A little minute for human decency...

[secondlina]

 No drawing today, mostly because I can't think of something to draw to illustrate my anger.

As many of you know, I try to donate every year to a few causes. Lately, more and more, those causes have been linked to the LGBT community, and also, the rights of animals. These I things I truly want to see improve more then anything. And on days like today, one gets to see some pretty horrible news and it really just.... makes me feel vengeful.

First off, let's talk about Berger Blanc (french company name. When you translate it, it's "White Shepherd"). This is a private company that has a contract with the city of Montréal to collect lost animals. It's basically a pound, or a place like the SPA. Basically. Because it is one of the most horrible places for animals I have ever seen. Pets kept in dirty little cages, underfed, killed in an unprofessional matter in large groups. This is basically an animal concentration camp. A report on it was made by a local television show. It show live animals being thrown out to be burned with the dead, owners who cry because their animals were picked up and killed in less then 24 hours, kittens that moans and twitch as they die because the euthanasia was badly performed... There animal torture here, done in the name of profit. The business tried to defend their turf, as shown by a long letter on their website. Today, there was a manifestation in the center of town to encourage the mayor to resiliate the contract with Berger Blanc. I hope all this bad publicity works. 

The problem is of course made worse by the owner themselves. By poking around the internet, I found the message boards where people first tried to assemble to do something about Berger Blanc. A few of the complaints and stories were truly heartfelt and inspired. A few made me want to kick people in the face. Like this one guy that adopted a gorgeous Labrador Retriever. The dog cried at night which "prevented the family from sleeping", so they sent it to Berger Blanc, where it got killed quickly. The guy was whining that he "lost good money". WHAT? How about a puppy's life? Does that count? As my friend miss_maggiemay  (who's LJ as images of the manifestation) said, it's really a problem that is a part of Quebec society. People here see pets as toys that they can just put away when they don't want them anymore. She told me that most people keep their dogs for an average of two years. Dogs live 15 years. That's horrifying. 

I wish I could adopt a dog. I would be a good master. I would love it with all my heart. But I can't, because my allergies give me asthma attacks... 

Now, let's talk about Baltimore. On the internet, you can find a 3-minute video recorded within a Macdonalds in Baltimore shows two ethnic women kicking, beating and ripping the hair off a 22-year-old transgender woman victim. The video and a petition can be found here, though I discourage you to watch the video if you don't like violence, it's pretty brutal. This is clearly a hate crime. The poor woman is attacked, unfairly, from all sides. Employees are FILMING the incident, egging the attackers on, and commenting on how they can see boobs. The only person aiding the poor girl is a rather scared looking older woman. Who tries to get in between the attacker and the victim. The victim clings to her leg and the old lady get her face slapped repeatedly by a purse. Being incapable of stopping the enrage teen, she steps away, and the beating continues. I'm amazed by how cruel these people are.  

Today is Easter day, and even though i'm not religious, I do usually spend the day with my family. So whether today as a greater meaning for you, or if you just use is as a day to be with family, also use it as a day to reflect upon human kindness, and what you can do to make it more tangible. Because in some places, it almost feels like it's running out.

- Isa 

Comments

[pip25.livejournal.com]

I don't feel I can say much more than these are quite enraging and horrifying incidents. :/ I hope some people get fined/jailed over these.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Ditto. Retribution. I want it.

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

As it so happens, what Jesus did before being resurrected put an end to the need for animal sacrifice, so one could reason he was the savior for animals as well.

Regardless, this is why I get so upset at any sign of animal abuse. I just cannot understand anyone seeing an animal as just a thing, not a fellow living, breathing, and feeling being. The entire time I was reading this, Ralph was purring by my side, so know there is still a lot of good out there in regard to animal wellbeing. There's just also a lot of ignorance... Does Canada have any sort of enforcement to protect animals? It's a pretty huge thing down here, so usually when any form of animal abuse is found, it's quickly shut down.

Easter is actually a really bad time for animals though, since a lot of people think it's the perfect excuse to get an adorable baby animal, be it for their kids, or what have you. But, when the cute baby grows up into a not so cute adult, the poor animal is often abandoned to fend for itself. It disgusts me... If a person does not intend to care for an animal for the rest of its natural life, they ought not get an animal at all!

..and sheesh, I guess it's no surprise people can be absolutely horrible to each other when they can't even treat animals well. What's even sadder, many people do not need an excuse (like hating gays) to hurt another. There was a news story earlier this week where two women got into a fight over a man, which ended in one getting in her car and running over the other. ..and it was all caught on video. It's just senseless!

