Have you noticed how it is becoming more and more popular and acceptable to ‘advocate’ for a particular animal at the expense of another?
We see it most weekends at our local supermarkets/hardware store where a Save The ‘X’ group is having a sausage sizzle to raise funds for their designated animal.
Unfortunately for the animals, these types of campaigns aren’t only reserved for those ‘small’ groups that don’t know any better.
Animals Australia does it with their Make It Possible campaign, and their continual focus on land based food animals who are kept in factory farms, show total disregard for those animals raised for research or aquatic animals raised in aquaculture.
The Animal Liberation franchise does it in nearly everything that they do.
- Queensland has their greyhound focused events which continue to condemn food animals to a life of misery for the sake of a few people increasing their social status by claiming they have ‘rescued’ a greyhound.
Though nothing is being said about the proposed American Quaterhorse Racing industry that is soon to be starting.
It is also concerning that the Vice President of that organisation, seems to be more focused on the ‘over breeding’ of greyhounds, rather than these animals are being unnecessarily used for entertainment in the first place. This also implies that if a sustainable breeding program was put in place that it would be acceptable to the organisation. - New South Wales has done it with their March To Close Down All Slaughterhouses.
Then came the recent words by the member for the federal seat of Denison, Andrew Wilkie, when making a comment about the latest live export figures.
“An objective observer could well say that this government is a pack of sadists when it comes to animal cruelty and the need to treat our animals better in overseas markets.”
For some reason, images have been made with this quote, and are being shared by animal ‘advocates’ everywhere without paying a second thought to the animals that are killed domestically.
[GARD]And in what has to be the most speciesist statement of all, the collective reference of these animals as non-human animals. It is as if the human animal is the benchmark by which other animals are measured.
Now I am sure that there will be plenty who will say that I am being extreme, pedantic, or living up to the vegan police name. Though how would they feel if they were referred to as a non-Australian student, or a non-male employee, etc?
With language making up a large part of increasing the awareness of the plight of other animals, we should be doing the best to ensure that the words that we use are as good as they can be.
Isn’t it time that those who are happy to label themselves as an animal activist/advocates, to start advocating for ALL animals. not just those that will give them popularity?
This article was written by the founder of VeganPolice.com.au, Cameron Blewett.
Cameron is a long term vegan (30+yrs), and is passionate about veganism, and helping people to understand more about it and giving other animals equal consideration.
You can find Cameron’s other rants on his website, CameronBlewett.blog