PETA launches animal liberation project
"We are all animals," howls PETA management
What is the common link between all atrocities in our society's past? Shameful chapters of history, such as the African slave trade, the massacre and displacement of Native Americans, the oppression of women, and forced child labor, were the products of a dangerous belief that those with power have the right to abuse those without it: that might somehow does make right. Whether for profit, convenience, or just plain amusement, this supremacist attitude caused people as a society to tolerate, perpetuate, and indignantly defend outrageously cruel acts. (Editor’s note: This is amazing, an attempt by the same people who tried to tie the harvesting of animals for food to the Holocaust are now trying to lump it in with every evil perpetrated by mankind. Is there no end to PETA’s stunts?)
Hindsight is 20/20. Most people today view slavery, child labor, and the oppression of women as wrong, but this change only came about because thoughtful people called for justice and fought oppression, even at great personal risk. (Editor’s note: So this means eating the meat of a young turkey hen is a heinous triple play?)
Will future generations look back at ours with the same shame and horror we feel when we read about ships crammed with slaves or about the forced winter march of American Indians away from their homelands? An objective look reveals that our generation still operates in the same way. The only difference is that yesterday's victims—used and abused because they were "different" and powerless—are now of other species. (Editor’s note: Or will future generations look back at this inane argument and wonder what in the world was going on with our intellect?)
Cruel actions that would cause a public outcry today—such as the use of children who had mental disabilities at New York's Willowbrook State Hospital in 1960s hepatitis experiments—are no longer tolerated because we accept that harming other humans simply because they are defenseless is reprehensible. Traveling circuses rarely display physically deformed men and women as "sideshow freaks" to be gawked at and ridiculed anymore because we now know that individuals deserve respect and consideration no matter how they measure up to the norm. Yet intelligent, social animals are still used in experiments, circus acts, and other abominations. (Editor’s note: The life of one child is equal to the life of one lab rat? That heartless concept seems to be at the core of PETA’s peculiar position.)
Each movement for social justice in the past has met with determined resistance from those in positions of power. Today billions of animals are slaughtered, experimented on, shot, poisoned, beaten by "professional trainers," chained, drowned, and dissected. This happens routinely despite our ability to choose alternatives and even though scientific proof and common sense show that animals have the ability to think and to feel pain, love, joy, terror, and other emotions. It happens because animals, with their communication, appearance, and interests that, on the surface, may seem so different from ours, are powerless to stop us. (Editor’s note: PETA would have us return every animal to the wild? Do these folks get their ideas about animal life from watching Disney flics? Do they think nature is a kind and forgiving force that makes sure all animals die humanely but only after every reasonable effort has been made to save them?)
Just as it was always wrong to oppress and abuse less powerful humans, it is wrong to abuse and oppress animals. Because today's victims of tyranny are unable to defend themselves, it is vital that people of principle speak out for them. (Editor’s note: Let the lead dog in a pack of hyenas speak out for rights of the gazelle they’ve targeted for lunch.)
Animals' lives are as important to them as ours are to us. We must stand up for them, just as good people from other eras spoke out and even risked their own lives in order to defend women, children, African- and Native Americans, and other oppressed groups. (Editor’s note: My BS meter is spinning into hyperdrive here)
Our "Animal Liberation" exhibit reminds viewers that animals are feeling, thinking beings who deserve the basic right of consideration of their interests regardless of their usefulness to us. They are individuals who should be respected and left in peace or protected. They are not ours to use-for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other reason. As author Henry Beston explained, "[Animals] are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time." (Editor’s note: Hey, Beston old buddy, let’s set up a summit meeting with a pride of hungry lions. You go first, the “king” awaits, licking his chops at the idea of a friendly little conference over the dinner table.)
