Thanksgiving

A few years ago Chris and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a large pizza and a bottle of wine overlooking the lake. Six wild turkeys paraded past just as we were eating. The male's display is spectacular - as impressive as a peacock.

 

Americans eat 45 million turkeys every Thanksgiving. 
That's about a billion since I moved to this country.
President Obama pardoned two turkeys, as per tradition. 
Facts: Domesticated turkeys live about 10 years. \
Turkeys bred for food live a few months. 
Wild turkeys live 3-5 years. 
Pardoned turkeys are selected at birth to be pardoned, and especially fattened up. They are allowed to live out their natural life, but are typically so obese that they last only a year or so.

What's with this 'pardon' thing? For the crime of being tasty? 
Am I alone in thinking this practice genuinely distasteful?