It has been said that "no one is free until everyone is
free." This ideology has been the cornerstone of much social and
political change throughout the centuries. It embodies in it the
implication that we humans are by nature sensitive beings who are
affected not only by what goes on inside of us as individuals, but also
what goes on outside of us.
The animal rights movement is as much about people as it
is about animals. Civil rights movements have always included members
outside of the oppressed group; the abolition of human slavery in the
U.S. was orchestrated by "free" whites, and the women's rights movement
has always included supporters of both genders. It is incorrect to
assume that just because we are not the direct target of an action, that
we are not oppressed by it. We do not ourselves need to personally
experience torture or imprisonment to be affected by it. The knowledge
that such a thing exists is enough to affect our own happiness, our own
sense of freedom.
By addressing the atrocities inflicted upon nonhuman
animals by humans, we are certainly helping those less fortunate than
ourselves. We are also, however, helping OURSELVES in the process. By
eradicating oppression in all its forms, we speed the creation of a
compassionate society that respects each of us as individuals and all of
us as a whole. As we move away from oppressive systems that perpetuate
suffering, we move toward the safety of a community that protects us
all. As long as any segment of the society is oppressed, all are
candidates for oppression. What happens to my neighbor today, can happen
to me tomorrow.
On a more concrete level, there are literally billions
of living, breathing reasons why people are willing to put themselves on
the line for animal rights. Every year in the United States, almost
SEVEN BILLION animals die at the hands of people:
* 6 billion are slaughtered as food
* 365 million are hit and killed on roads and highways
* 200 million are murdered by sport hunters
* 50 million die in laboratories
* 25 million are murdered for their fur
* 7 million "surplus" dogs and cats are killed in pounds
and shelters
Many of these animals not only die hideous deaths, but
suffer through equally tragic lives. As the perpetrators of this
suffering, the responsibility for the pain returns to us. Perhaps more
to the point: "The blood is on our hands."
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