Palin unwittingly shows how turkeys die after pardoning 'Thanksgiving'

Americans may know that their Thanksgiving turkeys have to die before they can reach the family table. But most are loathe to watch it happen. Sarah Palin may have unwittingly opened many of our eyes to how our turkeys are harvested; ironically, minutes after "pardoning" another turkey named "Thanksgiving" at Triple D Farms in Wasilla, Alaska.

After having pardoned the turkey, Palin gives an interview in front of the slaughtering area (two cone-shaped contraptions into which turkeys are placed, upside down, so their heads can be severed and blood drained). A farm worker is inserting a turkey as the interview begins; he keeps looking over, and takes the turkey out at one point, evidently uncomfortable with chopping the bird's head off on-camera. But he's eager to get going and puts the bird back, holding its head at the bottom of the cone while it struggles and Palin says "certainly we'll probably invite criticism for even doing this too, but at least this is fun!"

As someone who's interested in "slow food" and sustainable farming practices, I wasn't horrified; I think it's probably a good thing for Americans to become more knowledgeable about what happens to animals before they're brought to the table. But this may be a rather harsh way of opening our eyes. The video interview is after the jump, complete with struggling bird and awkward farmer.