We're in a really crazy society now where people prefer to stand back and watch, especially if they can record a video to post online, than to actually do something. It boggles my mind...

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

The animal protection laws seem pretty non-existent here... It always takes forever for someone to do something. I'm not sure why... Not to mention we have a whole bunch of other things (like those "can't have dogs in apartments" and "muzzle in parks" laws I told you about) that just makes people think that keeping a pet just isn't worth the trouble... it's a pretty horrible attitude.

Urgh, that video thing is pretty dumb. There was an article online about the guy being surprised that he got fired for filming it and posting it online. It's like dude. Realize what you are doing.

[brendala.livejournal.com]

Urgh, that video thing is pretty dumb. There was an article online about the guy being surprised that he got fired for filming it and posting it online. It's like dude. Realize what you are doing.

It's pretty sad and ironic that many of the young kids who grew up with the internet don't realize the consequences of putting stuff online.

[kuridee.livejournal.com]

I saw the Baltimore video on Yamino's tumblr. I couldn't even watch the whole thing...it just made me sick.

I also don't understand animal cruelty. People just scare me.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Same here. I get scared of people.

[shourimajo.livejournal.com]

The video made me sick (I saw it the other night), how can people be like that. I keep reading things online of people policing bathrooms... it doesn't happen here. Nobody meddles with other people's looks or anything (IF it happens, it's in uneducated areas, but that's a general education issue, kids not going to school, etc.). Transgender or not, it's a horrible thing in any case! A 14 year old girl beating another person based on how they look! When I was 14 I was busy with school, not passing judgment on people! & the guys filming and encouraging the perpetrators saying 'leave before the cops get here' should be held accountable for sure.

And gosh... I can't even comment on the other thing. Anything dealing with animal cruelty breaks my heart, it's the sole thing that can break me down. How can people can't value any life... it's unique, there's no second chance.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

This is pretty sickening. I can't believe how horrid these people are. And then they got surprised that posting the video online got them in trouble. Jeez. What a bunch of assholes.

[engelen.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

that is... just... ugh..

I'm not "pro-animal rights" (not that I'm against it), mostly because I've never had pets but... shit... I... you just DON'T DO THAT!! How can you just dispose of animals as if they were not living things!? UGH. And how can you do that to a fellow human being!? Correction: Those are not people. Those are monsters.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Even without being pro-animal rights, you still have basic decency towards living things. And this, is not it.

[engelen.livejournal.com]

The thing is, a lot of pro-animal rights people I've met seem to unable to identify with the human species :\ they're the kind that go "HUMANS ARE HORRIBLE!! WE'RE DESTROYING THE EART!! WE'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING GOOD!! SCREW KIDS DYINIG IN AFRICA, LET'S SAVE THE PUPPIES!!"
I believe we all have a right to having a decent life. And I'm including plants* and insects** there :\
I also kind of dislike the term "animal rights." That's like, putting us on different importance levels. In my mind, it should be "living being rights."

Sorry, I just have strange ideas.

* ie: not destroying the rain forest in favor of creating lands for crops.
** I rarely ever kill any insects. Just mosquitoes, because they carry diseases here. Or poisonous-looking bugs (might-be centipedes, wasps, might-be-violinist spiders [but only those, I don't kill spiders))

[bonemarch.livejournal.com]

It is pretty deplorable how some people treat living creatures like accessories. It's hard for me to fathom how people could put such little emphasis on innocent life. Hopefully with enough media pressure the mayor will bend. Though I don't have the heart to look at the link for it.

Yeah I don't really see how anyone could stand idly by and allow something like that to happen. And you'd think that people that knew the sting of intolerance would be a bit more benevolent. Rather than those two acting like a spineless pack of rats. (Not to insult rats, intelligent creatures they be.) Sorry bigots always make my blood boil. But hopefully they'll be held to account for their hate crime and justice will be served.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Rats are amazing, I love rats! The only creatures that really seem to egg on a stupid fight are humans...

I hope there will be justice in both affairs...

[brendala.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised to hear that Canadian Animal Control is in the hands of private companies because I'm pretty sure the entire USA uses government-run Animal Control agencies.
I really hope Montréal cancels their contract with Berger Blanc and takes steps to shut them down. That kind of cruelty and incompetence is just unforgivable. They don't even deserve a second chance.
Also, anyone who can shove a LIVING ANIMAL into a damned furnace is just sub-human. Seriously, that's the kind of twisted behavior that you only see in budding serial killers!


I couldn't get through the entire Baltimore video. It doesn't surprise me that people can be that hateful and cruel. What DID surprise me was that the only person in that McDonalds who had the guts to stand up for the victim was a little old lady (I teared up when the poor victim was clinging to the old woman's leg). The way I see it, the attackers shouldn't be the only ones who get arrested. ALL the bystanders who sat back and cheered them on should be buried under the jail with them! People like that have no business being free to walk around in public where they might hurt other decent human beings.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Canada, especially Québec, is weird that way. They tend to bring things into the governement, then give it to private companies when it gets too expensive, then bring it back in...etc, etc.

Dude, I really felt like I was looking at the animal version of a nazi concentration camp. What is this? How has this been going for so long?

That old lady impressed me. She looked pretty scared too. I mean, she's an old lady in the middle of a hate fight. I don't blame her for not being able to help that much...

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Well this post just makes me want to cry :( I don't understand how people can be so cruel to each other and animals. That video of that poor girl getting beat down was down right sickening, and I'm glad i didn't see any with the poor animals at the pound, but I doubt it was any less gruesome

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Both videos are pretty horrible. I gotta say.

[putri-nih.livejournal.com]

... and my faith on humanity slowly dies.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, there's still good people around me, which makes me feel better.

[miss-maggiemay.livejournal.com]

Merci beaucoup de poster sur le Berger Blanc. Le plus de personne qui est au courant mieux c'est.

Pour le truc de Baltimore,... une chose que j'ai apprise en travaillant sur les documentaires; souvent ceux qui sont victimes de préjugés ne sont pas les plus compréhensifs.


Je crois que ça risque d'être ma phrase fétish, mais je le dit encore : I fucking hate people!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Effectivement. Gotta pass the message on.

Le truc sur les victimes de préjugés manquant de compassion humains, c'est pas mal vrai. Récemment, j'ai vu plusieurs personnes victimes de "racisme renversé" ou une personne "blanche" était attaquée ou harcelé par un groupe ethnique spécifique, mais ne pouvait rien dire parce qu'elle était traitée de raciste (notamment, uen de mes amies allait à l'université et partageait une dortoir avec plusieurs personnes canadiennes-africaines qui la forcait à nettoyer la salel de bain à chaque jour parce qu'elles ne voulait pas "attraper de maladies de blancs". Je veux dire, c'est carrément de l’intolérance, du racisme, de la cruauté à l'état pur, mais personne ne dit rien parce qu'ils ont peur. Mes amies travaillant à l'université d'Ottawa on également eu plusieurs problèmes avec des groupes ethniques précis. Ce qui inclut un "beat-down". C'est SUPER grave. Mais personne ne fait rien.

Ma phrase fétiche à moi, c'est que la cruauté, c'est international. Peut importe la couleur de ta peau et la société dans laquelle tu as été élevé, tu es aussi capable d'être horrible que n'importe qui d'autre. C'est pourquoi je pense que tout le monde devrait être jugé équitablement selon leur cruauté, peut importe leur ethnie. Surtout pour des trucs graves comme ceci.

[0-amber-0.livejournal.com]

Sadly, the problem of animal abuse and people who doesn't care much about animals is more a worldwide problem that a local or country issue... The case you have mentioned is the perfect description of a dog pound here in the place I live, in Murcia (um... that's on the south-east of Spain) It's not exactly a private company, more like a semi-private property, but it also recieves finance from the Council, wich makes matters worse because no one in the local goverment wants to take this matter seriously. In fact, the owner of the place ussually justifies the conditions he keeps the place in by saying they don't have money to make reformances... This place has been reported multiple times, both by video-recorder amateurs and by local and national televisions, and it still keeps running...

As for the agresion to the transgender... I feel more ashamed of the fact that no one moved a finger for her. It seems that since the day the movile phones with camera fisrt appeared, people care less and less for people and instead keep recording every figth they see so they can have something to post on their youtube accounts...

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Oh god... those poor animals. I can't believe it...

Yeah, well, i,m not sure these people would have intervened if they didn't have a camera...

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

:/:/:/:/

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I just started crying while reading that.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I,m sorry... It seemed inportant to post.

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

Totally understand. But, yeah. I'm sensitive to things like that.