08/24/18 Speciesism - discrimination based on species
Animal Friends invite to celebration of the World day for the end of speciesism
SPECIESISM – DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SPECIES
- On August 25, people all around the world speak out against the injustice to animals
Have you ever come across the term „speciesism“? Millions of people around the world already know that speciesism is „a failure, on the basis of species membership or species-typical characteristics, to accord any sentient being equal consideration and respect“, as described by author, editor and animal rights protector Joan Dunayer.
In her book, Joan Dunayer writes: „In various eras and cultures, the law has classified women, children, or humans of other categories as property. Today human slavery is illegal worldwide. We consider it immoral to treat any human, whatever their characteristics, as property. It's equally immoral to treat any nonhuman as property. Currently, though, nonhuman slavery is universal.“
More than 20 countries around the globe will be hosting over 30 activities such as protests, actions and lectures to celebrate the World day for the end of speciesism. Most of the activities will be held on the very World day for the end of speciesism on August 25, meaning to point out that animals deserve the same treatment as all of us: compassion, morality, humaneness, the right to life without pain and suffering and the right to a natural, non-violent death.
Analogously to racism and sexism, speciesism refers to the ideology that considers the lives and interests of animals irrelevant, only because they are of different species. Speciesism is unsustainable because people are not the only sentient beings on this planet, but rather share it with other animal species.
Despite the differences between species, it is clear that all sentient beings are equal in their ability to feel pain. No matter what our „race“, sex or species are, what really matters is our feelings, not being forced to suffer as violence victims and continuing to live our lives without slavery.
Inequities of the past, such as feudalism and subordinate women status, have been eliminated or reduced. These have also been so deeply implanted into collective consciousness that they seemed everlasting. However, history has shown us the opposite and we can easily imagine that one day slaughterhouses will be considered a symbol of barbarity.
Injustice to animals has become one of the most important social arguments of our time. The purpose of the World day for the end of speciesism is to publicly criticize the ideology that allowed this barbarity which harms both animals and humans.
Read more about speciesism at http://www.animal-friends-croatia.org.