Mistreatment of children vs. mistreatment of animals

[Le_Cracquere]

Here is the missing part of story 1a. The baby is found and taken to the hospital. Multiple agencies and professionals are called in. Very little if anything actually happens to the people who left the baby on the street or in the dumpster. Generally, they are offered parenting classes or free “services” designed to make their lives easier, because their bad choice was a result of things deemed completely out of their control. Baby stays in foster care for a period of time, is returned to the people who originally hurt it, and is left to its own devices to find its way in the world.

I’m not saying that scenario 1b. is a happy one, or that this is what I want to have happen to a puppy or to another animal. I am neither an animal lover nor an animal hater. I just see animals as something that are useful for food and in some cases clothing. I understand that they offer companionship to other people, but I have no need or desire to seek out their companionship. I’ve never hurt an animal other than killing bugs inside of my home, nor would I ever invite an animal into my home unless I someday have a child that needs the assistance of a guide dog.

Well, I must confess to feeling similar sentiments about children–calm down, I DON’T MEAN THE FOOD AND CLOTHING PART! Nevertheless, despite my mild antipathy towards children as persons, I wouldn’t care to see them hurt or neglected, so one supposes we’re on parallel footings here.

What I see in society is this. People who hurt animals are deemed to be bad. People who hurt children are deemed to need help. I understand that there are people who work actively to protect animals, and to punish the people who do so and I’m happy that they are making those choices provided it doesn’t infringe on my right to eat meat or to wear leather. I just wish there were a greater quantity of competent professional people who were doing the same on behalf of children and more of a societal response to people who hurt children.

Amen. However, outside of the small islands of our more prosperous and fashionable metropolitan areas, people who hurt animals are more often considered “boys being boys,” or owners doing that which seems best with their property. Nationwide, the personal and financial resources dedicated to helping animals are still pretty puny. I won’t compare them, though, to those marshalled on behalf of the nation’s children, because that’s the sort of inherently invidious contrast that I was objecting to in the first place.

 

[AnnaTherese]

I too find it tragic and disgusting that people can have more love for an animal than for a human life.

DH and I were talking about just this very thing last night. He had a friend who was dating a girl and as the relationship progressed, he said some disturbing things began to surface. He once asked her: “If you were driving down the road and a dog jumped out in front of you and the only way you could avoid the dog was to swerve into a child on the side of the road, what would you do?” She responded: “Oh, I’d definitely hit the kid.” That ended that relationship. And she was totally convinced that was the best answer, too.

That is scary. I’m glad he ended the relationship. What nonsense.

 

[Chovy]

Well, I must confess to feeling similar sentiments about children–calm down, I DON’T MEAN THE FOOD AND CLOTHING PART! Nevertheless, despite my mild antipathy towards children as persons, I wouldn’t care to see them hurt or neglected, so one supposes we’re on parallel footings here.

Amen. However, outside of the small islands of our more prosperous and fashionable metropolitan areas, people who hurt animals are more often considered “boys being boys,” or owners doing that which seems best with their property. Nationwide, the personal and financial resources dedicated to helping animals are still pretty puny. I won’t compare them, though, to those marshalled on behalf of the nation’s children, because that’s the sort of inherently invidious contrast that I was objecting to in the first place.

It’s interesting that we have been having this discussion as I ran into a friend today who has been fostering her own niece and nephew. She had been complaining to social services that her nephew was injuring her cat, and their advice was to get rid of the cat. She tried to get her nephew counseling, but not in time. He killed the cat. It looks like in this case, both children and animals were let down.

 

[nobody]

No offense but there is a comparison one is human life the other is an animal life.

No offense taken. That is a contrast, not a comparison. That was my point. As Le C said, I shouldn’t have even gone down that path, as it might be taken the wrong way. I entered this thread because I just wanted to bring up the link between animal and child protection groups, and to offer something positive that people can do to help mistreated children.

Chovy, I am very sorry for the grief you must be feeling over your loss and concern for your foster baby.