08/29/20 World Speciesism Abolition Day

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Animal Friends Croatia is calling for the celebration of World Speciesism Abolition Day

- August 29: online action and information stand of Animal Friends on Ban Jelačić Square

Animal Friends Croatia is calling for the celebration of World Speciesism Day, which is being celebrated on August 29 this year. Everyone who cares about animals being deprived of their basic rights and ending discrimination on the basis of species is invited to mark this International Day with photos of animals and messages that they will design and share on social networks with the hashtag #ForTheEndOfSpeciesism.

In addition to the activities on its Facebook page, Animal Friends will set up an information stand on Ban Jelačić Square in Zagreb, where they will be able to learn how to choose veganism as a way of life and completely avoid specism, and everyone who decides to take photos with appropriate visuals awaits gift.

"Human treatment of animals is still based on specism - discrimination based on species. Speciesism has no logical basis and is unfair because people share consciousness, feelings, and desire to live with other animal species with which they should share this planet instead of torturing them and turning them into slaves and objects, ”said AFC.

Writer Joan Dunayer explained in her book what specism is: “Whenever you see a bird in a cage, a fish in a bowl, or a non-human mammal on a chain, you look at specism. If you believe that a bee or a frog has fewer rights to life and freedom than a chimpanzee or a human, or you believe that humans are superior to other animals, you are signing a specism. If you visit water prisons, zoos, go to circuses where ‘animal spots’ are performed, wear non-human skin or hair, or eat meat, eggs, or cow’s milk products, you are applying speciesism. Whether you advocate ‘more humane’ slaughter of chickens or less cruel confinement of pigs, you maintain specism. ”

Just a hundred years ago, it was thought that animals did not feel pain. Today, not only is it well known that animals suffer and feel, but numerous ethological studies have shown that animals are conscious beings with different types of intelligence and refined emotional and social abilities, ”said AFC.

They point out that although we can live a healthy and long life without animal products, we still as an animal species kill and turn them into the meat, fur, skin, or exploit them for milk, eggs, honey, testing, or pure fun. However, an increasing number of people are showing that specism in everyday life can be avoided and their vegan lifestyle does not violate the basic right of animals to live without exploitation and killing. More and more individuals do not want to treat animals as objects whether it is their dog and cat or an unknown pig, cow, or fish.

AFC finds it inconsistent and unfair on the one hand to consider cats and dogs as family members while, on the other hand, we eat cows and pigs or other animals that have equal feelings and the right to life.

Injustices from the past such as slavery have been abolished or greatly reduced. These problems were also built into the collective consciousness to the extent that they were thought to be eternal. But history has shown the opposite and we can easily imagine that slaughterhouses would one day be seen as a symbol of injustice and barbarism. Firmly believing in a future without specism, AFC believes that just as our society wants to end sexism and racism, it should act in the same way towards speciesism.

AFC concludes that the goal of this year's World Day for the Abolition of Speciesism is to encourage as many people as possible to reflect on all the cruelties that humanity commits to animals and take at least some time to explore the possibilities of a nonspeciesism lifestyle and thinking. Watching the movie "Earthlings" as well as applying for the Veggie Challenge, which can be found at www.veganopolis.net, can certainly help.

Many authors have found that our treatment of animals is based on specism - discrimination based on species. By analogy with racism and sexism, this concept refers to an ideology that holds that the lives and interests of some animals are less important just because they are other species. These thinkers conclude that specism is irrational and unjust, because humans are not the only ones who have feelings and that we should respect the lives and interests of other living beings who share this planet with us.

Just a hundred years ago it was thought that animals could not suffer. Today not only
that it is well known that animals suffer and have emotions, but numerous ethological studies have shown that many animals also have self-awareness (chimpanzees, dolphins, elephants, pigs, vultures, magpies, ravens, parrots, etc.). In the past, humans distinguished themselves from other animals by their ability to use tools. Now we know that hundreds of animals know how to use tools. Animals are beings endowed with mental life, interests, desires, their own personality and therefore should be considered individuals. But despite the scientific progress, our society still discriminates and uses animals as a resource.

They are killed in slaughterhouses or die of suffocation in fishing nets, while millions of vegans show that this is not a necessity and while everyone thinks it is wrong to kill animals unnecessarily. They are used as laboratory tools, while as a civilized society we know that we should not harm those weaker than us. They are legally considered property that can be bought and sold, while everyone knows that animals are not things. These inconsistencies must stop. We cannot cherish cats and dogs while on the other hand, we eat cows and pigs or other animals that have emotions and that also want to live a long and happy life.

Injustices from the past have been abolished or reduced, such as slavery or the low status assigned to women. These problems were also either built into the collective consciousness to the extent that they were thought to be eternal. But history has shown the opposite and we can easily imagine that slaughterhouses will one day be seen as a symbol of injustice and barbarism the fact that many of our contemporaries consider it an urgent priority to expand our moral circle and include all emotional beings goes in that direction.

Just as our society wants to end sexism and racism, it must also act in the same way to end speciesism.

Specism [ 101.50 Kb ]

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