dagblog - Comments for "Malaysian Travel Journal: Elephants are Cool!"

Before I go on I want to

emerson — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:59:44 +0000

Before I go on I want to apologize for shifting the subject. I think your post is very nice and I love how you are sharing your adventures with everyone. I have learned some things about elephants that I did not know and that picture of the elephant enjoying a shower is very cute. There is something so graceful and calm about elephants. I envy your experience in getting to be close to them.

I, too, find PETA to be a bit aggressive and not to my liking. I think they have some good points but I don't prefer their methods. (Although a friend once gave me one of their vegan cookbooks and it has some great recipes in it.) But I do believe that the issues they bring up are important.

I think the reason that it is less complicated to take care of animals than children is because the abuse is more obvious. The animal rights movement is at an early stage still. It is easy to make an argument against the more apparent abuses against animals such as slaughter houses or dog fighting or destroying animal's natural habitats because of more development. It is harder to find a specific case of abuse against children, such as in the past (in the US) the argument against child labor, that could be sited as a clear violation of our principles. The abuse happens mainly behind closed doors. And even if people have suspicions it is often hard to do anything about it.

It is a lot like the women's movement. At first what was being fought against was clear: the right to vote, to be financially independent, to run for and be able to hold office. There is still discrimination against women but it is more insidious now and harder to get a clear and distinct argument about discrimination. As an example, the pay inequality discussion that has been going on the last few years.

So I think, no, I know many people care deeply about children and they help where they can but it is hard sometimes to get a clear grip on how to help when there are neglected children. Primarily because you often don't hear of it because it is kept secret. Although did you hear about the 4 year old who escaped a house to get help for her two little sisters from parent's who had them boarded up in a room? What a brave little girl! And only 4. I think that is an amazing story. And since it has been brought to light I am sure they will go to a home where they are cared for and loved. I sincerely hope so.

As a vegetarian and someone

Verified Atheist — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:28:39 +0000

In reply to Point taken, emerson. I

As a vegetarian and someone very sympathetic to emerson's point, let me state that I think that PETA jumped the shark quite some time back. Maybe I just used to be more ignorant about them, but once upon a time I respected them. That stopped about the time of their "Got Beer" and advertisements about Rudy Giuliani's cancer (making a connection to milk consumption). I don't doubt that the milk industry has an unholy alliance with the FDA, but they crossed one two many lines for me.

As soon as I saw the baboons,

Orlando — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:27:47 +0000

In reply to You used to live in

As soon as I saw the baboons, I knew there was a metaphor in there somewhere!

Point taken, emerson. I

Orlando — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:26:00 +0000

In reply to I was going to let the child

Point taken, emerson. I didn't at all mean to impugn the humane society or the role it plays. And, just so you know I'm not entirely immune to the plight of animals, I found my last dog in a parking lot, about to run into traffic. I took him to the shelter and nobody claimed him after a week. So, he was mine.

In your comment, you alluded to the fact that it is far less complicated to take care of damaged animals than it is to take care of damaged children. I think it's the indignation of strident Peta-type folks that gets to me sometimes. While I understand that everyone has a role to play and everyone has differing interests and causes, I think we don't do as well as we should as a society in setting our priorities.

I was going to let the child

emerson — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:05:09 +0000

In reply to I'm officially jealous...no,

I was going to let the child versus pet false argument go until you commented on it stardust. This is a sore point for me because I hear it so often. That somehow because people are helping animals they are not helping people. (Perhaps that is not what you are saying with you statement. I am open to hearing what you mean if I have misunderstood.) First off, I think most people contribute to a variety of causes. It is possible to help elderly people, children, veterans, homeless individuals, and animals. There's enough love to go around. But we often find ourselves becoming more involved in certain causes because that is either where we feel we can be the most helpful or maybe something has happened that makes it a high priority for someone to help, such as when someone dies or has cancer in your family so you start to devote time to that cause. I am not meaning to sound patronizing because I am sure you are aware of this. But people need to remember that we have are roles that help us contribute to the world. If there is a disaster somewhere the Humane Society is going to go to help the displaced animals because that is what they have trained to do. They are not going to help rebuild houses and rebuild the cities because that is not their role. Instead the Red Cross and other organizations would provide that service, as they have been trained to do.

Second point, the issue of animal welfare is easier to discuss and simpler than child welfare, which is probably why you hear so much about it. I find a stray animal on the side of the freeway or stranded on the freeway all the time. I stop, pick up the animal and take to a shelter or a place where they can get medical care. I have yet to find a stray child on a road or anywhere else (other than at a store or something where they have become lost) but if I do I will stop and help them. Yes, there are plenty of children in bad situations but it is not as obvious and if I wanted to deal with that I would need to go to school and change professions. It is just less complicated when dealing with animal welfare so I believe the conversations, due to their simplicity are more obvious and prominent.

I will get off my soap box now and say that I think it is great that Orlando is in a place where she is able to experience such diversity. Take plenty of pictures and enjoy while you are there.

I'm officially jealous...no,

we are stardust — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:34:14 +0000

In reply to Malaysian Travel Journal: Elephants are Cool!

I'm officially jealous...no, envious, I guess it is. I hate it that I'll never get to meet a camel,or an elephant, or see a gorilla other than in a zoo.

And thanks for saying you're far more concerned about children-care than stray dog and cat care; me, too, and I've often wondered why the wealthy among us are more apt to contribute to pet rescue organizations.

P.S. That is cool!

quinn esq — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:11:41 +0000

In reply to You used to live in

P.S. That is cool!

You used to live in

quinn esq — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:11:10 +0000

In reply to Malaysian Travel Journal: Elephants are Cool!

You used to live in Indiana.

And yet, today you're thrilled to be living amidst baboons.

There's a moral to this story, and ATrope ain't a gonna like it.

Elephants are cool. One of my

cmaukonen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:04:02 +0000

In reply to Malaysian Travel Journal: Elephants are Cool!

Elephants are cool. One of my favorites when I visit the zoo. I refuse the denigrate baboons by comparing them to the citizens of the Sunshine State.