work!! To the few people who have been offended by what Celeste has done with this ( Anti Farm Music Playlist) Eating meat is healthy, there is no better source of protien and ammino acids than in wholesome meat products. I do agree with Celeste that meat in large quanties isn’t the best for your health.. but this goes along with anything( Moderation is the key) and in todays society that seems to be hard to do when everyone is about large and fast portions of everything. If you happen to not eat meat that is fine with me at least you support vegetable production, this is your choice and is what makes America GREAT!! It is groups such as HSUS that try to destroy animal agriculture and if you research more you will find that they are againist owning pets as well. Im a third generation farmer/ cattle breeder on my faimlies land and if you don’t count the property we own now, Iam steeped in hundreds of years of Agriculturalists and Im not letting any group be it HSUS or PETA run down my faimlies operation or any other for that matter. So if you do have a problem with eating meat , so be it, its your choice and thats fine. If you realy want to save multiple lives though, eat meat and build up the iron in your blood and go donate to the Red Cross.
There’s actually no need for meat in your diet, and there are far healthier places to get protein that don’t involve cholesterol and saturated fat. I don’t support PETA either but I’m also not going to try and convince myself that eating fatty flesh is healthy. It’s just not, and any doctor that believes meat is an essential part of your diet, even in moderation, is not a doctor I would ever want to see. Not only do people lose weight when they stop eating meat, but their cholesterol levels drop to healthy numbers, their blood pressure regulates itself to healthier levels, their bodily functions are typically more regular, they have more energy, and they feel better and provide their bodies with nutrition that used to pass right through when they were too busy digesting a burger and all the calories and unhealthy fats in it. Everyone says to eat meat in moderation; I don’t hear many people telling me to eat broccoli, carrots, strawberries, blueberries, or other natural foods in moderation. If anything, I’m told to eat more of these to prevent certain cancers and illnesses. But meat, candy, processed foods, and everything else you should give up to PREVENT cancer, heart disease, or any of the other illnesses taking over the US? Yep, gotta moderate.
Hopefully this does not draw ire from any side here, but I am wondering if anyone is willing to ask Justin Beiber whether or not he realizes what he has done. I honestly cannot imagine that he understood what PETA represents! I could be wrong here, but I am just wondering about that aspect of it. He’s pretty young and may not know. We don’t own any of his CDs or anything.. just thought I’d put that out there.
Michele
Justin Blieber ought to spend a day at PeTA’s shelter and watch them euthanize over 90% of the animals they take in rather than adopt them. Of course, he might not see that because they often euthanize them in the van after they pick them up, dump them in the nearest dumptster they can find.
Mandy, in agriculture we are faced with the incredible task of supplying the entire world with a bounty of food. The hardworking farmers in America and throughout the world work so that consumers like yourself can have a cornucopia of food choices. I think you raise some valid points but encourage you to redefine what you call “natural food”. You suggest that the only natural foods are strawberries, carrots and other fruit and veg. I have a sneaking suspicion if you spent time exploring and researching your food that you would realize that nearly every food item that you eat today is quite dissimilar to its genetic “cousins” of yesteryear and has had thousands of years to morph into the shape, color and flavor that it is today, thus dispelling your notion of “natural”. Really, what is natural? Is natural organic? (I caution against this too; I’ll take my synthetic pesticides any day because I trust our USDA to test and regulate the crop protection tools that are marketed in America.)
Further, including meat/animal based protein is natural. I had the pleasure of spending sometime in the Australian outback “hunting and gathering” my own food and was mesmerized by the incredibly nutrient and protein-rich witchetty grub that turns the completely undigestible fiber of trees into an absolute diet gem! I have a feeling it hasn’t changed an awful lot over the last 40,000 years, but that’s just a hunch.
Another point of interest, do you take a multi-vitamin? Doctors will recommend that those on a vegetarian diet, in particular, take a multi-vitamin.
One further morsel, when I contracted malaria in Africa my doctor encouraged me to eat as much red meat as possible to help build red blood cells. It took my vegetarian friends nearly 3 times as long to rebound from their bouts with the blood parasite… I will take my chances with my flesh-tearing cuspids.
Everything in moderation, even moderation….
I know that there are other “natural” food sources other than what I mentioned, but I really just believe it’s much healthier to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains as opposed to meat or dairy. I don’t believe it is an overall healthier choice than those foods, and I’d like people to recognize or acknowledge that whether they eat meat or not. At least know that it’s not “necessary” like we’re conditioned to believe it is. And yes, I take a daily mutivitamin, calcium and vitamin D. But I never said I was a vegetarian. :) (although I am about 80% vegetarian. I occasionally indulge in meat and still eat dairy).
also I’m not a “PETA supporter,” I loathe the organization, so let’s not label me as one of those on the Twitters. I don’t choose to go mostly vegetarian because of animal rights (although you can’t deny that not murdering animals is a bad thing), I do it for the health benefits.
“Moderation and Variation”
I am not a vegetarian because I am basically lazy. In order to be a healthy vegetarian, you have to pay too much attention to what types of food you are eating in order to make sure that you get the right balance of nutrients in your diet. By eating a diet with meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, I can have a balanced diet with very little effort on my part. I figure that drinking pop and high sugar drinks, are worse for me than any meat or dairy products that I consume.
Look. I am 16 years old and absolutely love alot of these artists song. I also am herdsman on me and my familys farm and I can send u video after video after video on how good we treat our animals. Thank you to whoever made this list I totally loathe Pink, but I love Carrie Was sad to see her on here. In conclusion PETA and hsus can kiss my you know wut. Thank you again.
