I’m So SAD!

[mjewell]

Sorry to rehash this topic, but i haven't been back to the site for a while so i wanted to respond to some of your posts.


I totally agree about hunting for sport, I think it is sick. I don't condemn anyone for doing it, but I can't help but think a little less of people that do. In my opinion it seems like people who kill animals for fun have no respect for the sanctity of life. Just because animals aren't human doesn't mean their lives are any less valuable - every living thing has a place on this planet and a right to be here, and I don't believe it is up to humans to decide what lives are valuable and what lives are disposable. Obviously I believe there are exceptions, but just going out and killing animals for fun is not acceptable in my oipinion.


I get so mad because my uncle and my grandpa like to hunt, and when i tell my mom I think it's gross and I wish they wouldn't do it, she tries to justify it by saying "well, they use all parts of the animal, they eat the meat, they use the fur, etc, so it's ok." In this day and age where we live this is simply not necesary. Go to the store and buy meat, you don't need to go out and kill for it. We aren't cavemen for chrissakes.


I have struggled with the fact that I feel like a hypocrite because I love animals dearly, ALL animals, yet I am not a vegetarian. HOWEVER, I don't feel like being a meat eaterand an animal loverare mutually exclusive. I think as long as you don't support animal cruelty practices (by purchasing meat that comes fromnon-organic farms, for example)you can still be a meat eater and an animal lover. I don't think there's anything wrong with using animals for meat as long as while they are alive they are treated with dignity and respect, and when their time comes they are killed in a humane way.

[kimmyc24]

Yes I totally agree to all of what you'vesaid above, MJewell!!


My thought on the meat thing is that even if I am a vegetarian, animals will still be slaughtered for their meat, even if there are a billion veggies, there will still always be meat-eaters. It is true that we can make the choice not to be one of them, and in that wayknow that we are not condoning it, but it doesn't mean its not still happening!! I do only eat organic chicken and avoid all veal/lamb products or eggs that aren't organic free range.


I bet all of us have products/furniture in our homes that we aren't even aware is made from some form of animal product/by-product.


I also abide all types of 'sport' that involves animals - for eg the 'running of the bulls' in Pamplona, Spain. It happens every year, and its a sick tradition that provides thousands with entertainment. Also bear/dog fighting etc.. I just cannot justify that as a form of 'entertainment'!!

[mjewell]

Thanks Kimmy!! Yes, I agree about the animal "sports" too. I heard about a guy who recently got killed doing the running of the bulls, and I couldn't help but think is anyone REALLY surprised? I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often! Can you imagine how scared those bulls must be? Plus I bet people throw crap at them and do other mean things.


Fortunately society is starting to realize what constitutes animal crulety and that it needs to be punished. We still have a long way to go though!

[californiagirl]

Thanks Kimmy!! Yes, I agree about the animal "sports" too. I heard about a guy who recently got killed doing the running of the bulls, and I couldn't help but think is anyone REALLY surprised? I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often! Can you imagine how scared those bulls must be? Plus I bet people throw crap at them and do other mean things.


Fortunately society is starting to realize what constitutes animal crulety and that it needs to be punished. We still have a long way to go though!

I saw this on the news recently,, and there was one guy wearing a red shirt and red hat! I may be mean, but I really have ZERO sympathy for these people who get hurt or killed doing this! They put themselves in the situation, then wanna cry abaout it when they get hurt. Now, that's stupid! Why are these things allowed to happen??

[crimgoddess]

I still can't for the life of me understand how shooting an animal and killing it rather quickly is somehow worse than raising it in a closed space and overfeeding it. I would never hunt myself because there is no reason for me to do so. I don't eat meat, so it would be a pretty big waste. However, if you are going to eat meat I have more respect for people who go out and hunt it themselves than who just go and buy it at the market and are thus sheltered from the reality of how the steak came from the animal. At least they can see the animal die and have to deal with that and STILL decide to eat it- as opposed to buying them in that neat little packagewhich obliviates the fact that an animal was slaughtered for it. I think that if slaughterhouses were outlawed and people had to kill the animals themselves to eat meat, there would be a lot more vegetarians out there.


