For as long as there has been US history it seems as though racism has been apart of it the whole time. Some of the prejudices and beliefs that we thought we fixed a long time ago are still alive and well in some of the thought processes of Americans. Some would argue that racism is no longer present, due to the fact that we have the first black president of the United States of America. However, when I turn the television on and see Donald Trump speaking about how he wants to build a wall between the US and Mexico or kick out the Muslims of America, it is very hard to believe, or when I see an unarmed black man get shot by a white police officer in the middle of the street. It is sad to admit, but racism is still alive and well. Some races truly do still believe that they are more superior than others and have more authority. When will racism truly end is the question? The process will start when we like Siddhartha truly examine ourselves and the role we have played in the situation. “It is not for me to judge another man's life. I must judge, I must choose, I must spurn, purely for myself. For myself, alone.” (Siddhartha)
"Pain is pain, whether it be inflicted on man or on beast; and the creature who suffers it, whether man or bear, being sensible to the misery of it, whilst it lasts, suffered evil.. The white man... can have no right, by virtue of his color, to enslave and tyrannize over a black man... For the same reason, a man can have no natural right to abuse and torment a beast."(981)
After watching the first half of the documentary "Earthlings", I am truly shocked. The way animals are treated behind closed doors is traumatizing. In the documentary it was stated that if more people saw how animals were treated, more people would be vegetarians. I agree with that statement 100%. Whether people want to admit it or not both humans and animals alike feel pain. Animals go through the same suffering, yet their suffering is not taken into the same consideration. Although the treatment of animals and slavery are completely different situations, they do have similarities. Both were at the hand to men who felt they were more superior and who felt they had the authority to rule over them. Both slaves and animals were abused, mistreated, and taken for granted. Although slavery is no longer in existence in the US, the mistreatment of animals is still alive and well. What will it take for animals to be treated in a more humane way? Does everyone need to watch "Earthlings" in order to understand what's going on ? Whatever needs to be done, it needs to happen soon before it's too late."It should be the study of every farmer to make his horse his companion and friend, and to do this, there is but one rule, and that is, uniform sympathy and kindness. All loud and boisterous commands; a brutal flogging should be banished from the field, and only words of cheer and encouragement should be tolerated. A horse is in many respects like a man. He has five senses, and has memory, affection, and reason.." Frederick Douglass, (999) Improving the treatment of animals starts with the ones responsible for taking care of them. If we all can understand that animals' rights are just as important as humans' rights and that they deserve to be treated with respect things would start improving. "It was from one of these that I first saw our closest neighbor, a large white horse, cropping grass, flipping its mane, and ambling about-not over the entire meadow."(1001)
This sentence alone represents how we should view animals. The horse is referred to as their neighbor, not just a horse in the field doing nothing. The horse is seen more of an equal rather than just an animal. If all animals were seen as equals or neighbors their treatment would improve tremendously. Everyday they would go out and give,"their neighbor" an animal to eat. The horse was seen as a companion. When referred to in the story, the horse is called by his name Blue. That shows that the horse has inherent dignity and is acknowledged as an animal that deserves to be respected. "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” If you treat humans with respect, the more likely it translates your respect for animals.
