Recently, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey vetoed bill S.1921, which would have banned gestation crates for pigs in NJ. Had this bill passed, pregnant pigs would no longer be forced to live in metal cages, packed together so tightly that they have no room to turn around or even lie down. And what’s worse, 93 percent of New Jersey citizens were in favor of the ban.
WTF?!
Now consider this: gestation crates are currently banned in 9 states and are being phased out by suppliers for more than 60 American food retailers such as McDonald’s, Costco, and Kroger. And New Jersey’s Legislative Democrats and Republicans came together to overwhelmingly pass the ban, with the bill in Senate passing 31 to 1. So why would governor Christie not only ignore this necessary movement to ban these tortuous instruments but also turn his back on New Jersey’s citizens and legislative body?
Senator Raymond Lesniak, who led the successful efforts to pass the bill in the state senate, shared some insight with The Daily Beast:
“I was hoping he would see that by signing this legislation, he would send the message that principle is more important than his personal ambitions. Unfortunately, what the governor has professed in the past—that he’ll do anything to win—trumped any sense of decency he may have left in his body.”
The personal agenda Senator Lesnaik is referring to is Christie’s running in the 2016 presidential election. By vetoing this bill, Christie puts himself in a good position as the preferred candidate for Republican primary voters in Iowa (the largest pork producing state.)
So what is there to do? Sometimes, no matter how clearly we make our voices heard, our elected leaders don’t make decisions that reflect what we truly want or need. And when that happens, I know it makes me feel sad, angry, and at times, a little helpless. But if anything, it should be a louder call to action. Here’s what you can do to help these poor animals:

• Call Governor Christie to express your disappointment at 609-292-6000
• Contact Senator Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate President, at 856-251-9801or 856-339-0808
• Sign and share this petition that demands Gov. Christie to protect pigs from crate torture
• Share this insightful and humorous clip  from The Daily Show with your friends and family

 
Photo Credit: Maggie Alderson