Racism = Speciesism

Speciesism and Racism have a direct connection. Both discriminate against a certain group based on "physical differences" and both are morally and ethically wrong, British psychologist Richard D. Ryder agrees with the connection of the two prejudices when he says,"Speciesism and racism both over look or underestimate the similarities between the discriminator and those discriminated against." (Ryder 399).

Both speciesism and racism are defines by Spiegel as "a policy of enforcing such asserted right...a system of government and society based upon [the right to rule others]". (Spiegel 701). The more and more I read "The Dreadful Comparison: Human and Animal Slavery" by Marjori Spiegel, the more I realized that slavery and speciesism are the same. Non-Animal Human beings used the same tactics they do on animals today that they did on black slaves during that time period. Author Spiegel states in her chapter "An Historical Understanding" that "Both humans and animals share the ability to suffer from restricted freedom of movement, loss of social reform, and to experience loss of a loved one...Both have been 'objectified,' treated as property rather than as feeling, self-directed individuals" (705) We have found a way to realize that slavery is wrong, yet racism still exists. People feel that they are superior to others thus creating the idea of racism, speciesism, and sexism. These people also would have believed that slavery is okay. We are all  earthlings, we are all beings. Looking back to the documentary Earthlings we watched in lecture, the narrator says "Since we all inhabit the earth all of us are consdered earthlings  There is no sexism, no racism or speciesism in the term earthlings..."(0:30 Intro to Earthlings). When we, human beings, prioritize who is the most important being, we are not helping the cause or helping to stop those who cause harm to others. Spiegel suggests that when we prioritize, "We are deciding that one individual or group is more important than another, deciding that one individual's pain is less important that that of the next." (705).

If we believe such actions are harm we must do something to help change them from occurring  Like in the Civil War, enough people realized that slavery was wrong and decided to stand their ground and do something about this issue. The same must be done for  the abuse of non-human animals.

Best/Worst of Last Week

 Best : The best of this week was without a doubt this weekend at roundup. So many of my friends from different schools (such as Texas State, UTSA, Tech, and even A&M) came to Austin this weekend for all the events that were going on. I was so happy that I got to spend time with all them. Having fun with some old friends and all my new friends made me feel ecstatic, thrilled, and euphoric. 

Worst : The worst of this week was getting into a serious fight with my boyfriend. We have been dating for almost 3 years, and the thought of loosing him is really hard. I know I am not ready for the relationship to be over but the more we fight the harder it gets. Knowing that we might break up soon makes me feel gloomy, depressed, and miserable. We are still together now and I hope it can stay that way without anymore serious arguments.

 

Leading Class Discussion: Emotive Ethics

Power Point for class discussion:
Presentation

Outline of Blogs:
Outline Document


Video of Transfer of Power: Bump to White Tiger
Video Of Transfer

Emotive Ethics

The classroom goal for the children of Mr. Kanamori's homeroom class have a unique class goal than maybe some of us were used to in grade school.  The narrator of the documentary "Children Full of Life" shares that that "The class goal for grade four, is to understand how to live a happy life. How to care for other people.". This goal is something that in Western civilization many of us lack. Knowing how to be happy and how to care, seems to have been drowned away by trying to be  overly successful.  Like in our UGS class, Mr. Kanamori has his children right journal entries to teach them how to express them selves and show his children that it is okay to feel the way you are feeling and its alright to express it. Like many of these children, I never cried in public. I would bottle up all my emotions and would never want anyone to see I was week. I still am struggling with this today, and I notice more and more that other people are doing this too. Author D. Goleman explains in his work titles "The Roots of Empathy" that "People's emotions are rarely put into words;" (Goleman 537). The highs and lows blog and exercise that Professor Bump has us do every week, helps to not only express some frustrations that occur during our week, but they also help me to understand my classmates better.

The documentary "Children Full of Life" has inspired me to be more in depth in my highs and lows blog. I sometimes only cover the basics of the worsts of my week without going into what really happened, but from now on I would like to be more personable. I might inspire my other classmates to talk about something in class that maybe they really needed to get off their chest, just like Ren did for Mifuyu.

Sharing feelings and emotions is difficult and often frightening to know what other people might think of you. However, in my experiences I have learned that not expressing feelings or concerns, only builds up to cause stress and worry in your life. I have realized for years I have been searching for happiness and I cannot remember when I lost it. In watching the documentary  I can see that these children are finding happiness that they might have lost by expressing their feelings and emotions. I can see it is important through Golman's passage that people need to have empathy in order to help others. He states, "the more empathic people are, the more they favor the moral principle that resources should be allocated to peoples need." (Goleman 540). Professor Bump teaches us to be empathetic towards all beings. We were all "born free" and each being should have the chance to enjoy those freedoms. Whether its through adoption or even expression of emotions (emotive ethics), we all are "born free" and deserve happiness.

Cats!

"..while through his limbs a tension strains in silence only to cease to be, to die within his heart" (Fleming 818) Albert Ernest Flemming translate the poem originally titled "Der Panther" into a all too realistic image at the end of the poem. Like many people I have been to pet stores and zoos enjoying the animals safely placed behind the bars, without once thinking about how and why they got there  and without even imagining what it would be like on the other side. When introduced to our second project in our Leadership, Ethics, and Animals course;, I was let down to find out we would only be working with cats. Like many of my peers, I have never been a cat lover. I didn't like the way, they were so independent and half of the time you had no idea where they were in your home. I just could never grasp the concept of why anyone would want a pet or companion who wouldn't greet them at the door when they got home! I quickly understood, however, when Professor Bump explained the struggles that cats have of being adopted why over dogs and other pets, cats, are the ones who need our help finding them love and a life without bars.

Although, I have not made time this week to go visit the cats for Project Two, I am super excited to meet all the cats and help them to hopefully find a home,

Author Ekhart Tolle describes in his article "The Power of Now", that cats (and all animals) all live in the now, the present tense. He says that we as humans, keep the past with us and anticipate the future. Instead we need to sit back and listen we must "Let it teach you Being" (842), and how to be rid of all our problems and stresses. 

Although, we have so much to learn from cats, and all animals about living in the now. I still cannot help but see cats in a negative light. As unnatural as it may be, I see cats as bullies. No matter how big or small, cats seem like the bosses of the animal word (or at least try to be). I was partially surprised to find out my spirit animal was a white tiger considering I have no previous favoritism of cats of any size at all. This I think might be a sign that I need to look in a different perspective about cats and I strongly believe Project 2 will help me get there, since I have never done anything of the sort before.

I think we can all agree, however, whether you are a cat lover or are not to fond of them at all, cats make very entertaining internets images, videos, and gifs. 

Here is a link to one of my favorite videos on youtube.com about cats. Enjoy it's adorable!

Awwww

Slavery Men -- Simkins

Lawyer and teacher, William Stewart Simkins was born in Edgefield, South Carolina on August 25, 1842. He entered the Citadel, in the South Carolina Military Academy, in 1856. Overtime in the military he was commissioned a first lieutenant of artillery in the Confederate Army and served throughout the Civil War. He oversaw a battery during the First Battle of Charleston Harbor on April 7, 1863 and he is mentioned on September 19, 1863 as the inspector general for General Hagood. After he retired as colonel in the army of Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina in 1865, Simkins then moved to Flordia where is brother was and organizaed the Flordia Klu Klux Klan! However he did not stop there, Simkins was admitted to the bar and practiced Law in Texas with his brother. In 1899, Simkins found himself in Austin and joined the Law Faculty of the University of Texas and was known the be the most colorful character ever to be connected with UT Law. The current mascot of the University of Texas school of Law, Peregrinus, came from his course on Equity!  With Simkin's long white hair, he kept his image as an unrepentant Confederate, delivering an annual lecture on Thanksgiving in which he criticized the North and  defended the South. He had several publications that became standard textbooks not only in Texas but in other Law Schools as well. William Simkins, was a member of the state bar of Texas and was also a Mason and a member of the Episcopalian Church. As many accomplishments he had made (good or bad) he became professor emeritus in 1923, ad continued to lecture unitl he died in 1929. Before he died, he gave portions of his private law library to the university.

William stewart Simkins was an important part of the University of Texas. His name, however, was removed  in 2010 from a dormitory named after him because of his relations to the Florida KKK and is now currently Creekside Residence Hall.

reactions to sadism

Before this course, I had no idea what sadism meant. People are cruel but I did not realize how many people out there like to cause pain to others for pleasure. In reading about the effects of the Stanford prison experiment I see how quickly people can adapt to the roles and can be so cruel to someone who did not actually commit any crimes.  "Prisoner No.416, a newly admitted stand-by prisoner, expressed his concern over the treatment of the other prisoners. The guards responded with more abuse...The guards used this incident to turn the other prisoners against No. 416... "(474).

The image above shows guards abusing a prisoner. In the Stanford Prisoner experiment the Guards quickly became big headed and harassed the prisoner. People who do this for no specific reason just to be in power are the same kinds of people who would commit acts of rape, abuse, and animal cruelty. It is a continuing pattern that needs to be stopped. Animals have it the worst. They cannot speak up in defeence for themselves.   After reading "The animal-Cruelty Syndrome" article by Charles Siebert I was instant put into shock to think about who could ever be so cruel to light an innocent dog on fire. "More than 70 percent of U.S. households with young children have pets" (Siebert 485) and learning abuse can start young. If a child sees their parent abusing something or someone or even the pet, the child will think it is okay or normal for this behavior to occur.

I know my parents have shielded me from all the evils of this world as a child. I didn't think it was possible for someone to love their pets or any animals. As scared as I might have been if they had showed me that animal abuse existed, I think it would have been the right thing to do at an appropriate age so I could be aware of the issues. We must be aware to help, to make changes, to live the best life possible and give others the same opportunities.