Speaking as a PETA supporter, I have to agree with Greg, as well. Most lamentably, PETA has failed to train the spotlight on the genuinely abusive dimensions of horse-racing, instead demonizing those who aren't among the business's most powerful figures.
But it misses the point entirely to repeat the "animal welfare/rights folks favor animals over humans" canard: PETA's error isn't about valuing one species over another, but rather about miscasting participants and failing to focus on the key issues.
On the other hand, Greg's typical journalistic hyperbole doesn't help sharpen the issues, which are: does horse breeding, with its increasing emphasis on power built upon inadequate limb foundation, intrinsically burden horses too much? Why tolerate a sport in which, on average ,2 of its participants die per day nationwide? What about the abusive conditions suffered by hundreds of the less glamorous horses? What to make of the eventual fate of so many race horses: i.e., fodder for European dinner-plates and factories? Finally, is it not the power-brokers in the sport itself--and especially the owners, who drive its logic, and the betters, who underwrite its structure--that must be probed: why give them a free pass, just because of their sentimental outbursts when one of its more famous and visible creatures becomes a victim of the unexamined drive for vicarious triumph and lust to wager?
And as for being an "animal lover": do you eat other animals while you're petting your lovely pets, Greg?
I don't eat dogs, if that's what you're asking. Or cats. But I eat steak and chicken and I love me some tuna. I love animals ... but I didn't say I ignore certain species' value as food for 6 BILLION people.
And I addressed some of your totally legit concerns about horse racing in my Sunday column, which is linked in the third or four paragraph of this story.
I love tuna tartare, sashimi, tuna grilled rare, I just love tuna. But because of world tuna stock sustainability issues (overfishing). I stopped eating tuna . I've switched to fish species that haven't been overfished. I miss tuna, especially when we're at a great restaurant or a sushi bar. I guess I envy that you still get to savor eating this great fish, but I decided I'd eaten my fair share and I needed to do my part to save some of this part of the planet for my children and their children (I hope the planet lasts that long.)
You have definitely earned my respect with this article. You guys get trashed after every story, but this one is dead on. PeTA could be a great organization and its intent is very noble. However, they tend to react on a whim and usually come across as irrational dictators. The bottom line is, the death of Eight Belles was a horrible tragedy. Watching was chilling at best and I agree that something needs to be done about it. What do we do? Well, horse racing needs to get together and figure out a way to deal with this issue. Should they stop using whips? Yes, we are far too advance not to come up with a way to train horses to push themselves without whipping them. Should we stop the sport from occuring? No, risk of serious injury and death is part of all serious and contact sports. There are no 100% ways to prevent serious injuries or deaths in sports. It will happen, but that doesn't mean someone has to be held accoutable. Doyel, great job on taking a stand!
I've gotta agree with Gregg, too. I'm one of those that bashes him more often than not, but Doyel pitches a real gem in this column. Ethical treatment of animals is a good and desirable thing. In the Eight Belles case, it would have been grossly unethical to keep her alive and condemn her to a lifetime of pain in order to milk a few extra mill in breeding rights -- far more ethical to let her rest in peace. PETA's stand on the jockey and trainer, on the other hand, leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, their treatment of these people (both members of the animal kingdom last time I checked) is downright... unethical.
Sorry about not reading the link--my bad. A great column--spot on.
Sorry, though, you're still so cavalier about eating meat. Maybe you might want to check out some facts about living and slaughter conditions that lead to our consuming about 11 billion cows, chickens, and pigs in the U.S. yearly (that doesn't count fish; and that's not worldwide--the number obviously grows out into the scores of billions otherwise). [In the time it's taking me to type this out, about 1 million of those animals will have been slaughtered, mostly in terrifying, painful, and horrendous conditions.] This consumption is not just a matter of choice, it's wasteful from an environmental viewpoint--more than 30% of the world's potable water and 50% of our feed goes into meat production, a terribly wasteful and (to billions in poverty) cruel expenditure. In fact, if feeding the world is one's concern, meat production--especially as practiced since the Nixon administration changed farm policy in the 70s to maximize production via feed-lots, holding-pens, etc.)--is definitely not the way to go.
Here's a place to begin learning about this stuff: http://www.farmsanctuary.org/issues/factoryfarming (I can supply other sources if you think that these are somehow tainted).
