My memory has dulled a bit. I cannot remember if it was Lincoln or Fredrick Douglas that said, "I hear many that speak of the virtues of slavery, but I find none who would volunteer to be a slave."
Horse slaughter advocates that claim that we need to kill horses to keep something bad from happening to them seem to me to make the same moral equivocations.
If a humane horse owner supports horse slaughter because of all of the neglect claimed to happen without it, would it not be a more humane and virtuous stance to take to offer up all of your horses that, after all have had such good lives, to the slaughter house and replace each of them with horses from rescue operations? That would free up more space in the rescues. Doing so doubles the number of horses that have an opportunity to have years of good lives. Seems like a more humane trade off than simply killing those that you have deemed neglected, which will not increase the number of horses that have had the opportunity to have a good life. This must be so, unless you find slaughter so appealing that you find the value of a good death to equal that of a good life.
The return of horse slaughter will give those of you who cry such crocodile tears over the fate of the neglected horses a chance to really demonstrate how much you care. Put your daughter's show pony on a slaughter bound tuck and replace it with a neglected horse. Now there is a win-win, for everyone! I mean you do really care about all of those neglected horses don't you? I understand that you cannot save them all. I understand that you cannot even afford to take in even one neglected horse. But therein lies the beauty of horse slaughter's return. After you allow each of your horses to make that one last road trip you will have room to give a great life to a neglected horse that you now have room for. And think of all the happy Belgians you will be making by giving them the opportunity to enjoy high quality American horse meat. So if you really love your horse, don't give him treats. Help make him into one!
This is a great solution, unless you are one of those that merely preaches the virtue of slaughter with out being willing to volunteer to offer up your horses to the blood factories. You need to act now. We certainly cannot expect those that run rescue facilities to take up the slack by emptying their pastures of horses. Obviously they do not care as much about neglected horses as do you or they would be on the forefront fighting to bring back the horses best friend, the slaughter house.
Morality only becomes difficult when one seeks to actually apply it.
4 comments:
Amen!
December 13 is National Day of the Horse!
In 2004, the United States Congress recognized the first official National Day of the Horse.
(Text of the original resolution)
Encouraging citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States and expressing the sense of Congress that a National Day of the Horse should be established.
Whereas the horse is a living link to the history of the United States;
Whereas, without horses, the economy, history, and character of the United States would be profoundly different;
Whereas horses continue to permeate the society of the United States, as witnessed on movie screens, on open land, and in our own backyards;
Whereas horses are a vital part of the collective experience of the United States and deserve protection and compassion;
Whereas, because of increasing pressure from modern society, wild and domestic horses rely on humans for adequate food, water, and shelter; and
Whereas the Congressional Horse Caucus estimates that the horse industry contributes well over $100,000,000,000 each year to the economy of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--
(1) encourages all citizens to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States;
(2) expresses its sense that a National Day of the Horse should be established in recognition of the importance of horses to the Nation's security, economy, recreation, and heritage; and
(3) urges the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States and interested organizations to observe National Day of the Horse with appropriate programs and activities
Americans recognize the contribution of horses to American history and modern culture.
Without these noble creatures, America would not be what it is today.
Marge
One of the foremost proponents of horse slaughter is the so-called "Unwanted Horse Coalition" which is a front for the horse racing industry.
Never mind the Madison Avenue-generated ads featuring anecdotal farmers, ranchers or horse owners telling their hard-luck stories about no longer being able to feed or care for Old Smokey.
The overwhelming majority of horses sent to slaughter are from the race track. Slaughterhouses are easy, quick "solutions" for wealthy race horse speculators to dispose of their failures. They breed 50 babies in hopes that one will reach the winners circle. The other 49 go to slaughter, and the "loss" sustained makes a nice tax write-off.
That's what's really behind the so-called "Unwanted Horse Coalition."
Even Kentucky Derby winners are not exempt. Derby winner Ferdinand was sold to a Japanese conglomerate and shipped to Japan. When his first crop of colts proved disappointing, Ferdinand was slaughtered for dogfood. No attempt was made to re-home him or find an alternative solution. The slaughterhouse was fast, quick, easy. Easy, that is, for those in the horse "business" for whom horses are just entries in an economic spreadsheet.
Deb in CA
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