By Maru Vigo

Animal activists are people with two distinctive lives: the life we all had before we opened our hearts and eyes to the crude reality of animal suffering, and the life we start to live after that moment of revelation. Almost immediately, we inherit a large number of labels. Overnight, we become ‘fanatics, extremists, terrorists, too intense, pushy’, and of course, ‘people and children haters’! We are blamed for not doing anything about the poor and destitute children of the world because our energies are directed to animals. Nobody cares to consider how difficult it is for us to interact socially with the ethically blind, the indifferent, the ignorant, the hypocrites but mostly, with the cruel.

A couple of months ago, activists in Tucson, Arizona witnessed one of the most degrading, indecent and despicable forms of pure cruelty. Teacher and pig farmer Cindy Konrath decided to create what some misled people called a ‘creative and educational programme’. Her fifth-grade students (10 year-olds) were supposed to raise two piglets: Oreo and Licorice. Concerned because the children did not know where bacon came from, she decided to raise these two intelligent animals with the only purpose of sending them to a slaughterhouse. In this country, school children participate in agricultural programmes where animals are raised with the sole purpose, eventually, of being slaughtered. The students fed, watered, bathed, brushed and interacted with Oreo and Licorice. But, most importantly, the children grew attached to them and developed a relationship based on love and trust.

Attempts to dissuade

As soon as we learned about Konrath’s plans, we tried to establish contact in order to dissuade her. We sincerely thought we were going to be able to approach her with rationality and professionalism. We thought that — when given the choice — the children were going to chose life over death. All our requests were ignored. Our alternatives were never considered. People not even related to animal activism made generous offers to the entire school population of Dietz Elementary, but the school administrators supported the killing of the pigs and the continuous brainwashing of the children. Despite all our efforts, Oreo and Licorice were sent to the Pima County Fair for auction.

During our campaign, we learned that one of the officials in charge of the school agricultural programmes was Ed Konrath, Cindy Konrath’s own husband! School officials overlooked the conflict of interests and the possible economical advantages for the Konraths. Their dirty business got the blessing of a school system supported by taxpayers in Arizona.

The day of the fair

The day of the fair was another sickening experience. Some humans have indeed mastered the disgusting art of hypocrisy. They will masquerade the most outrageous forms of cruelty, turning them into ‘family activity’, full of lights, colour and fun. I spent some time just observing the attendees. People walked around the fairgrounds with their children, stuffing themselves with greasy, unhealthy food while watching two majestic tigers that had no other choice than to be confined to a dirty, small cage placed in the open on an extremely hot afternoon. People eating … People laughing … People enjoying themselves. And only a few steps from them, a huge building housed the auction arena where terrified, abused and distressed animals were sold only to be killed to satisfy the appetites and tastes of an indifferent mob.

Humans are familiar with these practices. To bring the exploited to the centre of a ring and place a price tag in their heads have been common practice through the history of the world. African slaves saw their families torn apart forever; Native Americans were forced to walk away from their own land; Jewish families were separated by the horrors of the Holocaust; animals are resigned to their cruel fate in the middle of the clapping and the cheering of the mob. In the meantime, the children avidly advertised the animals they raised. There is no more bonding. There are no ties. The only thing that matters is to get the highest price for the flesh of an animal that trusted them. I noticed sadness in some of their faces and wondered if it was guilt. But soon these thoughts were gone.

Thanks to generous donations, we were able to buy Licorice who was first for auction. The prices were kept low until Licorice’s number was announced to the audience. Konrath’s henchmen were waiting for us and raised the prices in an attempt to stop us from buying him. Maybe it was destiny. Maybe it was a mistake on the part of the animal abusers, but we were able to outbid them in a fraction of a second. Then, we witnessed Konrath’s rage. She run to the auctioneer and threw a childish tantrum, screaming at his face because Licorice had been sold to us. Right away, we knew that they were not going to allow us to buy Oreo. We decided to participate in the auction but, sadly, were unable to save him. Broken hearted, we left this circus with feelings of guilt, sadness, frustration and rage.

True animal activists never give up. We located Oreo in Wilcox, Arizona, and did everything in our reach to save him. Once again the forces of evil acted and stopped our efforts. Oreo was brought back to Tucson and killed by Ed Konrath himself.

The brutality of the news hit us at different times and in different ways. I spent some days in limbo, trying to deny the reality but I finally succumbed to it. One night I sat in front of my TV and watched the video that showed Oreo and Licorice for the first time. Oreo was indeed a beautiful animal, full of vitality and energy. He was shown surrounded by the children who betrayed him. I still remember his handsome face and his tiny eyes so unaware of his final destiny. I questioned the existence of decency and fairness in this world. I wondered about the terror in his eyes when he was transported to the slaughterhouse. I wondered about his thoughts, his memories, and his hopes. I wondered what his final sight of this world was. I did not mean to torture myself, I just wanted to know why so many people remained deaf to his cries and sufferings. Part of me died with him and now I look at every human under a totally different light. All those animals sold at the fair did not die in vain. This betrayal only made me stronger and taught me an important lesson about expectations, hopes and betrayals. Oreo’s death became a symbol of our constant fight against injustice and abuse.

Nobody forced us to become warriors in this fight. Nobody promised us a garden of roses without experiencing the thorns. Nobody asked for anything. The only request we saw and heard came from the eyes of suffering beings thirsty for justice and peace. That was and should be our only motivation to keep going despite it all. The ‘4-H Programme’ pledge reads: ‘I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, my health to better living.’

I went home and lost myself in my music. From the dark background, came the awareness provided by powerful lyrics sung by Argentinean folklorist Mercedes Sosa:

Who says everything is lost?
When everything seems to be lost,
I am still here, willing to offer my heart.

How true. Now, more than ever, keep fighting the good fight.