My first impression was that this was pretty cool:

http://www.bancruelfarms.org/meatrix/

My second impression was that it did more harm than good.

It's a takeoff on the Matrix, called "The Meatrix."

Moophius (A bull with sunglasses and an attitude)
meets Leo, the cute pig and makes porcine eyes spin in
this brilliantly creative cartoon. Sadly, the message
from the folks who brought you Farm Sanctuary is that
it's ok to eat animals from small family farms, so long
as they are raised compassionately.

Many vegetarians and animal rights activists wrote to
me, complimenting the cartoon. The universal comment
was something to this effect: "If this does not
convince meat eaters to give up eating animals,
nothing will." Unfortunately, it's easy to miss the
subliminal message. Farm Sanctuary bashes factory
farming, brought to you by "greedy agricultural
corporations," while lamenting the good old days of
small family farms which killed the same number of
animals as do the factory farms. So what's the
big deal?

Dialogue from the cartoon:

(Farmer feeds Leo, the pig)
Farmer: Here you go, Leo.

Leo: Oink, oink, oink, oink, oink.

Moophius: LEO!

Leo: Who are you, and how did you know my name?

Moophius: I am Moophius, and I know quite a lot
about you. Have you heard of the MEATRIX?

Leo: The Meatrix?

Moophius: Do you want to know what it is?

Leo: OK

Moophius: The Meatrix is all around you, Leo.
It is the story we tell ourselves about where
meat and animal products come from. The family
farm is a fantasy, Leo. Take the blue pill and
stay here in the fantasy. Take the red pill and
I'll show you the truth.

(Background: Cow moos. Leo takes pill and gulps.
Leo's eyes spin, and both are transported to
the inside of a barn, wall-to-wall with sad looking
pigs.)

Moophius: Welcome to the real world.

Leo: Wow. What is this horrible place?

Moophius: This is a factory farm, Leo. Places like
this are where most eggs, milk, and meat come from.

Leo: How did this happen?

Moophius: I'll show you. In the mid 20th century,
greedy agriculture corporations began modifying sustainable
family farms to maximize their profits at great costs to
both humans and animals. Factory farming was born. Animals
are packed as closely together as possible. Most never see
sunlight, touch ground, or get fresh air. Many can't even
turn around. These cruel conditions cause fights and
disease amongst the animals. To fix this, the corporate
machine began systematic mutilation practices such as debeaking
chickens, and, they started adding a constant dosage of
antibiotics to their feed, just to keep these poor wretches
alive. The overuse of antibiotics breeds resistant
disease-causing germs. Every day, we get closer to an
epidemic that cannot be stopped.

Leo: Ooh. What's that smell?

Moophius: Twelve million pounds of excrement. This
pollutes the air and ground water. That's why communities
near factory farms often suffer from high levels of
related sicknesses.

Leo: Well, it smells like sh-

Morphius: Shhh.
And what's more, factory farm corporations have been
destroying farm communities and mistreating their
workers for decades. Since 1950, Over 2 million small
farms have disappeared. If they continue at this rate,
there will be no more independent farms left. That is
the Meatrix, Leo. The lie we tell ourselves about where
food comes from. But, it's not too late. There is a
resistance.

Leo: Count me in. Yaaaaaaaah! So, how do we stop
them, Moophius?

Moophius: We are going to spread the word, but it's
you, the consumer, who has the real power. Don't support
the factory farming. CLICK HERE and I'll show you what
you can do to escape the Meatrix.
_________________________________________________________
Note from the Notmilkman:

When you "CLICK HERE" you learn how to donate money
to Farm Sanctuary, the same organization that once
rescued farm animals. The organization that I once
recognized as heros and leaders of the A.R. movment.

So, "CLICK HERE" and tonight (November 5, 2003) you
can pay $150 per couple to attend a fund raiser in
Boston. Or, you can spend $200 per couple for a
benefit in Calfornia on November 23rd. Of course,
don't forget the $600 per couple benefit at New
York's Plaza Hotel in May of 2004.

Your dollars will be used to support the family farms
who raise and slaughter the same animals that Farm
Sanctuary once saved.

Compassionate slaughter does not save animals.
Compassionate slaughter relieves the consciences of
those people who eat animals. Why is it that
chicken and beef consumption continue to increase?
Moophius knows the answer, and that's no bull.
The Meatrix is a web of deception, in which disguised
good guys are actualy the betrayors.

Last, But Not Least: My Philosophy of Animal Rights:

http://notmilk.com/killacalf.html

Robert Cohen
http://www.notmilk.com