Origin of this quote:

[Guest guest]

Re this--

 

>Bruce Friedrich

>Thursday, March 08, 2007 6:36 PM

>SERV> RFI: Origin of this quote:

>

>I need a primary source (not a Web site or book that isn't by Gandhi,

>etc.) for this quote:

>

> " The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the

>way its animals are treated. "

 

 

Jon Wynne-Tyson in The Extended Circle: A Commonplace Book

of Animal Rights, sources that quote only to " The Moral Basis of

Vegetarianism. "

 

The problem with that is that Gandhi wrote many different

articles and several short books of essentially the same title,

summarizing the same arguments in different ways.

 

Gandhi also gave perhaps hundreds of addresses and interviews

with news media on " The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism, " which was

apparently among his favorite topics.

 

I found half a dozen different examples in just a few minutes

of online searching. While I did not find the exact quote, Gandhi

certainly talked all around it time & again, & probably did use very

nearly those words at least once.

 

Of these other example, that Norm Phelps mentioned--

 

>I have to wonder if it may not be apocryphal, like DaVinci's quote

>about the time will come when men such as myself will regard the

>killing of animals as they now regard the killing of human beings;

>the St. Francis quote about the need to be of service to animals

>whenever they require it; and the Chief Seattle quote about the

>environment.

 

There are very few primary sources about the life of St.

Francis, though some exist.

 

DaVinci, on the other hand, left many writings, often

produced in one of his personal codes, not all of them completely

translated, and it would really take a DaVinci expert to establish

whether or not he said any particular set of words.

 

The " Chief Seattle " quote, on the other hand, is an

extremely well-known case of apparently accidental misunderstanding

and misrepresentation. The remarks attributed to " Chief Seattle "

were actually written by Texas screen writer Ted Perry, and spread

worldwide from a documentary film made in 1970 that omitted his

credit.

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]

[Guest guest]

Or maybe it is like what Carl Sagan wrote in 'Billions and Billions': " I

never said it. Honest.I'm told that Sherlock Holmes never said, 'Elementary,

my dear Watson(at least in the Arthur Conan Doyle books); Jimmy Cagney never

said, 'You dirty rat'; and Humphrey Bogart never said, 'Play it again, Sam.'

But they might as well have, because these apocrypha have firmly insinuated

themselves into popular culture. "

 

On 09 Mar 2007 18:14:46 -0800, Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl wrote:

>

> Re this--

>

> >Bruce Friedrich

> >Thursday, March 08, 2007 6:36 PM

> >SERV> RFI: Origin of this quote:

> >

> >I need a primary source (not a Web site or book that isn't by Gandhi,

> >etc.) for this quote:

> >

> > " The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the

> >way its animals are treated. "

>

> Jon Wynne-Tyson in The Extended Circle: A Commonplace Book

> of Animal Rights, sources that quote only to " The Moral Basis of

> Vegetarianism. "

>

> The problem with that is that Gandhi wrote many different

> articles and several short books of essentially the same title,

> summarizing the same arguments in different ways.

>

> Gandhi also gave perhaps hundreds of addresses and interviews

> with news media on " The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism, " which was

> apparently among his favorite topics.

>

> I found half a dozen different examples in just a few minutes

> of online searching. While I did not find the exact quote, Gandhi

> certainly talked all around it time & again, & probably did use very

> nearly those words at least once.

>

> Of these other example, that Norm Phelps mentioned--

>

> >I have to wonder if it may not be apocryphal, like DaVinci's quote

> >about the time will come when men such as myself will regard the

> >killing of animals as they now regard the killing of human beings;

> >the St. Francis quote about the need to be of service to animals

> >whenever they require it; and the Chief Seattle quote about the

> >environment.

>

> There are very few primary sources about the life of St.

> Francis, though some exist.

>

> DaVinci, on the other hand, left many writings, often

> produced in one of his personal codes, not all of them completely

> translated, and it would really take a DaVinci expert to establish

> whether or not he said any particular set of words.

>

> The " Chief Seattle " quote, on the other hand, is an

> extremely well-known case of apparently accidental misunderstanding

> and misrepresentation. The remarks attributed to " Chief Seattle "

> were actually written by Texas screen writer Ted Perry, and spread

> worldwide from a documentary film made in 1970 that omitted his

> credit.

>

> --

> Merritt Clifton

> Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

> P.O. Box 960

> Clinton, WA 98236

>

> Telephone: 360-579-2505

> Fax: 360-579-2575

> E-mail: anmlpepl <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com>

> Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

> [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

> original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

> founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

> decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

> We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

> for free sample, send address.]

>

>