Our Fellow Creatures
Our Fellow Creatures
By Punkerslut
It is the notion of our time that non-human animals exist for
the advancement of the human species. In whatever field --
cookery, fashion, blood-sports -- it is held that we can only be
concerned with animals as far as human interests exist. There
may be some sympathy for those animals, as to limit practices
which cause excruciating suffering, but those may only be
limited if they are brought to public light, and if legislators
receive enough pressure from the public to change.
However, it is the purpose of this essay to convince the reader
otherwise. The question at hand is: do animals deserve rights?
It must certainly be true. Humans deserve rights and this claim
is made on numerous appeals. Of one of the pertinent pleas is
made on the claim that humans can feel emotions. More
importantly, that humans are capable of suffering, and that to
inflict such pain is unethical. Those who observe the tortures
of the Nazi Concentration Camp are instilled with a humane creed
held for all humans. But if there is no significant gulf between
humans, that is to say there is no gulf based on skin color,
creed, or gender that will make one human more or less valuable
than any other, then by what right can a gulf be drawn out
between humans and our fellow creatures? The suffering of humans
is why we sympathize with each other. Since animals suffer, they
deserve our sympathy.
There is no real gulf separating the species. We all can feel
suffering in the same manner. A racist's reasoning is flawed
because he claims that one race is undeserving of sympathy,
despite that it may be capable of suffering. Similarly, to claim
that an animal deserves no rights or sympathy is faulty on the
same reasoning. It creates a gulf between two different classes,
claiming that one's suffering should be unaccompanied by
sympathy. Simply put: the reason we give rights to human is
because they are capable of suffering. Since this is true, we
must grant our fellow creatures the same sympathy, as they are
capable of the same suffering as humans. There is no gulf that
can be conjured from the minds of philosophers that will erase
that one fact: animals can suffer like humans. It is for this
reason they deserve rights and sympathy.
There may be those who oppose the rights of animals based on a
sort of reasoning. They may be quick to point to plants and
inquire if they deserve rights, too. However, plants are not
conscious beings, and they are not capable of suffering. There
can be no real sympathy with them. Another may point to how
animals eat each other and ask why we should give them rights
when they do not give each other rights. Of course, if animals
are irrational and lack compassion, are we to be irrational and
lack compassion? If another animal, even a human commits an act
of rape or murder, does that justify us doing it, simply because
he does it? Certainly not. Imitation is no grounds for morality.
Some may claim that humans have teeth designed to consume flesh,
but this proves nothing. As guns are designed to kill, but that
does not justify their usage. Others may claim that god had
created animals specifically for our usage. But this was the
defense used by slaveowners of their slaves, and it is no less
hypocritical or unjust when people today make the same claim of
animals.
So, we can see, it is quite clear that our fellow creatures are
deserving of rights and sympathy, as their suffering does not
differ from human suffering. The first course of action is to
refuse to take part in any activity that disallows animals their
rights. In fact, it will be the course for activists to protest
any such injustice. First and foremost is the gross practice of
consuming our fellow creatures, when health, economics, and
humaneness prefer otherwise. Therefore, Vegetarianism is the
first logical step in Animal Rights. If we continue to kill and
eat them, then what real recognition of their rights has there
been? Another area where their rights are disregarded is in
blood-sports, where creatures are hunted and killed for some
sake of pleasure -- that terror in the hearts of animals brings
warmth to the hearts of men. Vivisection, or experimental
torture, is another area. To advance knowledeg, they will
sacrifice the lives of millions, to die in brutal and heartless
tortures. The advancement of humaneness will come with abolition
of these cruel and vicious practices. Those of us who work for
the progression of the rights of animals and for truly equal
rights of conscious beings are bold and ardent in our efforts.
For the betterment of our fellow creatures is our cause.
www.punkerslut.com
For Life, Punkerslut