Thanks, Celeste, for the info. I probably won’t change the station if some of these people come on the radio, but I won’t be buying anymore of their albums. Too many people are sucked in by the bleeding heart ads that these organizations use and don’t bother to research them to find where the money is actually going. It is a matter of public record that very little is spent by PETA, HSUS, and others like them to actually help animal shelters. I’m all for freedom of choice, but that choice needs to be an educated one based on facts rather than knee jerk reaction to pictures of abused or neglected animals. Another line of research you might be interested in is Authors who support these groups. I know of one for sure whose books I will know longer buy because HSUS is her favorite charity. From one non vegetarian farm girl to another, keep up the good work.
Celeste….you rock!
I was so excited to read this. I say good for you for supporti.g the farmers in the world. I will definetly share this info especially with my 4-h club.
Thanks for this list. Being an old 1960s hippie, I don’t listen to most of these performers but I was very sad to learn of Emmy Lou Harris’ support of PETA several years ago. I haven’t purchased any of her music since even though she is very talented. If anyone questions the source of information on PETA’s killing ways – as a registered “shelter” with the Commonwealth of Virginia they are required to report intakes & adoptions every year.
This comment is especially for Mandy, but for anyone else who believes that ‘meat’ is harmful. My father-in-law, who is in his 70′s, came to help us work on our house and was here for about a month straight. We have home raised beef, pork and chicken here. Although my mother-in-law was worried about his diet, we did not change our eating habits because he was here. He had sausage, bacon, eggs and beef on a regular basis. Interesting thing was, that when he returned home, he went for his regular check-up and his cholesterol level was actually lower than it had been when he left.
I will continue to eat my home-raised meats and eggs. I believe I am just as healthy as anyone who is a vegetarian or vegan, probably healthier.
I knew Carrie Underwood was a HSUS fan, don’t buy her music, not surprised at Shania, but disappointed with her and Kelly Pickler. I wonder how many of these people are being fed information from their publicist and don’t bother to actually research the organizations that they are backing. Wish we could ask them, but I’m sure they would have some lame excuse. LOL
Celeste
Excellent post idea and information! I don’t listen to a lot of county music anymore, but anytime I hear the beginnings to Carrie Underwood or see her on TV the channel is quickly changed.
I think we could come up with a top 10 for movie stars real easy too.
I did not grow up on a ranch and when we moved to take over the running of my husband’s family ranch there was no way I was eating the animals that I saw on a daily basis. For the first year we lived on the ranch very little meat was cooked in our house, much to my husband’s dismay. That has since changed and I fix meat nightly for dinner again. Looking back on that first year I realize that I had little energy, gained weight and did not eat a healthy balanced diet. The inclusion of lean meat in a daily diet allows you to live a healthy life in my opinion. What is important to take away from this discussion is that whether you are a vegan or a carnivore you are supporting agriculture, family farms and ranches. This is what groups like PETA and HSUS are wanting to put an end to. Not sure what they think they are going to eat if there is no one left to grow even vegetables, but that is the problem with many of these groups and their supporters there is no thought process to any of it.
Thank you for this post. It goes to show that in very small ways each day we can help to educate and inform the public about where there food comes from and help them to make informed decisions. HSUS and PETA are very powerful organizations who hide behind their real agenda. I encourage everyone to research who you give you hard earned $$ to. Charities need our support but for the right reasons.
Being 80% vegetarian is like being a little bit pregnant.
We raise our own beef and eggs. People often ask how we can eat or kill a cow we have fed, cared for etc. Its because I KNOW we have given them the very best care we can and raised them in a low stress environment. When we take them to the processor I know they will be humanely handled. I’m happy to cook what I grow, just like I am to eat the salad I grow. Problem is a lot of people can’t. They must buy food. Beef (and other meats) are a source of complete protein. Not the same as veggies. On one hand we have people crying over hunger and on the other over farms growing food. For all those who rely on the safe, efficient and productive food system to supply meat and veggies at a low cost there is no logic in veganism. For those in 3rd world countried who are starving there is no excuse for organizations like PETA and HSUS who seek to destroy the American food supply affordability. What better way to reach the masses than through the “stars”. The country music audience has typically been unreachable until the more recent group of singers. So they slowly infiltrate and play on the emotions of captive audiences. Even if listeners don’t go vegan they may give money for those political agendas.
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My grandmother lived to be just shy of 99 years old – ate red meat, eggs, dairy products all of her life. We grew up on the milk dipped from the bulk tank. You can incorporate meat into a diet with plenty of veggies and fruits – buy everything from your local farmers and not only save money, but be assured of the quality. When they feed their own families with what they produce, you KNOW it’s good!
For folks like “Mandy”, equating humane processing of a meat animal with murder is precisely the route PETA and HSUS want Americans to take.
I am proud to be a farmer’s daughter, a farmer’s wife, and work to promote our way of life and products every chance I get.
Mandy – I was a vegetarian for 6 years and I gained over 60 pounds. My body simply does not process grains very well. Not “everyone” loses weight on a vegetarian diet and a vegetarian diet is not the healthiest diet for “everyone.”
I have no problem with anyone being vegetarian but I have a big problem with vegetarians who think their way is the only way.
Way to go! Animal rights organizations are jerks for thinking that animals deserve to live until they die on their own. We humans should get to decide when we want them to die for our needs and wants! PETA is an extremist organization that wants to get rid of factory farms! But how else can we make money off of the death of animals? Don’t these silly groups care about real issues, like the survival of our precious industry? They actually think they’re standing up for something worthwhile? Animals are worthless and don’t deserve the right to live. Ask any pet owner. Pet owners who support us would all gladly give up their dogs and cats for us to butcher, since they’ve been shown to have the same levels of intellect, loyalty, and affection as the pigs and chickens we slaughter every day. Shame on anyone who supports any group that wants animals to be allowed to live.