This weekend I took a trip to Portland. Like Seattle, Portland is quite vegan and vegetarian conscious, with a plethora of restaurants, grocery stores and even tatoo parlors to accomodate a cruelty-free lifestyle. As wonderful as this all appears, I could not help but open my mind to see how animals are so integrated into our lifestyles.
On the train ride down, I sat in a leather seat.
I bought a shirt, thinking that it was acrylic, when in reality it is made of silk.
The toothpaste that my friend uses was tested on animals at one point.
Fish sauce is heavily used in Thai food, even though a tofu dish without egg is "vegan."
It is incredible and daunting to see these everyday catastrophes. Especially amongst people who do not care, who practically choose to be naive. I do not blame them, what I have learned is terrible. Maybe sane people do not seek how they live their lives unethically? I do oppose this question, but it is troubling to try and live a cruelty-free life when animals are integral to our lives, and not many people are aware.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
PeTA
PETA. When I hear the term, read the name, or think about this group, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, I generally do not have a huge issue with them. Yet after watching "I Am an Animal" and hearing the opinions of my fellow classmates, I can't help but be more intrigued with PETA, its ethics, and how animal rights activists are portrayed because of PETA.
To be honest, I am torn between my advocacy for PETA. Sometimes, I think that they do such ridiculous, crazy stunts that I lose respect. Dressing up as dead fish coiled up on the street, throwing fake blood at fur, showing graphic commercials on TV that exploit women... But then I think about what they are trying to do, what they are trying to show: that animals suffer. Animals suffer every moment of every day at the expense of humans, and this is cruel. If I knew that by smearing fake blood on the display case of a store that sells fur could save 100s or even 1,000s of animals lives, why wouldn't I? Wouldn't it be unethical to not do something so outlandish if it could save a being's life? Sure, people do think that these PETA freaks are insane and maybe even violent. But aren't the ones slaughtering animals, injecting poison into monkeys, and beating elephants the real "lunatics" that we should actually be angry about?
PETA has managed to practically turn the tables around, making the animal rights activists look like the "bad guys" in the animal liberation movement. This should not be the case. How I see it is that Malcolm X is to Martin Luther King as Ingrid Newkirk is to the non existent peace figure at the head of animal rights. But until that mainstream Martin Luther King comes around, Newkirk's company PETA is the major fighting force in animal rights! Their means can be ridiculous, rude, volatile, and maybe even insane, but they get stuff done. Not much press would be released if Newkirk sent letters to companies to not use fur, or if she tabled outside of McDonalds, or she held a vegan bake sale for a farm sanctuary. Because of this press, Newkirk creates change that is ethical and justified. It is unfortunate that she and her co-workers must go to such lengths to get heard, but if that is what it takes to save the life of even one animal, than power to them!
To be honest, I am torn between my advocacy for PETA. Sometimes, I think that they do such ridiculous, crazy stunts that I lose respect. Dressing up as dead fish coiled up on the street, throwing fake blood at fur, showing graphic commercials on TV that exploit women... But then I think about what they are trying to do, what they are trying to show: that animals suffer. Animals suffer every moment of every day at the expense of humans, and this is cruel. If I knew that by smearing fake blood on the display case of a store that sells fur could save 100s or even 1,000s of animals lives, why wouldn't I? Wouldn't it be unethical to not do something so outlandish if it could save a being's life? Sure, people do think that these PETA freaks are insane and maybe even violent. But aren't the ones slaughtering animals, injecting poison into monkeys, and beating elephants the real "lunatics" that we should actually be angry about?
