The reason Vick’s crimes crossed the line for so many here in the US was not only that the allegations were so heinous and brutal, but that his attitude seemed indifferent to the crimes. Michael Vick and others like him do not think of dogs as pets, let alone a family member. The wrath directed at Vick comes from people who love dogs firsthand, which is not something everyone understands…
There are still many people who consider animals livestock, which is a clever little euphemism that has always taken the humanity out of the animal. It is only a small step beyond that to deny the animal a soul and therefore they only become “stock” to use as one pleases. After all we are “given dominion” over the animals by nature of our superior intellect right? (Does that mean it is OK for the Grey Aliens to abduct us and experiment on us? I digress… )
On The Huffington Post, Lawrence O’Donnell asks why people have a problem with Vick and not chicken nuggets? And Jane Hamsher Kobe over at FireDogLake asks where is the outrage over dog abuse from politicians and their molls girlfriends? Both good reads, and don’t forget the commentary…
My take on all of it is we are evolving as a planet and that includes the animals. The outrage over Vick’s crimes (and yes they are by definition crimes) has a lot to do with our collective compassion for animals evolving. The morality of factory farming and vivisection are getting spotlighted and compared for the same reason. We as a species are continuously evolving and as we evolve that which used to be acceptable or necessary for a civilized society is no longer so. Many of the arguments between the veges and the carnies has to do with choice and taste. Usually the question of the animals choice is left out or ridiculed. Even with the many clever, higher protien, less garbage alternatives available these days, many people still want to consume flesh simply because they like the way it tastes…
My questions of the day are - What if you were offered the option of lab grown meat that was indistinguishable from the real thing. (I know, the technology is in it’s infancy – the question is hypothetical) would you still insist on factory farmed or wild killed meat? What about when we get to a point where it is indisputable that animals can make their wishes known to us and they make it clear individually and collectively they do not want to be eaten or enslaved by us? Could you still participate in the slaughter? How would you justify it then?
P.S. – For those of you who don’t know, Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West because of her stance on Animal Rights…
