I’m saddened and surprised to learn that 41-year-old Virgil Butler was found dead on Friday, December 15.

A former Tyson Foods slaughterhouse employee of nearly 10 years in rural Arkansas, Mr. Butler became an advocate for chickens in 2003, after growing frustrated at the rampant gratutious cruelty occuring around him. He worked closely with PETA to call for prosecution of those responsible, including speaking out at a news conference, recording a video, going undercover to videotape inside the plant, and writing a comprehensive statement detailing the sadistic cruelty he witnessed at the Tyson plant.

You can read more about Virgil Butler’s work for animals on the blog kept by he and his wife, Laura Alexander: The Cyber Activist.

Virgil and Laura were also interviewed in the February 2006 issue of Satya magazine. There you can read about how Virgil became a whistleblower and how he and Laura came to give sanctuary to chickens and other animals.

1 Comment

1. 
   Comment by

   EdaMommy

   on January 1, 2007 at 3:59 am #

   This man was an inspiration to me – he saw the truth and he spoke it. His brave willingness to do so in the face of great resistance and anger is what “it” is all about.