SAMPLE OUTLINE OF SPEECH
Topic: Vegetarianism
Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience to choose vegetarianism.
Main message: The world would be a happier, healthier, more humane place if
everyone were vegetarian.
I.
Introduction
- Shock them- Imagine going out to eat at a restaurant, and you read entrees
like “fried human legs” and “human baby parmesan”.
- I believe the world would be a happier, healthier, more humane place if
everyone were vegetarian.
- Today I am going to enlighten you all about the animal cruelty involved with
food processing that goes on behind closed doors, and the healthier lifestyle of
being vegetarian.
- Many people believe that humans are the superior species because of our
intelligence. Because of their lack of intelligence, animals are tortured and killed.
Transition statement: [First let me tell you a little bit about what else you are
eating when you choose to eat meat.]
II. Body
A. Every year billions of animals are raised and slaughtered for human
consumption. In today’s factory farms animals are confined to extremely small
spaces so farmers can concentrate on maximizing production.
1. This over crowding breeds disease, so the animals are fed antibiotics and
sprayed with pesticides.
2. The animals are also fed growth hormones.
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3. So, the chemicals, antibiotics and hormones are passed on to the
consumers.
4. USDA fact sheet, bacterial contamination of animal products often causes
illness and death. Salmonella poisoning can be fatal.
5. According to Time Magazine, bad chicken is responsible for at least
1,000 American deaths each year.
Transition Statement: [Now, here are some more disturbing facts you should
know about meat production. ]
B. According to the Animal Protection Institute, in the U.S. alone, every year
41.8million beef cattle, 115 million pigs, and 8.785 billion chickens are
slaughtered for human consumption. The animals endure much more.
1. Beef cattle called “downers” are prodded or dragged to the
slaughterhouse, or left without food or water to die.
2. Pigs are stunned, hung upside down before their throats are cut and bled
to death. If missed, they go to the scalding tank where they may be boiled alive.
3. Crowed, chickens peck each other to death. Instead of providing space
farmers “debeak” them by cutting off their upper beak with a hot blade.
4. I would like to show you some photos taken inside a slaughterhouse.
Transition Statement: [If animal cruelty is not enough to change your mind, then
maybe your own health concerns will make a difference.]
C. Studies show meat-eaters are twice as likely to die from heart disease, and
60% more likely to die from cancer than vegetarians.
1. Meat consumption has been linked to many diseases, osteoporosis,
diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, and obesity.
2. Quoted by William Roberts, MD, editor and chief of The American Journal
Of Cardiology, “When we kill animals to eat them, they end up killing us
because their flesh, which contains cholesterol and saturated fat, was never
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intended for human beings, who are natural herbivores.”
3. Vegetarian foods are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in
fiber.
4. Vegetarians get all the protein they need from beans, tofu, rice, and
pasta; all the calcium they need from broccoli and juices; all the iron they need
from spinach and pinto beans.
III. Conclusion
A. I hope that I have enlightened you all about the matters of vegetarianism,
and I hope you all will make the right moral and health decisions as I have.
B. Many people are making the right choices, and this includes famous
celebrities like Natalie Portman, and Tobey Maguire.
C. You don’t have to be a vegetarian overnight. Start with eliminating red
meat, then white, then fish until everything with a face has been eliminated from
your diet.
D. Quote by Leonardo de Vinci, “I have, from an early age renounced eating
meat. The time will come when we will look upon the murder of animals as
they now look upon the murder of humans.”
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