Guest guest Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Compassionate Cooks " Food for Thought " Newsletter - December 8, 2008 Happy Holidays! www.compassionatecooks.com December 8, 2008 Essay - This I Know PLEASE DON'T GIVE A COW I'm reprinting this essay here because I've seen an increase in the number of organizations giving away animals as " things. " Please forward this to your family, friends, and co-workers to offer a compassionate perspective. I am often perplexed by the claim that animal advocates are anti-human, as if compassion for one species means lack of compassion for another; as if our capacity for mercy and kindness is limited. When we deem certain groups unequal, we call it racism, sexism, or anti-Semitism. When we do it to non-human animals, we justify it on the grounds of tradition, science, or religion. The claim seems rather odd because though we are reminded daily that humans steal, lie, cheat, kill, rape, and hurt each other, I have never heard any of these people called “anti-human.” Wouldn’t the accusation better suit someone who actually acts against humans? Ironically, those who commit the worst crimes against humans are derisively called “animals.” This societal premise leaves animal advocates reluctant to publicly object to such groups as Heifer Project International, whose mission is “to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.” Their mission statement does not say that they give animals to people around the globe to use, breed, sell, and consume their milk, eggs, flesh, hair, fur, feathers, and skin. Instead, Heifer, whose $56 million revenue increases every holiday season, dupes individuals and seemingly progressive celebrities into supporting what is essentially an animal slave trade. Aside from the environmental and health problems this model creates, Heifer perpetuates a speciesist paradigm, viewing animals as mere commodities with no regard for their own inherent value. Heifer says “sharing the offspring of gift animals with others in need” is “fundamental” to its approach; however, a mother’s relationship with her offspring is sacred and not unique to humans—we even call ourselves “mother hens” when we fuss over our own. Manipulating a female’s reproductive cycle is offensive enough (as with egg-laying hens and lactating cows), but to take away her offspring is the ultimate blow. Read the full article here, and have a wonderful, healthful, compassionate holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Thanks. A good article, just right for showing people who see no harm in sending a goat to 'help the starving'. Jo , yarrow wrote: > > Compassionate Cooks " Food for Thought " Newsletter - December 8, 2008 > > > > Happy Holidays! > <http://www.compassionatecooks.com>www.compassionatecooks.com > December 8, 2008 > > Essay - This I Know > > PLEASE DON'T GIVE A COW > > I'm reprinting this essay here because I've seen > an increase in the number of organizations giving > away animals as " things. " Please forward this to > your family, friends, and co-workers to offer a > compassionate perspective. > > I am often perplexed by the claim that animal > advocates are anti-human, as if compassion for > one species means lack of compassion for another; > as if our capacity for mercy and kindness is > limited. When we deem certain groups unequal, we > call it racism, sexism, or anti-Semitism. When we > do it to non-human animals, we justify it on the > grounds of tradition, science, or religion. > > The claim seems rather odd because though we are > reminded daily that humans steal, lie, cheat, > kill, rape, and hurt each other, I have never > heard any of these people called " anti-human. " > Wouldn't the accusation better suit someone who > actually acts against humans? Ironically, those > who commit the worst crimes against humans are > derisively called " animals. " > > This societal premise leaves animal advocates > reluctant to publicly object to such groups as > Heifer Project International, whose mission is > " to end hunger and poverty and to care for the > earth. " Their mission statement does not say that > they give animals to people around the globe to > use, breed, sell, and consume their milk, eggs, > flesh, hair, fur, feathers, and skin. Instead, > Heifer, whose $56 million revenue increases every > holiday season, dupes individuals and seemingly > progressive celebrities into supporting what is > essentially an animal slave trade. > > Aside from the environmental and health problems > this model creates, Heifer perpetuates a > speciesist paradigm, viewing animals as mere > commodities with no regard for their own inherent > value. > > Heifer says " sharing the offspring of gift > animals with others in need " is " fundamental " to > its approach; however, a mother's relationship > with her offspring is sacred and not unique to > humans—we even call ourselves " mother hens " when > we fuss over our own. Manipulating a female's > reproductive cycle is offensive enough (as with > egg-laying hens and lactating cows), but to take > away her offspring is the ultimate blow. > > <http://www.compassionatecooks.com/blog/2006/12/dont-give-cow.html> > Read the full article here, and have a wonderful, > healthful, compassionate holiday. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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