|  As a member of the
Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, I have talked to numerous state and local leaders
in an effort to educate them about the horrors of pet profiteers. Many of them
view our anti-puppymill advocacy as nothing more than the work of "a small
bunch of animal rights activists."
Why is the
term "animal rights activist" used in an attempt to belittle and
marginalize humane-minded people? As children, we are taught in school, in
church and in scouts to be actively "kind to animals." Scout troops
give children merit badges for animal work...our whole culture tries to teach
children kindness.
But when we,
as adults who learned our childhood lessons well, speak out for animals and
express the "humane-ness" that has become part of our
personalities...we are labeled as crazy, "humaniacs," or tagged as
"animal rights activists" as if our advocacy were a disease. This is
a sad and tragic aspect of our culture...that humane people have to defend
their very spirit of kindness...and to those who "represent" us, at
that.
People who
speak and work for animals are in the company of great scholars like Jane
Goodall and Albert Schweitzer, great authors like Mathew Scully, and great
statesmen like Mohandas Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln. I am far more comfortable
in their company than that of any "leader" who would belittle our
efforts with trite tags and insulting labels. I am satisfied knowing that we
understand natural beauty, incredible loyalty and unconditional love from
animals.
And I, for
one, could do without "representation" from those who view compassion
as a liability. Why would anyone want to follow leaders who would discredit us
for being "humane?"
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