the cove

Personally, I have no problems with killing an animal in a painless fashion. Sudden decapitation is much better than spearing a dolphin over and over, or slowly stabbing a bull tens of times until it finally bleeds out enough to be immobile and stabbed again.

 

I'm not talking about humane killings... but we have sectors that are just as guilty of inhumane practices just like any other country.

 

I don't think my beliefs are having to do with age, but with animal cruelty, as this thread is bout.

I would not think killing something in a certain way, is "less cruel" just because I am older...

As Incognito said, we have out own problems to worry about.

 

Well, I don't really think so. But hear out my reasoning.

I don't agree with killing, let's say, a chicken, in an inhumane fashion. I don't buy chickens killed in such a way. Therefore, I hold absolutely no responsibility for the person down the street who does.

I can try to reason with them, and let them know why I think it's wrong; but ultimately, it's their decision. Protests here won't help the situation there, barring some political miracle, since those fisherman largely don't even see the opposition that exists here to their practices.

This, despite someone, somewhere in America doing things I also consider reprehensible towards chickens. The people killing dolphins in Japan, and the people killing chickens in America, are as representative of the society as I am of humanity.

I have no reason to change my behavior; I'm not doing, or supporting, anything I think is immoral. I can criticize the Japanese fishermen who decide to kill dolphins in a horrible manner. I think killing dolphins in this way is worse than killing chickens in the manner Perdue/Tyson/Weaver uses; so I'm going to use my free speech (and time) to speak out about dolphins, not chickens.

Plus, chicken is dang tasty.

 

Where is the cow defense at? I live in the south currently, and here chicken farms are part of the culture down here. We teach it in school, how to break a chickens neck, de-feather it, and so on. We take our children on field-trips to the Tyson plant, and watch chickens get slaughtered, by workers standing in 5 inches of blood, then send the kids to the cafeteria, and serve them sed slaughtered chickens! It is a cultural thing. We kill chickens in an inhumane way. We kill cows in an inhumane way, although more humane now with the bolt through the head method than it was previously. Apparently, the Japanese kill dolphins in an inhumane way. Hell, Americans(among others) kill humans in an inhumane way on a daily basis! What do you think Indian's (from India!) think about us killing and devouring cattle?! I bet they frown upon it too. My point is that everyone around the world does things that seem "inhumane" to us, because it is how we were raised, and how the media has chose not to display other worldly travesties. If you dig deep enough, you can find some wicked stuff that other cultures find completely acceptable. I do understand that this is a Reef Forum, so just about everyone here holds a bias toward oceanic life...I wonder what they're saying on the Chicken Forums?

 

I'd have to agree with the side that says killing a dolphin/whale is not the same as killing a chicken/cow. But I can also see the argument on how it's the same.

In any food processing, whether it's in a factory or in your own backyard, there's always going to be collateral damage to any wildlife whether it be fruit flies or livestock. It's how nature works. Even if you became vegetarian, what about the millions of moles, rabbits, chipmunks etc that are killed by threshing machines and farm equipment every year growing vegetables? Nothing in life is "deathless" when it comes to eating.

I just view the mass killing of intelligent sea mammals in the same regard as if we started hunting gorillas or orangutans. Sure, small tribes and Eskimos may still do just that. But in terms of a steady meat source; as a culture grows technologically it should move toward a sustainable and farmable food source to support it's growing population, not drive an unsustainable food source into extinction because a culture now possesses the technology to hunt it's primary meat source more efficiently. America did this with bison and buffalo back in the 1800's when we were still using outhouses and thought the moon was made of cheese. Now that Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet, it has a responsibility to either farm whales the same as any other livestock to keep the wild populations up or stop wild whaling/dolphin harvesting all together.

my 2cents.

 

There are all types of practices around the world that we, as Americans, find horrifying. Not just towards animals, but people as well. But it's a cultural thing - our culture disapproves. We talked about this a lot in my sociology classes in college. You can look at practices in two ways: one, there are certain rights animals and humans have that should be applied around the world, or, that each culture has their own beliefs and practices and we should not judge them.


Having said that. I love animals, I don't eat meat, and I don't support the killing of animals in any fashion. However, people in this country eat meat, it's a big part of our culture, and that's that; so I accept it.

 

In this specific case, there's no danger of extinction. Relatively, only a small percentage of dolphins are actually killed by these fishermen in Japan. I would be more dolphins are killed by commercial fishermen in nets accidentally.

 

I simply used the chicken as an example.

I feel you have proved my point. I agree with you.

 

Those moles, rabbits, & chipmunks killed by that thresher were killed in harvesting(they had to have been "in the way"), not purposely killed.

Native Americans killed bison, for food. They used the whole thing though. Bones went to be used as tools, fur was used for blankets & clothes. Skin was used for cloth & writing materials. Heck even the fat was used(for soap).