{"id":2800,"date":"2011-12-23T21:16:58","date_gmt":"2011-12-24T05:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/?p=2800"},"modified":"2011-12-23T21:22:49","modified_gmt":"2011-12-24T05:22:49","slug":"bending-toward-justice-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/bending-toward-justice-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Bending Toward Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

\"\"(Photo: Public Domain-National Archives)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Arc of the Moral Universe Is Long, but It Bends Toward Justice\u201d
\n<\/em>\u2015 Martin Luther King Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n

The education process is never ending. We are continuously taking in new information that can change our view of the world. Everything we say, wear and do is letting those around us know what we believe in\u2026and may challenge what they see as the \u201cnorm\u201d.<\/p>\n

My friend Carrie is exceptional when it comes to living her values.\u00a0 She is a perfect example of walking your talk.\u00a0 Her carbon footprint is a tiptoe compared to most humans.\u00a0 Her compassion for all beings has no boundaries. Some years ago, Carrie rescued a blind hen.\u00a0 She named her 2Blindy, 2B for short, because this bird is the second blind bird she has shared her life with.<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, it seemed that 2B was on deaths doorstep and Carrie\u2019s world turned upside down.\u00a0 She took time off work and drove 2B around on her lap in a blanket for hours trying to find a veterinarian who could help her.<\/p>\n

The love between Carrie and 2B is obvious to anyone who has visited their home.\u00a0 2B has run of the house, comes when called, eats organic food and most of the time only wants to be held, pet and loved.\u00a0 She is a needy kid and Carrie doesn\u2019t mind meeting her needs.\u00a0 Carrie even fashioned a sling so she could keep 2B close and still get some work done.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I had the pleasure of chicken sitting for 2B for a few days and was woken up each day at about 6 am by a very demanding bird.\u00a0 There was no discussion.\u00a0 I had no choice.\u00a0 If I were to translate Hen-speak to English, it would have gone like this, \u201cGood morning Rae, please get up and hold me\u2026.UM, RAE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP\u2026.PLEASE GET UP AND HOLD ME!….GET UP AND HOLD ME RIGHT NOW!\u201d as her escalating demands forced me out of bed.\u00a0 I picked her up and the shouts turned into contented purrs. Sweetness, total sweetness.<\/p>\n

With 2B\u2019s illness, they experienced many veterinary waiting rooms.\u00a0 Now, the loving bond between them, usually only witnessed by those who visit their home, was seen by the staff and everyone at each vet\u2019s offices.<\/p>\n

It can take time for people to realize that the living beings whom they think are food, actually have desires, personalities and are deserving of our care and love.\u00a0 Most people do not realize we can have a deep relationship with a chicken.\u00a0 In fact, many people would laugh at the idea. We are used to seeing people caring for a dog, cat, rabbit or ferret in the vet\u2019s office, but Carrie and 2B were living ambassadors for chickens and the love that can exist between a person and their bird companion.<\/p>\n

As Carrie sat crying and holding 2B in one office, a man in the waiting room boomed, \u201cI\u2019m hungry!\u201d. \u00a0He grabbed one of the bags of dog food on the shelf and then looked right at Carrie and said, \u201cHmmm, first ingredient, CHICKEN!\u201d\u00a0 Carrie ignored him and continued to focus on 2B. When she came out of the examination room, this man had obviously changed his tune.\u00a0 He held the door for Carrie and 2B and helped them get arranged in the car.\u00a0 These are the little seeds that get planted and change the world.<\/p>\n

Human culture has a long way to go in its evolution toward understanding each other and all species. \u00a0One would hope that a veterinarian would be further along on the spectrum of understanding.\u00a0 But, one vet that Carrie saw said to her, \u201cWe could give her antibiotics, but are you going to eat her?\u201d\u00a0 For those of us who have loved and cared for many species, and choose not to eat animals, this comment is the same as saying this to someone who is holding their dog or their human child.\u00a0 It sounds so absurd to be asked if we would eat our closest companion.<\/p>\n

We are slowly evolving as we live somewhere on that arc of the moral universe.\u00a0 There will be a day when we will be shocked that we, as humans, could not look in the eyes of a chicken, sheep, cow or pig and see an individual deserving of a life of freedom and choice.<\/p>\n

\u201c200 years ago, Americans would have thought you were absurd if you advocated for the end of slavery. 150 years ago, they would have laughed at you for suggesting that women should have the right to vote. 75 years ago, they would have loudly objected to the idea of African Americans receiving equal rights under the law. They laugh at us now for suggesting that animal slavery be ended. Someday they won\u2019t be laughing.\u201d\u00a0 – Gary Smith<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The education process is never ending. We are continuously taking in new information that can change our view of the world. Everything we say, wear and do is letting those around us know what we believe in\u2026and may challenge what they see as the \u201cnorm\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40130,"featured_media":2808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7],"tags":[2330],"class_list":["post-2800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animal-rights","category-general","tag-animal-rights"],"yoast_head":"\nBending Toward Justice - HappyCow<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/bending-toward-justice-5\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bending Toward Justice - HappyCow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The education process is never ending. 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