Recent protests by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) at an area McDonalds isn’t anything new. Groups have targeted Kentucky Fried Chicken and various “furry” events around the world. How much do such protests matter?

Based on the popularity of the new “Five Guys’ hamburger stop in West Bountiful, I would venture that few, if any us, are giving up meat. As we chow down on the greasy goodness are we thinking about the swan song of the brown-eyed steer who now lies smothered in mayo on the bun? Probably not much.

Most Utahns don’t lie awake at night worrying about the ethical treatment of undocumented workers who have spent the summer picking fruit and roofing new construction. We easily turn a blind eye to the homeless in our towns. Add our breezy ignorance to the plight of thousands of working Utahns who are uninsured, and finding a tear for the poor chicken who becomes a McNugget could be difficult.

Hats off to the vegetarians who carefully prepare nutritious meals and navigate restaurant menus to find nourishment. Whether for ethical or health reasons, they have made a lifestyle choice that can be difficult for most of us to understand. Going meatless makes sense when the numbers come in on heart disease and obesity in the U.S.

However, PETA’s tactics most likely do more harm than good. The shrill voices they use to push their agenda opens them up for lampooning and cries of “they care more about animals than people.” The environmentalists that fight to save endangered rodents have the same P.R. problem.

If you don’t want to give up your “Five Guys” or even your Fillet o’ Fish, can you still treat animals ethically? Does butchering a cow raised for the grill negate any responsibility towards the beast? I believe it is possible to be a meat eater and an animal lover, but it won’t come cheap.

Many smaller farming operations raise cattle and poultry in relative comfort. Cows roam freely and chickens aren’t pumped with steroids. Free-range and organic meat isn’t hard to find if you look. However our appetite for food off the $1 menu makes it nearly impossible for suppliers to make a profit using such methods.

Instead of joining PETA, we should make “ethical eating” a priority, be willing to pay a bit more for your burger, then we might feel better both physically and morally.

Raised in Davis County, Brandvold is employed in the financial industry — and proud to be a Utah Democrat.