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Yesterday I received a message on the internet that 2 million cats and dogs were skinned alive in China for their fur to cover figurines and trinkets. I was angry, I was crestfallen, I was incredibly horrified. And to think that the Olympic committee chose China as a venue for the Olympic games. Why give a nation known for its cruelty to animals a chance to shine as an Olympic showcase? I would tell the committee that they either don't care about animals or they just didn't do their homework well. Even Amnesty International wanted us to know that some of its own people were unfairly treated because the government at will took away property and livelihood for the building of the Olympic venues. Amnesty told the story of one poor Chinese man who is languishing in prison because he dared protest the confiscation of his property which I imagine was taken without compensation. Walking my dog Casey this morning as I said my rosary, it was hard for me to meditate on the mysteries of my 10-decade walk. I find that if I go around the rosary twice, that my walk is sufficient for the day. But today I was thinking more of those poor dogs and cats who were skinned alive because the Chinese think that the fur is better when taken from live dogs and cats squirming in agony and who are then left to die slowly in shock and pain. Monstrous! What kind of people are they? What can we do? Sadly it seems to me that all we do is write about these horrible cruelties and nothing changes. It continues. I remember thinking a few years ago when the Darfur genocide started - surely the UN will stop it. Hardly. Here were people who were killed and driven out of their homes and no one came to their rescue. So here are millions of helpless cats and dogs and no one will come to their rescue but we will travel there to watch the Olympic Games. It amazes me that we -a country of cat and dog lovers seem helpless to do anything to stop this horror. Of course, if we do have the will, then what can we do? Some of you may do what I and others will do - we will boycott the Olympics. I will not watch them on TV. I hope that a lot of advertizing dollars will be lost as a result. Sadly, I doubt that many will take this action. I find we commiserate for a whole minute and then -it's over and back to busines as usual. I hope Chinese Americans will write the Chinese authorites here and in China and tell them that treating cats and dogs in this cruel fashion is causing Americans and people of other nations to look disfavorably on China. They could also mention that the old women in southern China should be educated to the cruelty of boiling cats alive for bogus health During the years I have read of many cruel happenings to the animals in China. A few years ago when there was an outbreak of rabies in one province, soldiers were told to take all the dogs off the streets, in the yards, and in the homes to be euthanized. People who loved their dogs had them removed forcibly from their arms. Can you imagine something like this happening here? In some parts of China - the people attend horse fights. How terrible to watch these beautiful animals engage in a bloody fight which I believe is often a family affair. Of course we have cruel dog and cock fighting, but thankfully it has become illegal in many states now. I am saddened that we did away with tariff taxes and introduced free trade to the world. Now we are reaping the effects of accepting products from all countries like China whose practices often are lacking in the humane treatment of animals. Again, I ask what can we do? Please don't discount prayer - prayer that will wake up our legislators to effectively tell the Chinese that we don't want any of their fur- trimmed trinkets gotten at such a horrible price. Congress has banned them already, so why is this cruelty continuing? Are other countries buying them too? Can Congress do more to retaliate against a country who is treating its animals so cruelly for profit? I know it is easier said than done. How sad that we can do so little to help these suffering animals because of protocul and concern of stepping
I have been concerned about animal suffering ever since I received my first puppy Peaches in 1975. She made me take a good look at the animal kingdom and I was shocked to see how badly we treat so many animals. At 77, I've been a vegan for the past 30 years and I thank God every day that I am. I am most disturbed at how little the Catholic Church and Christian churches generally give to concern re animal suffering in their ministry. I wrote to 350 bishops in 2001 and only 10-13 responded. I feel that the very least they can do is to instruct that the priests give one sermon a year on compassion to animals. I am still waiting for that sermon. I also belong to Catholic Concern for Animals - founded in England in 1929. (They are on the internet) I recently sent a sample copy of their bi-monthly publication called the ARK to the 8 Catholic bishops of Ohio. Only ONE kindly responded. Somehow we have to reach the Christian teaching magisterium. There is next to nothing re animal concerns and compassion for them. They basically believe that animals are the lesser of God's creation and that gives us the right to do anything we want to them. Way wrong. We need to change their mindsets. The animals are God's first and He expects us to treat them compassionately.
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