I become even more enraged on Saturday after reading a blog of the singer Kelis'.
It was the most ridiculous excuse for wearing fur I think I've ever read (well one that wasn't a load of incoherent loony babble as you see on many groups and forums online).
Accusing animal rights campaigners of not caring about anything but animals, and most of the proceeding comments after the blog seemed to turn it into some kind of race issue. These are all separate issues, that are just as worthy, there is no more worthy group, suffering on all fronts should be stopped.
Wearing a fur is merely to show wealth and status, to separate yourself from the poor people you supposedly think are more worthy of peoples attention.
How about you don't spend thousands on dead animals to stroke your ego, and instead dress in a less vain manner and invest in organizations that help people from deprived areas, or battered women?
You have been lucky enough to be placed in position where you can use that position to influence major issues in the world, and help as much as possible.
Article is on her myspace blog
This was the best reply I read;
"It's sad that your knee jerk reaction has made you defensive and blinded to the consequences of your vanity. No compassionate human should boast about inflicting harm on innocent creatures. That just degrades you. The opportunity to respond to the PETA letter was an opportunity to show some class and prevent the violence and inequities that permeates our culture. Like it or not you are now a member of the privileged class (how many working families can afford a fur coat?) and can use that position to improve the world. By walking around in a fur coat all you are doing is flaunting your wealth and setting a poor example of how people can aspire to their better selves.
I applaud you for your social concerns, but violence begets violence. Whether it's against African-Americans, women in the middle east or animals.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its ..animals.. are treated”. Mahatma ..Gandhi .."
I then spent a lot of Sunday trying to think of the perfect non-arguable reply I could, that i would so love to give to Kelis, and other celebrities who try to excuse their wearing fur as some kind of freedom of choice.
Your freedom ends where anothers begins, that what I was always taught. Be in man, woman, or animal.
Probably what made me most angry is that people always throw the 'shouldn't you be sending your money to humans who need it instead of animals' or fight for something worthy like Haiti or sweatshops etc.
It just shows how little people actually know, as many animal rights activists are also active or allied with many other human rights organizations. Such as Anti racist/fascist groups, fighting to stop the slave/child/sweatshops that probably made your fur coat and expensive trainers, groups against the arms trade which kills and maims thousands ever year, as well as countless other organizations and charitys.
Injustice is injustice, in any form!!
