Faralas, I was brought up overseas, so I saw quite a few cultures dealing with their animals - I don't think, it's copyright of Western culture to illtreat and abuse animals. And what I saw as a child has made me to the animal protecting adult - in fact wanting to protect the weaker (regardless of legs and race)
Could you agree, not all animal testing is necessary? And it would be better, if scientist worldwide would cooperate, so the amount of suffering lab animals is reduced? Or, even better, taking cells to experiment whenever possible? And leaving out experiments, which only satisfy scientific ego curiosity? I miss ethics in natural sciences - and this was the main cause, why I made my biology teacher unhappy and refused to take up a scientific career.
Kiya,
First off let me clarify something. In no place on this board have I ever advocated for the mistreatment of animals. All I'm trying to point out is there are some benefits to animal testing in medical research. Secondly, I do not support anything that's an 'across the board', blanket solution to any given problem. Animal testing is much deeper and too complicated to be an either or option and it's not a black and white issue. I think the solution is somewhere in the grey area. There are groups in this world who wish to eradicate all animal testing no matter how significant the research. Even if it's to prolong the lives of other animals or to save endangered species. I think that kind of advocacy doesn't take into account the larger picture and instead only focuses on a misguided (and probably well intended) solution.
Could you agree, "economic" animal breeding is torture - and in the end causing mankind to suffer? BSE or the human equivalent Jacob-Kreutzfeld-Syndrome is manmade, because vegetarians were forcibly turned into carnivorous. Look what SCARS is doing now, coming from Asia - look at the conditions on these farms. Do you know under which conditions living animals are transported? When I was in a hostel in South Africa, we had to pass a certain slaughter house on our way to church (forced to pray and hear death cries <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/suspicion.gif" alt="" /> )
Depending on which scientific or medical journal you subscribe to, BSE has yet to be proven 100% to be manmade. First off, humans cannot get madcows disease UNLESS they eat the raw brain matter of an infected cow. Otherwise, it's simply not scientifically possible. BSE was not a foreseen byproduct in the grain fed to cows. Therefore, those scientists who developed that specific grain (or whatever it is that cows eat) did not intend to set out to create a disease that would infect cows. In fact, it all started in England. There are some interesting articles on the web on how scientists believe the first cow came to be infected. So, no, I can't agree with 100% of the things you say. However, on the whole, Kiya, I agree with the heart and care that's given in coming to your point of view.
BTW, I saw Fox's "humanity" as a synonym for my word "inhumankind". There's more to say about this species I belong to and am ashamed of very often. It's not only the way we treat creation/nature - no, it's even the way we treat our own race <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puppyeyes.gif" alt="" /> . Sometimes I wish our life span was very very long (200-300 yrs) and our fertility would be reduced dramatically, why? So we would experience the outcomes of short-thought economic greed, egoism and brutality.
Kiya <errhm, how much place does a soap box give? Getting a bit crowdy>
Well, I certainly don't wish to live 200-300 years. The thought of paying bills that long nauseates me. (lol) I just want it known that I'm not a person who blindly jumps on any bandwagon, no matter how moral or just it sounds. I investigate, ask questions and scrutenize until I'm satisfied that it rings true for *me*. If that makes me a part of the 'problem' and not the solution in some peoples eyes, so be it. There is nothing I can do to change *who I am*. It took me too long to become this fantastic! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Faralas <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />
