I recently finished reading Joan Dunayer’s book, Speciesism.
“Enslavement is wrong, murder is wrong, and causing innocent beings to suffer is wrong. Fully as much as humans, all nonhumans are entitled to life, freedom, and other basic rights. Humans deny this for only one reason: speciesism.”
Isn’t it a positive sign when a given piece of literature causes a person to actually think about what was “discussed?” I mean really grapple with the issues. By no means was this a casual read for me. I was challenged to contemplate certain aspects of my life and my justification of others. And I’ve come to realize a few foundations were flawed.
A few years back I was presented an opportunity to “breed” my best buddy, Freddy. It’s not quite as bad as it may sound at first, or this was my thinking and that’s how became so comfortable with the idea. I accepted no money for his deed, that’s right no stud-fee (perverse). I let him do “it” purely for the experience. Those were my reasons and they suited me just fine.
And there’s the problem.
With so many dogs, in this case, not having a home–who will be euthanized after a given length of time in which a person hasn’t “claimed” or adopted them–in any number of animal shelters across this planet. I contributed to a dilemma by bringing a few more lives into the fold. I inadvertently added to the suffering of an animal in a shelter–who doesn’t have an “owner”–by potentially adding a more attractive option to a potential “owner(s)” seeking companionship.
Granted I didn’t profit from “pimping” him out. But that’s exactly what I did, I “used” him for a set gain. It wasn’t my gain. But someone gained, none the less.
I’ve never considered him my property. I’ve never said “he’s my dog.” I make the conscious effort to say “he’s with me.” But by lending him out as a sperm donor, isn’t that exactly what I demonstrated? He was mine to use? And that’s what I did?
Wouldn’t what I did technically be defined as “slavery?” So technically was it “wrong?” Seeing how the whole thing is still very unsettling, I’m thinking I think it is.
Put that in my pipe and smoke it…