Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Hunting: ...Why do it?

What is hunting? ...it's a sport.
Of what? ...of humans chasing and killing animals? 

Why do people do it? ...Watch.


Many people today do it as an important method of food gathering. I talked to a friend today who told me he hunts.
- I asked "why? this is wrong!"
- he says "For food. I eat every single part of the animal and it lasts a very long time. It's more ethical being killed by me than at the slaughterhouse."

 I understand what he means and i know he's not an evil person, actually a quite rational one. But at the same time, hunting is mainly a recreational activity that can be exhilarating and pumps your adrenaline. This is our primal instinct at its finest... violence!
Others would suggest it also provides an opportunity to spend time with family and experience nature and the outdoors in a relaxing setting. At the end of the day, you will find every excuse possible to justify hunting and the slaughtering of defenseless animals. Whether you do it for food, manliness, adrenaline, or simply violence you need to take on someone. Killing is wrong!

Think about what this means. Someone takes a gun and goes into the forest. He chooses his prey and chases it. This is challenging for the hunter considering animals can be hard to find and trap. But finally you have a clear shot and take it. This animal's only fault was to be there. It was a mother trying to find food for her cubs, it was a father protecting his family, it was a baby who had the misfortune of being born into the world of man. The parents in pain for the loss of their infant.

 If you think animals cannot feel pain...you would be wrong!

In the meantime, the hunter takes his dead body and cuts its desired parts, like its head. He cleans it and puts it on top of his mantle to later brag about it with his friends and family about his impressive stunt and skills. Or takes some meat and makes a barbeque. Or if you want to be sadistic, you just let the body decompose right there...after all you just wanted to kill something.

Which scenario is worst?

 
I found this on the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources website:
"Hunters contribute a great deal of time, money, and effort to wildlife management.  Hunters are involved in a variety of volunteer programs that help maintain and enhance wildlife and their habitat. In Ontario, the money from hunter licence fees contributes to monitoring and protecting wildlife. The funds raised with the Waterfowl Stamp on the federal Migratory Bird Hunting Permit support habitat protection programs that benefit all wildlife that depend on wetlands"

How contradictory is that?!?


The government (and most hunters) understand this is wrong and unethical. But like every politician, they try to dress it up in a positive light to justify what they do. They also think is only unethical and illegal if they are "endangered species"
Killing a human being is wrong whether we are many or not and it should be the same with animals. This means we should go with our shotguns and start killing people in India and China...they have people to spare!

It is in our nature to be violent and primordial. You can possess the latest technology and latest gadgets and call yourself "smart" from a "civilized society" but there is NOTHING CIVILIZED NOR HUMANE ABOUT KILLING ANIMALS FOR FUN OR FOR A SPORT!
Most people consider animals as lesser beings, inferior to humans just because they can't talk. They are "things" and nothing more. Animals are not inferior to us. They deserve to be in this world as much as we do. Oh wait! ...what am i saying ...we even kill ourselves, we hurt the people close to us and are even able to sell our own mothers. If we can't respect ourselves, then there is no hope for the animal kingdom. The only problem with this, it's that WE are part of the animal kingdom and if we continue with this destructive behavior than we have no future.

Just let me ask you this: If killing people was legal, would you do it?

Sunday, 4 March 2012

Being Ethical...

Let me start with the introduction of life!

This Earth is about 4 billion years old. During that time, it's being a host to billions and billions of species and they've all being able to coexist and adapt to their environment. Every animal has a purpose and a vital place in this world: from the biggest mammal to the smallest bacteria. Everything is connected!
Until....

Mankind emerged!   

Ever since we've been here we've taken the role of the "dominant species" and stepped on everyone and everything to get ahead. Nothing else matters except our own self. The more we evolve technologically the more we distant ourselves from the natural world. The problem with our technological advances is that it makes us feel smarter and superior which is, in fact, WRONG. 

Let's take a real look at our ancestors. They killed with their bare hands, they sacrifice humans to their gods, they even killed as a sport, they used their women as property, among other things. Now can you really tell me we no longer do those things?
We still kill with our bare hands in the millions (when it used to be only in the thousands back then), we still sacrifice humans and even our children in some cases, we still use women as property and sex toys, and we still kill as a sport… it’s even legal in our modern, civilized and evolved societies to kill for pleasure and amusement. You can even see our leaders going hunting and killing innocent defenseless animals for the sole purpose of fun… now tell me that’s civilized behavior.
We need to stop thinking we deserve to be above everything and everyone else and that everything is beneath us, even our own planet. We need to be so narcissist and self-centered and start with compassion and respect towards other beings....we all deserve to be here and all inherited the earth, not just us. 


We don't OWN the planet.
We don't OWN the animals in it.
We don't OWN the natural resources around us.

We have the potential for being better people and it is possible for us to evolve and be compassionate for others in need. We're all connected and we all need each other.