The Australian bushfires are something almost all of us have heard about in the news or through social media. Most of us don’t think of Australia as a massive country when looking at a map, but it is shockingly around the same size as the United States. So you can imagine the vast amount of ecological destruction, carbon emissions, property damage, and more caused by these fires. One particular consequence I would like to address is the death of over a billion animals (mammals, birds and reptiles) and how the public has responded to it.
Personally, about a week ago my social media was flooded with images and videos of koalas clinging to firefighters, dead kangaroos, and other gory images that exposed the harsh reality of these fires. Now you are probably going to hate me for what I am about to say, but it has to be said. I found it ironic that the same people sharing these images, also eat meat. Is it not hypocritical to post an Instagram story with the caption “humans are evil” or “save the koalas” and then proceed to turn off your phone and then pop a chicken nugget into your mouth? Yes, chickens are not ‘cute’ according to our society and yes, chickens are not endangered, but are those still valid justifications of why we should kill them? Why do we love and protect some animals but then enslave, electrocute, boil alive, slit the throats, brand, debeak, grind alive, artificially inseminate, and kill other animals, just because it momentarily satisfies our tastebuds? I am not saying we should downplay the destruction caused by the Australian bushfires nor eat koalas, but when 55 billion land and sea animals are killed annually for food in the U.S. alone (USDA), why do we turn a blind eye to the latter statistic? Additionally, we all have the power to lower the 55 billion animals statistic by simply modifying our diet, in comparison to the Australian fires, where all we can do is donate.
This actually reminds me of Chick-Fil-A and how they advertise with a cow painting the slogan “Eat More Chikin.” No one bats an eye of how speciest this is, advocating for the saving of cows and killing of chickens. Both animals have a central nervous system, thus the ability to feel pain and other emotions, and want to live. The same goes for koalas, pigs, turkeys, kangaroos, and every other animal on Earth. Is is not wrong to decide which animals are our companions and which are our dinner based on appearance or intelligence? Is it not hypocritical to donate millions of dollars to a kangaroo rescue charity while also funding the mass slaughter of billions of pigs? Why can’t we respect all animals, and treat them with dignity and respect? Why does an animal have to be cute or endangered for us to care about them?
In a world full of suffering, the least we can do is leaving animals off our plates. If you care deeply for the animals killed by the Australian fires, there is a high probability you consider yourself to be an animal lover. Why not extend your love for animals to all animals, and not just ones deemed as adorable? Peace begins on your plate.
zucchinifries00 