Salonfilosoof wrote:
Why is there so much hatred against organisations who serve to protect the rights and welfare of animals? I'm not a vegetarian or vegan myself, mostly because I don't think being a vegetarian or vegan would actually save a single animal life, because I just love sushi, chicken or minced meat and because I'm not skilled enough at cooking to survive a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, I do strongly object to the ways or the bio-industry that treats animals like objects, to animal testing (why can't we do testing on rapists, child molestors or psychopathic killers instead?), to the fur industry and other forms of unnecessary suffering. I also support organisations like the Animal Liberation Front in their guerilla tactics and in fact believe we should all engage in revolutionary activities, not just to save animals from unnecessary torture but also to save humanity from the Orwellian slave pits.
The hatred might something to do with the disingenuousness justifiably perceived by the haters.
There might also be a little envy on the part of the haters toward the dedication of some members of those groups.
I don't have hatred for such groups, but I do have something against some of their practices, i.e., encouraging the throwing of paint on people wearing fur (destruction of property, assault and other crimes involved in that one act), and the placement of moral judgment. I might not kill an animal for its fur. I don't know what I would do, facing a survival situation in below-freezing temperatures. I might kill one for its flesh, then take advantage of the fact I have the fur, or the skin. If I shot a deer, and processed its meat, damn right I'm gonna have a buckskin suit. I don't wear makeup, so I see no advantage for me in supporting animal testing for the sake of cosmetics. I may support some animal testing if it'll save my life or the lives of people I love or the lives of my fellow citizenry, when it comes to life threatening disease (cancer, aids).
We do test on people, there are plenty of volunteers who take money in exchange for that use of their bodies, for medications and other trials; whether or not those people are rapists, child molesters or psychopathic killers is beside that point. If you're talking testing on those in prison, are you talking testing on volunteers or forcible testing? If forcible testing, why not include armed robbers, destroyers of public property, drug addicts, DUI offenders, traffic law offenders, identity thieves and other criminals?
As far as believing "we should all engage in revolutionary activities," how far does revolution go, and why is everyone required to participate? And what is the punishment for not participating? It starts with destruction of property - does it extend to murder? Many revolutionaries doing their thing to save animals from unnecessary torture may get farther in their endeavor if they'd put that kind of fervor and attention into the necessary paperwork, lobbying, and other activities that convince the powers that be that animal testing isn't necessary.
I'm not vegetarian or vegan either - for many of the same reasons you aren't. When confronted with a vegan's view that includes the screaming of an animal, I let them know about scientific testing on plants that has determined that plants scream, too. We just can't hear them. Some whale savers say they're only throwing butter on Asian dudes on whaling boats. Butyric acid can burn the skin and damage sight. If I was the wife of an Asian whaler, and my husband came home with burns and couldn't see out of one or both eyes, I'd be dragging those men into court.
18 Jan 2011, 11:33 am
