Reading "Chasing Doctor Doolittle" by Con Slobodchikoff, I was immediately taken aback by his casual, careless and thoughtless mention of eating a Moroccan dinner with friends that included chicken and lamb. He did not acknowledge the disconnect between his contention of the complex and intricate language skills of animals and the appearance of them on his dinner table. I wrote him a letter to ask for his explanation. Below is a transcript of our discourse.
What do you think about his response? Please let me know and I will blog on what the consensus is.
On 5/17/2014 2:03 PM, Mich wrote:
Dear Mr. Slobodchikoff:
I am distressed and alarmed after reading your book "Chasing Doctor Dolittle." Your research and arguments for why there is a very small if any gulf between humans and animals is powerful and uplifting and my experience with a wide variety of animals domesticated, wild, and those we consider pets, upholds your findings and thoughts... Yet you eat these very same animals without a further thought.... No thought as to how those animals got on your plate and no thought as to the meaning of a philosophy that permits you to eat these animals while also considering them to be our brethren... Make no mistake that in today's world eating animals isn't just about whether man is "meant" to eat animals or whether man has a "right" to eat animals because other animals do or we used to....it is about the atrocities of mass slaughtering sentient creatures in an assembly line basis as if they were automobiles and living their severely shortened lives in inhumane and cruel conditions... To see chicks being thrown away like trash for being the wrong sex and seeing young calves being herded into pesticide pools is horrifying yet you eat them as if this is your right totally disrespecting all animals in the process....temple gradin does what she can to alleviate suffering but the fact remains that slaughter and humaneness are oxymorons ....not only that but not even half of cattle producers use her circle method claiming it's too expensive.... That's because they just don't have time what with killing billions of them a year means they're too busy slaughtering....shame on you! You need to be more responsible to hold any weight with readers and students....particularly this one... You can find me on Facebook and in my website and blogs as shown below. I appreciate a response.
Michele Inman
www.biggsmountain.com
USDF Silver & Bronze Medalist
USDF Silver & Bronze Freestyle Bars
Black Sheep Speaks on google blog
Eating Animals on google blog
Sent from my iPhone
Dr. Con Slobodchikoff
www.conslobodchikoff.com
To: Mich
Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2014 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: Disconnect between you and animals
Dear Michele,
Thank you for your email.
Your sentiments are admirable. There is too much suffering among
animals, and I applaud anyone who is trying to alleviate that suffering.
If you haven't already, look into the work of the Humane Society of the
US. They are working very hard to stop the sort of circumstances that
you describe, as are many of the countries of the European Union. I am
currently working with an artist who is using her art to illustrate the
suffering for those people who are unaware of such things. The more that
people become aware, the more chance there is that we will treat all
animals with the respect that they deserve.
Best Regards,
Con Slobodchikoff
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