Animal Cruelty

[Shatterer of Dreams]

it is and it isn't, obviuosly you see a child getting beat you'll want to stop it, an adult though......could probably care less.

 

[Shatterer of Dreams]

It works when you're trying to show that someone is oddly valuing animal life over human life. In this case, you said that outright ... so I'm not sure it works here.

If my house were burning, I'd expect a firefighter to go in after my wife or daughter ... but I'd hesitate to ask a man risk his life for my dog. Get the dog if it is safe to do so, or if you're in there anyway -- but I don't think I could live with myself if some kid grew up fatherless because I sent him in after a dog.

SnakeDoc

well I just don't agree with you, simple as that.

 

[pixletwin]

If I were the firefighter I would tell you to go save your own damn dog.

 

[Shatterer of Dreams]

hey not my job.......

 

[Jen]

it is and it isn't, obviuosly you see a child getting beat you'll want to stop it, an adult though......could probably care less.

That's a good point. How many times do you hear about homeless people or adults getting attacked and people just pass on by and don't offer any type of help. Sad world.

I hate abuse of any kind. Any one who abuses another - be it an animal or human should be locked up.

 

[pixletwin]

I hope no one here ventures into the celeb-u-crush thread. Lots of ewoks regularly abused and murdered.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

I agree that its disgusting ... but "the lowest you can go"? Lower than torturing people? Child molestation? Child abuse? Wife beating? Torturing babies? Rape? Murder? Cannibalism? Genocide? Is Michael Vick really worse than Ray Carouth (the NFL player that murdered his pregnant girlfriend, if I recall correctly)?

I'm not even sure it makes the top ten of "lowest you can go".

SnakeDoc

Yes, right with the people that talk in the movie theaters.

~~I hate when I read about people that abuse animals. Especially when the only form of punishment seems like a slap on the wrist.

 

[VASith]

It works when you're trying to show that someone is oddly valuing animal life over human life. In this case, you said that outright ... so I'm not sure it works here.

If my house were burning, I'd expect a firefighter to go in after my wife or daughter ... but I'd hesitate to ask a man risk his life for my dog. Get the dog if it is safe to do so, or if you're in there anyway -- but I don't think I could live with myself if some kid grew up fatherless because I sent him in after a dog.

SnakeDoc

That's your belief...but I bet most firefighters wouldn't think twice about running into a burning building to rescue an animal.

I also think it's a very dangerous game when you start to weigh who or what's life is more important. I can see that being a very slippery slope with a very ugly ending. I'm not saying you are saying this snakedoc but I can image people saying "well he's only an illiterate illegal alien, the white college businessman's life is more important" I was raised that life is equal in all living things...we don't have the right to say whose is more important.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

My coworker saw what I posted and she asked "well what if the dog was Lassie and the kid was Adolph Hitler?"

Or Ted Bundy, Dahmer, or Kim Jung Il?? Hmm...decisions decisions.

 

[VASith]

Yes, right with the people that talk in the movie theaters.

~~I hate when I read about people that abuse animals. Especially when the only form of punishment seems like a slap on the wrist.

Slap on the wrist then sign a multi million dollar contract, get voted to the pro bowl and most likely win the MVP. Poor poor mike vick.

 

[karamazov80]

I was raised that life is equal in all living things...we don't have the right to say whose is more important.

A tree equal's a human's life?

 

[Shatterer of Dreams]

That's a good point. How many times do you hear about homeless people or adults getting attacked and people just pass on by and don't offer any type of help. Sad world.

I hate abuse of any kind. Any one who abuses another - be it an animal or human should be locked up.

Agreed. I guess I should clear this up a bit. I obviously have a sense of what is right and wrong and if in a situation where I could help I will, but humanity in general disgusts me and there is very little hope that that will ever change. Animals on the other hand do not disgust me and my love for them is greater than people. If I'm "crazy" then so be it, I don't agree with you and I don't care.

I'm not advocating beating of children, rape, murder or any of that crap but I think that I'm allowed to be truely disgusted by animal torture and to think these people should get what's coming to them. And that guy in the article getting a fine and community service is just not equal to the crime commited. He needs to slowly bleed to death!

 

[VASith]

A tree equal's a human's life?

Tree? I thought we were talking about animals and humans in here.

Maybe I should have been more specific.

 

[karamazov80]

Tree? I thought we were talking about animals and humans in here.

Maybe I should have been more specific.

Drawing that line is not easy. I took an Environmental Ethics class eons ago, and remember the discussion being really tricky. What constitutes an animal? Are all animals equal? Does the complexity of life factor in? What does consciousness and self-realization count for (things some primates appear to have in an immature state)? Etc.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

That's your belief...but I bet most firefighters wouldn't think twice about running into a burning building to rescue an animal.

I also think it's a very dangerous game when you start to weigh who or what's life is more important. I can see that being a very slippery slope with a very ugly ending. I'm not saying you are saying this snakedoc but I can image people saying "well he's only an illiterate illegal alien, the white college businessman's life is more important" I was raised that life is equal in all living things...we don't have the right to say whose is more important.

I find weighing human lives in that manner very problematic, but I do not find valuing human life over animal life as equally problematic. All life is not created equal. I don't see this as valuing animal life ... I see it as devaluing human life.

I cannot be equally bothered when a dog is killed by a car as when a child is. If the life of that firefighter is no more valuable than the life of your cat, or the life of my dog is equivalent to the life of your child ... I think the firefighter and the child have lost something.

Some of this is genuine, but I believe misguided, animal-love. Some of it is just understandable self-centeredness. People love their pets. Some love them as a parent would love a child. They would be willing to sacrifice the life of a human they don't know to save the animal they love. I think the ethics are skewed, but I don't find it incomprehensible.

SnakeDoc

 

[BadMoon]

Stepping out of your alternate reality let me put it this way if my house is on fire then i expect the fireman to rescue my girlfriend and my dog because I don't see why I should have to choose.

As long as you paid your dues I'm sure they will be glad to help!

 

[Shatterer of Dreams]

nice.........

 

[Hulksmashed]

Tree? I thought we were talking about animals and humans in here.

Maybe I should have been more specific.

You said "all living things" which implies, Animals (humans are STILL just animals), plants, bacteria, and fungi.

Ok, now my opinion: While I would put the life of most humans above that of an animal, anyone that can do those sort of things to an animal is capable of anything. Michael Vick...sure he only tortured dogs..but if he is capable of that, I 100% assure you that it wouldnt take much to push him into harming or killing a human being.

 

[barryo]

i love these threads

owner of 2 dogs & a cat..............cat looks similar to above & in fact does eat popcorn.

nothing more to add except i like the dogs better than the cat

carry on.......

 

[Hulksmashed]

Why does it always have to be about choosing between two situations that would never happen. Anytime there is a conversation about these kinds of things it always devolves into a "well your obviuosly crazy because you love animals so much".

Stepping out of your alternate reality let me put it this way if my house is on fire then i expect the fireman to rescue my girlfriend and my dog because I don't see why I should have to choose.

I completely understand! It really would be hard to choose. I mean the one gives you sex anytime you want and the other cooks you dinner!