Is is not MORE inhumane to raise an animal in an enclosed space, overfeed it, and then kill it after so many days? At least the animals who were hunted only had a relatively small period of time in pain, as opposed to an entire lifetime of it.


So, I reiterate; is it only barbaric if you do it yourself....but if others do the dirty work for you and you benefit from the end product, it isn't barbaric? This isn't meant to be rude or to step on anyone's toes, I just want to hear the rationale or justification. People can eat what they want and be for/against what they wish, I just sense a bit of conflict with these ideals. I'm sure in the end this will be one of those things where we'll have to agree to disagree, lol.


As for retarded sports such as cockfighting and the running of the bulls- I say good for the bulls if they manage to get a human and maim in it some way. It is just pointless- there is absolutely no point to so-called "sports" such as this other than human amusement. At least hunting can serve a purpose, even if you may not agree with it(food, controlling the animal population to retain equilibrium, etc)- this crap is utterly pointless.


*amber*Edited by: crimgoddess

[tcsarah]

Was it Paul McCartney who said ' If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian'. My dad used to be a painter and decorator when he was younger and when I was a kid I remember him having topaintinside the localslaughter house, the horror stories he came home with how the animals suffered was appalling. We were all put off eating meat for ages. It tore my heart in two the things he described.


I don't have so much of a problem with animals who are reared and allowed to have a good life whilst they are here and then are killed humanely. I could never do it, I couldn't even kill a fish to eat. My fiance goes by the rule ofwhat hecould kill himself he'll eat, and so eats fish.


I hate the cruel 'entertainment' they have in Spain. I always rejoice when the poor bull manages to gets his own back. I really cannot understand people who think it's fun to see something so appallingly cruel. If the bull manages to catch these heartless b*****ds and toss them around like rag dolls, that's sweet justice.

[kimmyc24]

Yes, once again, I agree with you MJewell. Those who run with the bullsdeserve to die with the bulls. After all, once those bulls have run through the streets into the arena, they get stabbed in the back by the Comodores,until they collapse anddie a slow, painful death.


Crim - maybe I shouldclarify and take back whatever I said previously as I do eat meat and I don't kill my own meat - I am an animal lover and I am against any UNNECESSARY killing of animals or the use of animals for sport and entertainment. I prefer to eat meat and eggs from chickens that have had a good life roaming around in open spaces, rather than meat/eggs from battery hens who are force-fed and injected with hormonesto make them grow faster than is natural, until their feet cant take the weight and they break!! You are right - I could NEVER kill a chicken or any other animal myself to eat, but then how many people do/can? only those who are brought up on farms and live that sort of lifestyle in the first place. I couldn't even kill a wasp ifit stungme for crying out loud!!


I don't need to eat meat and have gone without it for long periods of time, but I do occassionally eat it so would hate to sound like a hypocrite. I guess I wear leather shoes and have a suede handbag too so not sure where that leaves me..but i'm sure i'm not anywhere near as evil as those who condone and take part in hunting or using animals for sport and entertainment!!

[californiagirl]

Well said KIMMYC24![img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[mjewell]

I don't think anyone said typical slaughterhouses are more humane than hunting.What i was trying to say is thatI only meat that comes from animal-friendly organic free range farms. Ifthatisn't available at the storethen I just don't buy any meat.

[tcsarah]

I don't think anyone said typical slaughterhouses are more humane than hunting.What i was trying to say is thatI only meat that comes from animal-friendly organic free range farms. Ifthatisn't available at the storethen I just don't buy any meat.

That's brilliant - if only all meat eaters did that. Same with eggs from battery hens, I wish people would buy free range. And I bet the meat that comes from these farms is way better.