Dr. Steve Best on Animal Liberation - It's Not (just) About Kindness... It's About Justice

Essays - Vegetarianism, Environmentalism, Animal Rights

PETA - The Wacky Relative That Sometimes Gets It Right

As I mentioned here almost two years ago I don't often post much from the PETA camp... But I could find nothing in what Ms. Kirk has to say in this video that I disagree with. Can you?



If you do disagree and believe that violence towards nonhumans is acceptable... Please re-examine why you think that. Please question your premises with a critical eye. Please put yourself in the place of that other animal in order to come to a better conclusion. If you refuse to do so... You are a danger to us all.

As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he always had the same thought: in their behavior toward creatures, all men were Nazis. The smugness with which man could do with other species as he pleased exemplified the most extreme racist theories, the principle that might is right.
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Enemies: A Love Story

*Thanks to VeganElder for the title inspiration

No Peace On Earth Without Justice

.
The photography in this video is magnificent!  Breath taking sunsets and spectacular wild life scenes, interspersed with "cowboys" in mix.  These were taken by Wyman Meinzer - a professional predator hunter...


Now... From my POV all I see are beings that are prey for man!  Not a single one of these nonhumans is free from our use or control.  Not the wolf, the birds, the snakes, the horses, and certainly NOT the cows!


If someone wants to hunt for predators... Try the pickings in any major metropolitan area - A football game... Or your local mall.  You'll find all the predators imaginable.

The Sustainable Scale Project

And the more I see and learn I'm beginning to realize that this is our major problem... As a species we have absolutely no one to control our numbers as we rape and pillage everything we can make monetary use of.  


But the more arrogant in our plundering, the more things adapt and mutate... Things, bacteria and viruses, that might slow down and halt our lusts, are always lurking as a penalty. It's a universal leveling, karma or anything you'd like to call it - But generally things can only go so far before there is a price to pay. And from what I'm seeing during this uber-commercial, gluttony-driven, animal-consuming-season - The more I'm revising my yearly Christmas wish list.


For years I thought - If only there was peace... Peace! Peace on Earth - That would be the best gift ever!  But now... I think it makes much more sense to want justice instead.  For without justice - There can never be peace. 

If you don't know - But care to learn about the most unfairly treated beings ever... The ones who know no peace and have no justice:
Please watch Earthlings and your ethical conscience will tell you what to do to set things right.

Poor Fish Hunter Gets a Boo-Boo... Hooray for Karma - Cheers for Justice

Just this morning a guy whined about a finger that was filling with infected pus after a catfish barb punctured his delicate flesh while he was "fishing". Awwww....  For all the hooks, gaffs and knives that fish-hunters pierce innocent bodies with - I can only hope a similar experience to all of them.

Ya'll want sympathy? Try showing some!

I mean really... What kind of decent person would deliberately try to get an animal "caught" by a "hook"?  What kind of decent person does this for "fun"? Either their parents never taught them empathy... Or they just didn't learn very well. It is terribly cruel. It is mean! It is wrong!  Literally "catching" them as they are trying to do what it takes to survive: "eat".  These animals never did anyone harm - There is no self "defense". Yet people go out of their way into the "domain" of the sea to pursue the lust for blood and victims... All under the guise of a "sport".  Pitiful bullies is all they are! 

See the terror as these people are fearful that they might loose an eye... Imagine the fright as a living being fights for their life as their lungs are crushed by our oxygen.  It's like a human suffocating and GASPING for air to breath.  Ah... But this is what these fish-hunters enjoy - "The fight" and the "victory" over little fishes... Sad, puny people hurt defenseless animals for entertainment.

It's always easy to use might on those who are smaller and more helpless than you... But often Karma has a way of equalizing the score.  But not one to spread any ill will - I must ask ---

How's the finger doing anyway?

related post
Steve Hindi's Story: I Was a Fish Killer

Extend Your Kindess to Those Who Need it Most - Go Vegan

Elaine Vigneault at Vegan Soapbox does some incredible vlogging for veganism on youtube... But this is my favorite video of all: I'm sure we all like to believe we are kind... But most of us never really question what kindness truly is... If kindness, compassion, generosity, peace or justice is to have any meaning at all... If it is to be genuine.... Surely it does not do so by excluding those who are most vulnerable. It does not do so by denying those most able to benefit from "kindness and compassion". Suppose there was a contest to help the most needy person in the world... This person who "won" would receive clean water, shelter, electricity, food, etc. Now, the only thing is, the person must register to be a contestant for this prize. Of course, this unfortunate person does not have food or bear essentials --- Let alone a telephone, internet or a postage stamp to fulfill the requirements to "qualify"... And any reasonable person hearing this would say the contest was a sham! Likewise, nonhumans who are most at the "mercy" of man's exploitations... Also cannot "register" or "enroll" in our "prize" of compassion. Indeed some people try to deny kindness to animals because they lack a "soul". Of course a soul isn't a tangible thing --- And the concept could have very well been invented by man in an effort to justify his using of animals to begin with... Are you with me? The crux of it is... Are you extending your compassion to those who truly need it? To those who suffer and are violated most? Or is your "gift" of kindness limited to only those within your pre-determined ((human) group? And more importantly, do you exclude some from the "prize" because you enjoy hunting them, wearing their skin, riding their backs, watching them perform; Or because you use them for experimentation, breed them for income, or kill them for the eating of their flesh? What kind of person are you? Do you limit your generostiy to those who benefit least, or to those who are the most missed? Come on! You know you're a good person! You know you want to align your actions with your values! By going vegan you can do just that!