Are Pig Farms More Dangerous Than Terrorists?

Are Pig Farms More Dangerous Than Terrorists?
Monday, February 09, 2009

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This is a rush transcript from "Glenn Beck," February 6, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GLENN BECK, HOST: Sometimes, you need a little propaganda, you know, to sell people on global warming. In a hearing this week, Congressman Steve King from Iowa asked environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to confirm or deny — confirm or deny — something that Mr. Kennedy allegedly said a few years ago:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STEVE KING, R-IOWA: "Large scale hog producers are a greater threat to the United States and democracy than bin Laden's terrorist network."

Is that an accurate quote?

ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR. ENVIRONMENTALIST: I don't know if that's an accurate quote, but I believe it and I support it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Holy cow. What the question was, "Did you say that pig farms are more dangerous than Usama bin Laden?" He's not sure that he said it, but he agrees with it and he supports it.

Now, here's somebody who actually believes in global warming and actually has the courage of his convictions and will change his life because of it: PETA spokesperson Matt Prescott joins me now.

• Video: Watch Beck's interview

Matt, I've got to tell you. I had you on my show — I don't know, about a year or so ago.

MATT PRESCOTT, SPOKESPERSON, PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS: Yes.

BECK: And I couldn't believe that I have respect for you. You're crazy.

BECK: Every time I'm down here, I think you start with the same thing. I think you've got to start believing.

BECK: Well, I believe in you, and I believe —

PRESCOTT: That's a start.

BECK: You know, look, here's the thing. I have no problem with people who actually believe in something and are not hypocrites about it, actually will do something in their life. The IPCC report says that animal farms, just if we all became vegans, that we would dramatically change global warming. Do they say it is the fastest solution or the biggest problem or both?

PRESCOTT: It's the biggest contributor to global warming that — the U.N. report found that the meat industry causes more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, planes, ships — all of the world's transportation systems combined.

BECK: Could you say that again, Matthew, please?

PRESCOTT: Yes. Well, I'll emphasize it here for you. The U.N. report found that the meat industry causes more global warming emissions than all of the world's transportation combined.

BECK: So why do you suppose that when we called RFK, Jr.'s office today — by the way, he didn't come on the show. When we called RFK, Jr.'s office and we asked him if he was a vegan, he said no. He is not a vegetarian.

PRESCOTT: Oh, it's very surprising. Shocking. Shocking.

BECK: Yes. Why do you suppose that people like Al Gore who is also not a vegetarian or a vegan — why are they eating meat if they truly believe that, you know, the world is going to come to an end in some sort of a fiery flood?

PRESCOTT: You know, we've been trying to find that out for years and we've never actually gotten an answer. I mean, personally, I've got to say, you know, if you've got a belief and out there trying to change the world and make it a better place, I got to give you support.

But I also have to ask questions. I mean, why, if somebody who is so vigorously fighting against global warming — they haven't even looked at their own plate. There is another report out of the University of Chicago that found that if you switch from a standard American car to a Toyota Prius, it's not even as good as switching from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian diet.

So just switching from meat to vegetarian food, you can save more greenhouse gas emissions from going up there into the atmosphere than you could by switching to a hybrid car.

BECK: So wait a minute. You said a minute ago — you said, "I have respect for you if you're out there trying to change the world." I don't have respect if you're trying to change the world if you're not living by your own principles, if you're being dishonest.

PRESCOTT: Well, yes. Yes, and hat's the key thing here. I think Gore and others who aren't vegetarian, who are fighting this fight, need to look at their own plate before they go out and, you know, tell anybody else to change their ways. Because, really, it's the biggest thing that you could do.

There is a major environmental group found recently that if every American just replaced one meal of chicken, just one meal of chicken one time each week with vegetarian food, it would be the same as taking about 500,000 cars off of American roads. That's a huge number.

BECK: May I ask you, could I replace it with a bowl of ice cream or are you going to take my ice cream away?

PRESCOTT: Well, if it's soy ice cream -

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: Let me ask you this question — do you think that pig farmers are more of a danger than Usama bin Laden?

PRESCOTT: Well, I think it's two totally separate issues here. I mean, we seem to have done pretty well fighting Al Qaeda threat.

BECK: Well, I will give you that.

PRESCOTT: But we haven't done anything — we haven't done anything to start tackling what is a very serious threat, effect of farming. I mean, this industry is the leading cause of global warming. This industry is the biggest threat to Americans' health that causes — the meat and cheese and yogurt...

BECK: Yes. Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

You're still a crazy PETA person, Matthew. Come on.

PRESCOTT: Well, I —

BECK: OK. Hang on. Hang on. I just want to show you something. This is what I would like — if we're going to have a spit, I just say, Oh, no, is that the guy from Guantanamo Bay? That's just — now, would that be bad for global warming or — I don't know.

PRESCOTT: Well, make it vegetarian. Try out it vegetarian. Get some vegetarian barbecue. They actually make them. They're good.

BECK: Oh, I have a feeling he's chicken. All right. Matthew, thank you. I appreciate it, man. Thank you for being on the program.

And you know what? As much as I disagree with you, Matthew, thank you for actually living what you believe. I appreciate that.

PRESCOTT: I do my best, Glenn.

BECK: And I respect you for that.