I came across this article yesterday (Do We Have The Language Needed To Grant Dolphins Non-Human Rights?) and I got quite riled up over it. The more I thought about it the more I got …. well, not angry, but just - can't think of the word. Which is really what the article is about - finding the right word for a "specific word that encapsulates the relationship of you're-an-individual-as-I-am-even-though-we-are-different-species."
Now I'm not thinking about the "word" - what got me about the story is that we are even looking at giving "rights" to dolphins. And before you jump down on me let me explain where I'm coming from.
We have human rights - and look how we manage that. It's abysmal - we can't even get that right, so how is anyone going to think that by applying cetacean rights that anything is going to change the fact that dolphins and whales will still be abused.
And, speaking of rights, what about the rights of cows and pigs ….. yes, yes, I know, the article is saying that dolphins are highly intelligent therefore should be given rights. Well it is also known that pigs are intelligent as are elephants and apes - and who says that cows and sheep are not? So, what about their "rights". They may not be as intelligent as dolphins, but there are lots of humans I could put on their intellectual level! and yet we give them "rights".
My point is that we should not be so concerned about the word "rights" be it to an individual or a species (including human), but we should be doing what is right to all living creatures. Then comes the argument that what I might believe is right may not be in sync with what you think is right
I don't have an issue with humans who eat animal foods for survival (e.g. A country like Mongolia cannot grow anything so needs to live on meat) just as I don't have an issue with dolphins and lions etc who hunt for fish/meat in order to survive. What I have an issue with is the blatant abusive farming activities that are practiced in order to quench the "desire" for meat - not the "need". I mean - you don't see dolphins fish farming……mind you, if we keep depleting the ocean of fish life……well, dolphins are intelligent aren't they.
I'm getting off my soap box now.
We have human rights - and look how we manage that. It's abysmal - we can't even get that right, so how is anyone going to think that by applying cetacean rights that anything is going to change the fact that dolphins and whales will still be abused.
And, speaking of rights, what about the rights of cows and pigs ….. yes, yes, I know, the article is saying that dolphins are highly intelligent therefore should be given rights. Well it is also known that pigs are intelligent as are elephants and apes - and who says that cows and sheep are not? So, what about their "rights". They may not be as intelligent as dolphins, but there are lots of humans I could put on their intellectual level! and yet we give them "rights".
My point is that we should not be so concerned about the word "rights" be it to an individual or a species (including human), but we should be doing what is right to all living creatures. Then comes the argument that what I might believe is right may not be in sync with what you think is right
I don't have an issue with humans who eat animal foods for survival (e.g. A country like Mongolia cannot grow anything so needs to live on meat) just as I don't have an issue with dolphins and lions etc who hunt for fish/meat in order to survive. What I have an issue with is the blatant abusive farming activities that are practiced in order to quench the "desire" for meat - not the "need". I mean - you don't see dolphins fish farming……mind you, if we keep depleting the ocean of fish life……well, dolphins are intelligent aren't they.
I'm getting off my soap box now.
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