The strength of David Magina’s words combined with the soothing tone of his voice make for a powerful weapon that paints a heart-wrenching picture - Martine
Within seconds of hearing David Magina begin speaking about his life as a slaughterhouse inspector to his transformation to animal activist and vegan, I knew I was going to be moved by his words.
In this week’s podcast episode, Carrie Lee speaks with David as he walks us through his journey – a journey he still lives every day – one fraught with PTSD – not only for the marginalized animals but for those forced to accept jobs in slaughterhouses by no fault of their own other than to have emigrated to this country and be sadly, bereft of education.
David comes from a long-line of slaughterhouse workers – he got the job from his grandfather. He struggled daily with what he witnessed, heard, smelled --- an assault on all the senses. He became ill with various pathogenic diseases that were airborne due to the terrible conditions in which slaughterhouse animals are kept. He tried numbing himself, but the job took its toll – emotionally, physically. He tried to stay, if only to ensure that government guidelines were being met as best possible.
His story and transformation are moving.
The failure to listen to one another, actually listen…well that is one of the biggest mistakes human kind is making right now on so many different levels. - Martine
I had great difficulty listening to him speak – the power of his words compared to the softness of his voice was the real dichotomy. The stories of horror he speaks of transcend to the point that you don’t need a picture to understand what he’s talking about. I closed my eyes and visualized the mass slaughter of animals arriving already bruised and beaten down only to have the final blow dealt to them in the slaughterhouse. This podcast is not for the faint of heart but it’s a must listen for anyone who wants to educate themselves and hear the cold, hard truth in graphic detail.
David doesn’t preach – he doesn’t stand on a pulpit in judgment of others. He just invites everyone to go and see how things go down from farm to transport to slaughterhouse. This is what I found so resounding about his testimony on behalf of all animals. David encourages people to open their eyes and look around – educate themselves – be the true nation of animal lovers we claim to be.
His mental health was compromised – and he knew it was time to make a change – he knew it had to be drastic. And he’s still here – feeling healthier and stronger. He unlearned and he is continuing to evolve. It’s all very eye-opening. Kudos to Clee for not being afraid to take risks in the topics she explores on her podcast.
Martine Mackenzie, Vice President - Creative for Niagara Media Machine, gives a compelling review of the recent Clee Talks Podcast featuring David Magina, a former slaughterhouse inspector turned vegan and animal activist. Her response resonates deeply, not only as a non-vegan but also as a compassionate human being.
I do eat meat, albeit not a lot. I’m not quite there where I am prepared nor ready to give up dairy and eggs. But I’ll tell you this…Clee’s podcast has got me thinking and seriously exploring other options. - Martine
Coming Soon: ‘One Picture’ - A picture is worth a thousand words, as the old Chinese proverb goes. I will provide an image with my perspective, giving it a thousand words through my lens as a photographer.
Thank you for sharing such an important voice with us for the animals.
Great article! Inspiring story ❤️