Fortunately, there are many easy ways to bring about progressive change in the way these "others" are treated. Whether it's choosing products that haven't been tested in rabbits' eyes, exploring humane and healthy vegetarian meals, writing to lawmakers, or choosing not to wear animal skins, every day you have countless opportunities to make the choice of whether to harm or to help animals. (Or grab a burger for lunch, choose chicken Kiev for dinner or make it more bacon for breakfast)
"We are all animals," howls PETA management
What is the common link between all atrocities in our society's past? Shameful chapters of history, such as the African slave trade, the massacre and displacement of Native Americans, the oppression of women, and forced child labor, were the products of a dangerous belief that those with power have the right to abuse those without it: that might somehow does make right. Whether for profit, convenience, or just plain amusement, this supremacist attitude caused people as a society to tolerate, perpetuate, and indignantly defend outrageously cruel acts. (Editor’s note: This is amazing, an attempt by the same people who tried to tie the harvesting of animals for food to the Holocaust are now trying to lump it in with every evil perpetrated by mankind. Is there no end to PETA’s stunts?)
Hindsight is 20/20. Most people today view slavery, child labor, and the oppression of women as wrong, but this change only came about because thoughtful people called for justice and fought oppression, even at great personal risk. (Editor’s note: So this means eating the meat of a young turkey hen is a heinous triple play?)
Will future generations look back at ours with the same shame and horror we feel when we read about ships crammed with slaves or about the forced winter march of American Indians away from their homelands? An objective look reveals that our generation still operates in the same way. The only difference is that yesterday's victims—used and abused because they were "different" and powerless—are now of other species. (Editor’s note: Or will future generations look back at this inane argument and wonder what in the world was going on with our intellect?)
Cruel actions that would cause a public outcry today—such as the use of children who had mental disabilities at New York's Willowbrook State Hospital in 1960s hepatitis experiments—are no longer tolerated because we accept that harming other humans simply because they are defenseless is reprehensible. Traveling circuses rarely display physically deformed men and women as "sideshow freaks" to be gawked at and ridiculed anymore because we now know that individuals deserve respect and consideration no matter how they measure up to the norm. Yet intelligent, social animals are still used in experiments, circus acts, and other abominations. (Editor’s note: The life of one child is equal to the life of one lab rat? That heartless concept seems to be at the core of PETA’s peculiar position.)
Each movement for social justice in the past has met with determined resistance from those in positions of power. Today billions of animals are slaughtered, experimented on, shot, poisoned, beaten by "professional trainers," chained, drowned, and dissected. This happens routinely despite our ability to choose alternatives and even though scientific proof and common sense show that animals have the ability to think and to feel pain, love, joy, terror, and other emotions. It happens because animals, with their communication, appearance, and interests that, on the surface, may seem so different from ours, are powerless to stop us. (Editor’s note: PETA would have us return every animal to the wild? Do these folks get their ideas about animal life from watching Disney flics? Do they think nature is a kind and forgiving force that makes sure all animals die humanely but only after every reasonable effort has been made to save them?)
Just as it was always wrong to oppress and abuse less powerful humans, it is wrong to abuse and oppress animals. Because today's victims of tyranny are unable to defend themselves, it is vital that people of principle speak out for them. (Editor’s note: Let the lead dog in a pack of hyenas speak out for rights of the gazelle they’ve targeted for lunch.)
Animals' lives are as important to them as ours are to us. We must stand up for them, just as good people from other eras spoke out and even risked their own lives in order to defend women, children, African- and Native Americans, and other oppressed groups. (Editor’s note: My BS meter is spinning into hyperdrive here)
Our "Animal Liberation" exhibit reminds viewers that animals are feeling, thinking beings who deserve the basic right of consideration of their interests regardless of their usefulness to us. They are individuals who should be respected and left in peace or protected. They are not ours to use-for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other reason. As author Henry Beston explained, "[Animals] are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time." (Editor’s note: Hey, Beston old buddy, let’s set up a summit meeting with a pride of hungry lions. You go first, the “king” awaits, licking his chops at the idea of a friendly little conference over the dinner table.)
Fortunately, there are many easy ways to bring about progressive change in the way these "others" are treated. Whether it's choosing products that haven't been tested in rabbits' eyes, exploring humane and healthy vegetarian meals, writing to lawmakers, or choosing not to wear animal skins, every day you have countless opportunities to make the choice of whether to harm or to help animals. (Or grab a burger for lunch, choose chicken Kiev for dinner or make it more bacon for breakfast)
posted by Chuck Jolley at 6:39 PM
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