Sunday, April 5th 2009

Image - Susannah Bec

*New addition added at the bottom of the post*.

I understand that this is an uncomfortable subject for many, but can I ask you to please read these quotes - thank you so much.

We, humankind are just one of the many species on this beautiful planet of ours.

The Earth is simply teeming with life in all forms.

These quotes are a voice for those that can not speak

The basis of all animal rights should be the Golden Rule: we should treat them as we would wish them to treat us, were any other species in our dominant position.
- Christine Stevens

"If a group of beings from another planet were to land on Earth - beings who considered themselves as superior to you as you feel yourself to be to other animals - would you concede them the rights over you that you assume over other animals?"
- George Bernard Shaw

The life spark in my eyes is in no way different than the life spark in the eyes of any other sentient being. ~Michael Stepaniak

To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. The more helpless the creature, the more that it is entitled to protection by man from the cruelty of man.
- Mohandas Gandhi

The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.
~Alice Walker

"Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives."
- Albert Schweitzer

Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage.
- Sri Aurobindo

There can be no justification for causing suffering to animals simply to serve man's pleasure or simply to enhance man's lifestyle."
- The Dean of York

*Addition*-This is a subject that has bothered me for 25 years, one I have learned to internalise and keep to myself as it upsets and makes people mad. I live my own life doing what I feel I have to do and don't mention the subject anymore. But the other day I saw two things that rekindled that old sense of hurt and outrage, and felt I was turning a blind eye to something I cared deeply about. I don't/can't see other creatures in a dispassionate way, I see them and I see life.

We were driving along a picturesque English lane and looking out over the sunlit green fields at the sheep and the tiny new born lambs, snuggled up to their mothers, they were beautiful and I smiled and was glad the sun was shining and we hadn't had snow or frost like previous years. Then I noticed on this wonderful, innocent new life, a scrawled graffitti of numbers/marks in bright blue on its back, a new life defaced. Marked as a commodity, and I felt the injustice.

Later I watched a tv programme on a 'watch again player' on the net, and saw someone in a fishing boat holding up a crab and marvelling how old it was to have got that big, I could see it moving, feel its life. Then a linguistine, another one that was huge, alive, plucked from its home, again he marvelled at its age and size, and while he was talking I watched it, struggling. Then he turned it over and stuck a knife in it and cut it down the middle, the legs kept moving for a few seconds then stillness. I felt the shock of a life being taken, the people on the programme discussed the garnish. I turned off as they were about to boil the lobster and crab alive.

All of a sudden, I felt I had to say what I believe, I don't want to make people uncomfortable, but I do want people to actually 'see' what is happening, if it makes a difference to one person, one animal, then it is worth speaking out - thanks for listening.

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