Or that rescuing a baby would cause less time in therapy.

That might be something.

That WAS limited:) In fact, I didn't intend to thump at all; I was merely stating where my reasoning comes from. I intentionally didn't go into details out of respect for your blog rules (End of defensive mode:)

I agree with Jim (minus the curse words of course). Well put.

I wonder though, are all animals really equal in value? If there was a baby and a puppy about to fall off a high ledge, and you could only save one, which would you save? Every person reading this would save the baby (if you wouldn't, no baby sitting jobs for you:). Why? Because we think a human is more valuable than a puppy.

oh gosh, i feel the same way. i've actually read books where an animal was killed and had to put it away. my heart broke when i read about the fox hunts.

((hugs and love))

now, go snuggle up your kitties.

When I was about 15 I saw footage of a foxhunt on the television... and I nearly threw up afterwards. It was exactly as you described, Helen, except the hunters I watched took the 'brush' from the fox before tossing it to the dogs.

It's completely barbaric and insanely cruel... and 100% unnecessary.

Couldn't agree more. xx

helen, you're a star. even though i'm in b-school, the thought of actually managing and having responsibility for big things terrifies me. you're beautiful and smart and funny... what more could a team want? well, the rooster.... hey, it may be the chinese year of the rooster but that doesn't mean you can't fry him up and serve him for dinner for your team, if it comes to it.

Oh my how horrible! The whole concept makes me ill!

How could anyone condone such cruelty?! I just lost a little more respect for "civilized man"

I'm sorry you had to witness that sweetie! {{HUGS}} to you and a hope this won't follow you into your dreams.

Lorri

In my blog, in my world-all creatures are equal in value. Although I am DAMN glad ice cream was invented, let's limit the Bible thumping here.

To me, all creatures are equally valuable and nothing is superior.

Well...except the Rooster. He may be the exception.

Humans are most definitely superior to animals but this superiority does not give one immunity from being labelled a fucktard when one behaves as such.

Killing things for fun, whether you label it as your heritage or as a sport, pretty much automatically labels you as a fucktard.

That said, the vast majority of us have done so. As kids we stepped on worms and bugs, put magnifying glasses on ants, etc. The thing is, most of us grow up. Those fox "hunters" haven't.

If people are going to skirt the law (as Americans did during prohibition) the law will eventually fail. Questions on how it will be enforced (How will they stop a hunt is on private land and only a few people are aware of it) need to be addressed.

Otherwise it will just go underground.

Humans ARE superior to animals. Humans have invented planes, skyscrapers, the wheel, chocolate ice cream, and pizza. We've developed vaccines, cures for illnesses, the ability to replace a heart or lungs, and interstate highways. We help the poor, the needy, the sick, hurt animals, and sometimes don't even know them.

Humans have the capacity to reason, theorize, lament, rejoice, and joke at a much deeper level than any other animal. We're superior to animals in intellect, compassion, morality, and any other area one can think of. Don't confuse all of mankind with a small, cruel subset.

Does that mean we're more valuable? No, it doesn't. I derive that belief from the Bible. If one isn't a Christian, I can understand him saying all creatures are equal in value, but logically one can't say (Christian or not) that we aren't superior. Clearly we are.

I've always felt the same way about animals being mistreated in films. Children too. I've become somewhat jaded about violence to adults on TV and movies, but not kids or pets. Huge knee-jerk reaction in me to even hint at mistreating a child or pet.

I feel that as humans we have a duty to be as kind as possible to animals who don't stand a chance against our weapons and superior intelligence. Even in killing them for food, to be as humane as possible. I like the attitude of the Native Americans who would stop and give thanks to the spirit of the animal who was giving up their life so the tribe could eat. That attitude makes sense to me.

Slaughtering an animal for "sport" does not.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS for the movie "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (Do not read further if you don't want the plot spoiled)
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This movie was billed as a light-hearted comedy and so it was. Pure fluff and Dan and I were enjoying it on a casually stupid/funny level, a few giggles here and a few guffaws there, right up to the moment this biker takes Ron's dog out of his car and kicks it off this very high bridge. There is a shot of the dog (obviously a dummy, I'm sure) soaring through the air.

I freaked OUT! I immediately looked at Dan in panic and said, "Idon'twannawatch, I don'twannawatch, IDON'TWANNAWATCHANYMORE!!!!!"

Dan was already reaching for the remote, found it, stopped it and deleted it from our Tivo. He did this within *seconds*. We were both horrified. We love animals and we just didn't think it was funny. We both thought they crossed a line. Big time.

I have watched a thousands of movies in my life and I know the writers thought this was humorous.And I'm sure there were people in the audience simply screaming with laughter at that scene.

But we did not think it was funny at all. It felt to us the same as if the guy had grabbed a small child and booted the child off the bridge.

Would that be "funny" too? WHERE IS THE HUMOR IN IT? Kicking a helpless animal off a bridge. Tell me what's funny about that, I want to know.

If that is what passes for funny these days, count me out of comedies from now on.

END SPOILERS

I couldn't look at the newspaper... the whole idea makes me sick and want to cry. I am like you... can't stand he idea of any animal suffering.

That is repulsive. I really thought they were done with all that.

Fine English tradition, pah. Why couldn't they have just taken to drink like the Irish?

Hunting--gah. I don't see what's so sportsman-like about a bunch of guys with high powered binoculars and insanely tuned in rifles. You strip those men down and make them fashion their own weapons out of rocks and sticks, and make them run barefoot after the animals they want to kill, and I'll call it hunting.

So sad that the human population believes that we as humans are superior, when an animal of any kind continues to show us that they hold life and dignity far above us. Turn them in girl, turn them all in!

A sport requires willing competitors. Hunting and fishing are more survival skills than anything, and they shouldn't be made into a sport. I have to agree that fox hunting sounds harsh.

Good thing we don't have anything like that with humans; that would incite great outrage. But wait...we do, and it doesn't. My bad.

Foxes are more or less vermin, but that's no excuse to train dogs to tear them limb from limb. Somehow I thought that most foxhunts no longer involved an actual fox, and it was more or less a day spent riding through the countryside.

What you describe is barbaric, and despicable. I fail to see any sport there.

Reflectionay-yesterday blew big donkey chunks.

My manager got me in front of the team and basically Roostered me.

It was a horrible day.

I don't really know much about fox hunting per se. Here in Canada foxes are pretty much considered vermin along with rats. Sorry that this has affected you so deeply, maybe you could become involved with the animal rights people in supporting the ban on fox hunting?

ummm... sad... :(

but... hey, how did it go yesterday? you're leaving me hangin!