This afternoon, while trolling Yahoo!News, I came across an article about U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir's decision to include tufts of fox fur on his costume and animal right organizations' vehement opposition and condemnation of the action. What follows is my response to the article (Full story here).
"I think, frankly, it's none of our business what he wears. This country was founded upon the principles of liberty and freedom. We should all be allowed to live (and wear) according to the dictates of our own conscience without fear of reprisal. If we are not, we are no better than the stifling governments that immigrants to this great nation were fleeing from. He made a decision regarding his design. He's not a villain.
"And anyway, why is he on the chopping block? He did not order the fox killed. He does not run a fox-slaughtering company. He is not blatantly mocking animals. Rather, he recognizes the beauty of the animal and has selected his own way of honoring it. Let's keep the accusations focused on the proper culprits- poachers of the animals and the groups that brutalize the animals.
"His mention of Haiti was a simple example of a situation in which hundreds of thousands deserve our immediate attention more than a fox, at least at this current time. When foxes become a higher priority than our fellow men, and countrymen, in need, society has indeed lost its perspective.
"I do not condone animal cruelty, but I feel like this situation has gotten out of control. Let's save the animals. But, personally, I choose to focus my energy on rehabilitating the infirm and the addicted, providing homes for the homeless men, women, and children of the world, creating jobs for the unemployed, educating the illiterate, and mentoring the disadvantaged and orphaned.
"These causes, in my opinion are the real first steps to be taken if we are to curb the abuse of the planet."
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You are wrong in saying the blame is placed unjustly upon Weir. If it wasn't for people like Weir and all others who consume fur products, poachers and slaughter farms would have no business and therefore no reason to exist. In fact, the majority of the blame should be placed on the consumer.
ReplyDeleteThe fur trade is such a despicable waste of life, it turns my stomach. Animals are either taken from dwindling populations in the wild or raised in terrible conditions on farms where their miserable lives are brutally cut short to become someone's fashion accessory. What's worse is that many US fur products are supplied by countries like China that have no regard for humane practices and use unspeakably cruel methods such as live skinning. In some cases, dog and cat fur is used and intentionally mislabeled and sold to ignorant buyers as 'fox' or 'mink' etc.
Of all the atrocities committed against animals, the fur trade has got to be one of the worst.
Oh yeah, and as far as his asinine Haiti comment goes - all I saw it as was a cheap, cowardly way to dodge the condescension and criticism which was a natural result of his moronic actions.
ReplyDeleteYes help people, of course they are the priority, and the situation in Haiti is dire and deserving our attention. However, I don't think anyone is doing a disservice to the down-trod of the world by expressing disgust at an inhumane practice such as wearing fur and by choosing to buy faux instead of the real thing.
"A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast."
--Proverbs 12:10
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
--Ghandi
And finally, in honor of Presidents' day:
"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."
--Abraham Lincoln