The problem is that humans have victimized animals to such a degree, that they aren't even considered victims. They aren't even considered at all. They're nothing. They don't count, they don't matter, they're commodities like TV sets and cellphones. We've actually turned animals into inanimate objects - sandwiches and shoes. It is the greatest magic trick ever performed.
Gary YourofskyAs for uniqueness, this is virtually nonexistent! And it's a shame that people think they're unique because they have a face ring, retro clothing, colorful hair, drive a certain kind of automobile or listen to some obscure musician.
Gary YourofskyOur society pushes "family" because once people have families, the chance of becoming active lessens.
Gary YourofskyReligion, media and schools tell us to disregard animals, view them as commodities, property and resources, and convince us that animals cannot think clearly, nor act morally or altruistically, nor experience love and hatred, or kindness and terror, in the same way that we can.
Gary YourofskyI despise 'animal welfare.' That's like saying, 'Let's beat the slaves three times a week instead of five times a week'.
Gary YourofskyThou shalt not kill: the four most important, and yet, most ignored words in all religious teachings. There is not an asterisk next to that commandment saying, โUnless you walk on all four and have fur, feathers, horns, beaks or gills.
Gary YourofskyMy stepfather used to be a clown in The Shrine Circus. He took me backstage when I was 23. I saw three elephants chained to the cement floor in the warehouse of the Michigan State Fairgrounds. Sadness, hopelessness and fear were emanating from their eyes, from their bodies. They were swaying neurotically from side to side. A monkey was screaming in his cage, grabbing the bars of his prison. Two tigers were pacing feverishly in their tiny cages. Cruelty was staring me in the face. I knew something was wrong. If you pay attention to energy, you can tell when a fellow being is in peril.
Gary Yourofsky