PETA has managed to practically turn the tables around, making the animal rights activists look like the "bad guys" in the animal liberation movement. This should not be the case. How I see it is that Malcolm X is to Martin Luther King as Ingrid Newkirk is to the non existent peace figure at the head of animal rights. But until that mainstream Martin Luther King comes around, Newkirk's company PETA is the major fighting force in animal rights! Their means can be ridiculous, rude, volatile, and maybe even insane, but they get stuff done. Not much press would be released if Newkirk sent letters to companies to not use fur, or if she tabled outside of McDonalds, or she held a vegan bake sale for a farm sanctuary. Because of this press, Newkirk creates change that is ethical and justified. It is unfortunate that she and her co-workers must go to such lengths to get heard, but if that is what it takes to save the life of even one animal, than power to them!
Monday, January 18, 2010
When Elephants Weep
I just finished the reading for January 19, which consisted of texts on animals and their feelings. While for the most part the readings focused on how animals do have feelings like humans, I still couldn't help but feel annoyed that people would even believe the contrary.
It seems incredibly obvious to me how full of emotions and personality animals are! It is no surprise that animals in the wild survive off of fear, intelligence, and loyalty to their fellow animals. Domestic animals live with humans and exhibit emotions that are similar to that of their family's. It honestly bewilders me that scientists can believe that animals have no feelings while still experiencing their pain and suffering.
What trouly touched me from the articles was the part on Alex, the communicative parrot, in When Elephants Weep. Alex is able to communicate his feelings and a number of other words in the english language. This parrot can express himself to the point that he can apologize and (seemingly) be remorseful. The fact that this parrot can express himself so well in a language other than his own is truly remarkable to me.
It seems incredibly obvious to me how full of emotions and personality animals are! It is no surprise that animals in the wild survive off of fear, intelligence, and loyalty to their fellow animals. Domestic animals live with humans and exhibit emotions that are similar to that of their family's. It honestly bewilders me that scientists can believe that animals have no feelings while still experiencing their pain and suffering.
What trouly touched me from the articles was the part on Alex, the communicative parrot, in When Elephants Weep. Alex is able to communicate his feelings and a number of other words in the english language. This parrot can express himself to the point that he can apologize and (seemingly) be remorseful. The fact that this parrot can express himself so well in a language other than his own is truly remarkable to me.
First Thoughts
After two weeks of classes in CHID480a, my mind has become much more sensitive to the way that I view animals and my interactions, or lack of interactions, with them.
My entire life I have been aware of animals and animal rights. I was lucky enough that as a child my vegetarian mother asked me if I would like to eat animals or not. Based on intuition, I automically knew at a young age that something felt wrong with eating animals, so I never have partaked in the consumption of meat. As I grew older, I would read my mom's PETA magazing lieing around the house. Horrified by the images covered in the pages of these magazines, my passion for animal rights sparked.
Since then, I have always had a certain connection to animals most likely based on my compassion for them. Growing up with a dog, Bobo, allowed me to appreciate how alive and similar animals are to humans. When Bobo passed away, I was utterly devestated. Moreso than I have ever felt over a human death.
Today as a 19-year-old vegan, I put effort into living a cruelty-free existence. This class continues to make me even more aware and critical of animal suffering, and has compelled me to be more passionate about animals. I have become more sensitive to the consumption of animals as food in daily life, and I have felt more compelled each day to actively participate in animal rights.
My entire life I have been aware of animals and animal rights. I was lucky enough that as a child my vegetarian mother asked me if I would like to eat animals or not. Based on intuition, I automically knew at a young age that something felt wrong with eating animals, so I never have partaked in the consumption of meat. As I grew older, I would read my mom's PETA magazing lieing around the house. Horrified by the images covered in the pages of these magazines, my passion for animal rights sparked.
Since then, I have always had a certain connection to animals most likely based on my compassion for them. Growing up with a dog, Bobo, allowed me to appreciate how alive and similar animals are to humans. When Bobo passed away, I was utterly devestated. Moreso than I have ever felt over a human death.
Today as a 19-year-old vegan, I put effort into living a cruelty-free existence. This class continues to make me even more aware and critical of animal suffering, and has compelled me to be more passionate about animals. I have become more sensitive to the consumption of animals as food in daily life, and I have felt more compelled each day to actively participate in animal rights.
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