In typical "Groundhog Day" fashion my day began with learning about the 100 massacred "mushing" sled dogs. Now we just have to get people as aware and angry about what happens to greyhounds too...
On with more gastly news: This time about the continued and relentless BLM horse roundups despite all reasonable efforts by Madeleine Pickins to put an end to them:
A slight change from the other stories about "lion burgers" or skinning cat fish alive --- That was last week's horror news - wasn't it? :(
Still, I guess the brightest side of today's headlines in the hopeful world of animal justice and social evolution comes from a post on Oprah's Vegan Challenge. This comment by pumpernicklebread was really on the mark:
"The circle of life? Not exactly. The Human food chain is a choice. Whether you eat fish, cow, horse, dog, cat, worms or you are a vegan - it is a choice. We are not fighting for survival to eat anything we can find thanks to the agricultural revolution, yet some always seem to justify flesh consumption with incomplete arguments. If you want to say "it tastes good and you like it and you don't care this creature was bread to live out a tiny fraction of it's expected life span only to be dissected for your culinary desires (desires not absolute needs)" Then just say it and be ok with it, it is the only unarguable truth for the meat eater who lives in an industrialized nation with so many diet choices. I don't care if they whisper sweet nothings into a cow's ear and guarantee that the cow will be going to heaven. A cow will always be more amazing to me than a steak".
Whoever you are "pumpernicklebread"... A hat tip and a warm hug. Thanks! On these perpetual "Groundhog Days" - I needed that!
Please - Break the cycle of unending animal cruelty... Make compassionate Vegan choices.
Petition against the brutal Iditarod here at Animal Legal Defense Fund
6 comments:
I agree, a big hug is certainly due "pumpernicklebread" for that excellent comment...thanks for sharing it.
Although the story about those poor sled dogs is from a dog-sled tour company, Outdoor Adventure Whistler, I have no doubt that some of the Iditarod dogs meet the same sad fate (in fact, I've read about similar horror stories at www.helpsleddogs.com).
In the spirit of exposing the truth, I will send this story, with a kindly worded note, to the nice woman who corresponded with me after I asked her company in Alaska to please stop promoting the Iditarod. She seems to think that the mushers in that big race all love their dogs too much to cause them any harm. Perhaps she will begin to question the "snow job" she has been fed by the Iditarod spinmeisters.
As for pumpernickelbread, he/she deserves plaudits for telling it like it is -- as well as thanks for reminding me that I'm hungry and it's time to go toast some pumpernickel bread in my freezer for my late-night snack.
Props to Madeleine for never giving up in her quest to bring permanent freedom and peace to our wild horses (we're with you all the way, Mrs. P.) and to Oprah for bringing the vegan message back to her show, this time including her huge staff.
I've recently become aware of the expression "speak the truth to power." Maybe what we're discovering is that the the real power lies in Truth itself, and Truth is the only power than can and does defeat all the lies.
"Eternal Truth is changing the universe," writes Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health. " 'Let there be light,' is the perpetual demand of Truth and Love, changing chaos into order and discord into the music of the spheres."
High-fives to her and all other Truth-seekers-and-finders-and-doers! :-)
That is such an awesome comment by Pumpernickelbread! ... The news about the horses is very sad. I had signed a couple petitions regarding Ms. Pickens' offer of help. I didn't finish reading all the info I ran across about what they call 'the Mustang conspiracy". Sounds like it is for real. ... It has always made me upset about sled dogs ever since I can remember. Dogs are NOT MADE TO RUN DISTANCES! I get so fed up in the city with the (trying hard not to write jerks here, but failed) who take their dogs running for miles on pavement. And the ones on the bicycles dragging their dogs with a leash as they pedal down the street with no regard for the poor dogs gasping and struggling to keep up - and worse, yelling at them if they are "too slow". It is tragic that it's no surprise the dogs forced into sledding are disposed of like they are nothing. Humans are failing miserably at living in this world correctly.
The Oprah show was pretty much a disaster I thought, but it cheered me up that there were so many comments (1560 right now on the main page), and so many of them trying to set Oprah straight.
veganelder... I'm thinking a shirt: "I'm more amazed by a cow than a steak". Yep - on my list for sure! :)
Anonymous - That's a great idea to follow up with others who have dismissed these Iditarod stories as exaggerated. I too had someone email me that they treat all the dogs so well and so on. Sadly, I didn't keep her correspondance after my reply. I can only hope she and others make the full connection that these dogs are only used for money. After the money's done... So are the dogs. :(
I do know too that knowledge and Truth are the only valuable things. The rest of it? The courageous will continue to expose the lies for what they are: impotent.
Many thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Krissa - I agree about the whole fiasco with the horses. It seems much more complicated than it needs to be... But this is a whole (largely corrupt) beauracracy. Unfortunately, thousands of innocent horses are in their "care."
No, dogs shouldn't be made to run distances - Especially for money. $$$! However, there is a fellow in my neighborhood who jogs with his friend. No leash, no fast or long running - Just a circle of a few blocks. She seems to enjoy it... I know he loves her to no end. I think they both benefit from the excercise - It's impossible to compare that with the whips and endless miles, lack of food, water, limited interaction with others, the freezing weather... Oh yes, and disposing of them also doesn't fit at all into the way my neighbor and his dog interact.
It's a shocking and hearbreaking story. I hope it stays in the minds of millions of people who will decline participating in such events as "sport."
Thanks for your comment...
SITOGV - For sure, you can't beat the publicity. At least many will see now that vegans don't have two heads! We're all quite "normal". And the "diet" really is sound. But on the flip side - I read somewhere someone asked sincerely: "Since when did animal rights become a food issue?" They have a point... Guess we just have to take some things that are out of our control with a good attitude. Knowledge is always power. The more good information that's out there... The better for all. :)
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