First off, I would like to congratulate Michelle Rivera on
organizing a wonderful, informative conference in Palm Beach Gardens
yesterday, June 12, 2004. The speakers were articulate, admirable and
educational in their speeches. The food was delicious too!
One of the speakers, Captain Fred Mascaro, a warm
compassionate animal guardian in his personal life and a strong advocate
for animals in his work, delivered a heartfelt presentation about his love
for animals that stirred the audience to tears, and he shed quite a few of
his own. When the floor was opened up for questions, I found myself
shocked, disturbed and ashamed of being part of the group among which I
sat. Two women began attacking Mr. Mascaro for owning pedigreed dogs
instead of getting them from the pound. This became the focus of the
question and answer section, and this well meaning man's pain at being
attacked and shamed, was visible. He was already vulnerable from talking
about the bond between animals and humans that has deeply touched his
life, and then arrows were being slung at him for buying his dogs from a
store.
The ironic part of this is that there were milk and egg
products on the menu, therefore the participants who ate these were
contributing the forced molting, forced lactation, and numerous other
crimes perpetuated by the factory farm industry. Brings to mind the
saying, "Those of you who are without sin cast the first stone." If the
women who addressed this with him as he stood bearing his heart at the
podium had a modicum of insight and empathy for this human being, they
would have sensed his pain and either held their tongues or addressed him
privately about their feelings about the sale of pedigreed pets. He is a
public figure and finding out how to reach him is very easy. I found his
number myself, and called him to express my support and address the
insensitive treatment he received as a guest at the conference.
This is the very behavior that alienates people from
joining animal rights groups. Animal Rights People sometimes forget that
humans are part of the animal community too. They are not perfect. When a
human animal is good and well meaning and trying hard to please, as Mr.
Mascaro obviously was, how can we in good conscience publicly slap him
with a newspaper because he wasn't what might be considered perfect in all
of his choices? Shouldn't we offer our fellow humans the same
understanding and gentleness that we offer our animal companions?
Go on to Dolphin Freedom
Haiti
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