Definition of SPECIESISM
1: prejudice or discrimination based on species; especially : discrimination against animals
2: the assumption of human superiority on which speciesism is based
...a prejudice or bias in favour of the interests of the members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species. ..Peter Singer, Animal Liberation 1975.
As a child I had dreams of having a house as big as my childish imagination would allow, and keeping in it ALL the helpless and homeless animals of the whole world.... did truly believe that everybody else would also be doing the same( because how could anyone NOT love animals....animals are meant for love..THAT according to me was their basic purpose)......
In later years, that dream took on a more realistic shape...I realized that the’ house’ would not be so big and eventually it may be just me and a handful of others who would even TRY to have anything close to a house for a few unfortunate animals.
As the years went by, that dream was put aside, as I needed to make place for children and family and every wonderful thing that goes along with it... we even took in 6 stray dogs and fed others on the street and slowly our home gained the identity of ‘the red house with eleven dogs’....life has been good.
Of late, my children have grown up and I find my dream returning...I do not dwell on the dimensions of the house anymore, just have this strong conviction in my heart that something big is coming our way...so along with my husband and a group of friends, we have decided to embark on an endeavour for our animal friends....but as I write today, I realize that wanting people to care about those that cannot give anything back to one (except, maybe lots of love), is a very difficult thing to do...either you love animals or you don’t...the ‘don’t’ is what breaks my heart... most people, I encounter, are hesitant to even be associated with my ‘cause’ or they give me that weird look which says ‘It’s a nice thing you’re trying to do but ......’ This leaves me puzzled and with a deep sense of sadness.
I recently came across the term ‘speciesism’.. .I fail to understand, why a passion would need to be ‘grand’ to be of any value. Maybe it is because it is not directly concerned with the human race...or so it may seem to someone who has not stopped to really think about it..... but it IS...it is so deeply connected to each one of us, ....it doesn’t take a very bright person to figure that out...
Why do I choose animals???....simply because they have no voice....and we happen to be the ones incharge of the planet... it is we who make the rules...WE who are morally responsible.....it all sounds cliche'
One cannot expect to have a humane society if cruelty and the abuse of animals is ignored.
We are all animals varying only in species.
Animals feel pain and fear just like us humans. The difference being, that they are helpless against us and cannot speak for themselves.
People who abuse animals, often have serious psychological issues .They are always a threat to society. As studies have shown that many people convicted of violent crimes have had a history of animal cruelty.
Technically speaking, there are very few differences between human and non human animals.
* Animals may cover a lot of species whereas Humans belong to Homo Sapiens.
* Most animals walk on all four legs or crawl whereas Humans are Bipeds.
* Animals are unable to communicate like Humans do.
*Animals are endangered due to the Human influence on their environment.
* Whereas Animals simply survive in their environment, Humans have developed technology & science to change their environment.
....and we HAVE changed it so much that entire species have vanished and along with it our sense of moral responsibility towards all living creatures.
It is time to give back at least some of what we have taken.
“We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the devil in human form. ”—William Ralph Inge, Outspoken Essays
1: prejudice or discrimination based on species; especially : discrimination against animals
2: the assumption of human superiority on which speciesism is based
...a prejudice or bias in favour of the interests of the members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species. ..Peter Singer, Animal Liberation 1975.
As a child I had dreams of having a house as big as my childish imagination would allow, and keeping in it ALL the helpless and homeless animals of the whole world.... did truly believe that everybody else would also be doing the same( because how could anyone NOT love animals....animals are meant for love..THAT according to me was their basic purpose)......
In later years, that dream took on a more realistic shape...I realized that the’ house’ would not be so big and eventually it may be just me and a handful of others who would even TRY to have anything close to a house for a few unfortunate animals.
As the years went by, that dream was put aside, as I needed to make place for children and family and every wonderful thing that goes along with it... we even took in 6 stray dogs and fed others on the street and slowly our home gained the identity of ‘the red house with eleven dogs’....life has been good.
Of late, my children have grown up and I find my dream returning...I do not dwell on the dimensions of the house anymore, just have this strong conviction in my heart that something big is coming our way...so along with my husband and a group of friends, we have decided to embark on an endeavour for our animal friends....but as I write today, I realize that wanting people to care about those that cannot give anything back to one (except, maybe lots of love), is a very difficult thing to do...either you love animals or you don’t...the ‘don’t’ is what breaks my heart... most people, I encounter, are hesitant to even be associated with my ‘cause’ or they give me that weird look which says ‘It’s a nice thing you’re trying to do but ......’ This leaves me puzzled and with a deep sense of sadness.
I recently came across the term ‘speciesism’.. .I fail to understand, why a passion would need to be ‘grand’ to be of any value. Maybe it is because it is not directly concerned with the human race...or so it may seem to someone who has not stopped to really think about it..... but it IS...it is so deeply connected to each one of us, ....it doesn’t take a very bright person to figure that out...
Why do I choose animals???....simply because they have no voice....and we happen to be the ones incharge of the planet... it is we who make the rules...WE who are morally responsible.....it all sounds cliche'
One cannot expect to have a humane society if cruelty and the abuse of animals is ignored.
We are all animals varying only in species.
Animals feel pain and fear just like us humans. The difference being, that they are helpless against us and cannot speak for themselves.
People who abuse animals, often have serious psychological issues .They are always a threat to society. As studies have shown that many people convicted of violent crimes have had a history of animal cruelty.
Technically speaking, there are very few differences between human and non human animals.
* Animals may cover a lot of species whereas Humans belong to Homo Sapiens.
* Most animals walk on all four legs or crawl whereas Humans are Bipeds.
* Animals are unable to communicate like Humans do.
*Animals are endangered due to the Human influence on their environment.
* Whereas Animals simply survive in their environment, Humans have developed technology & science to change their environment.
....and we HAVE changed it so much that entire species have vanished and along with it our sense of moral responsibility towards all living creatures.
It is time to give back at least some of what we have taken.
“We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the devil in human form. ”—William Ralph Inge, Outspoken Essays
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