Gabriella Grimes, Entry #1

I've never really thought of animal rights in depth before. I've been aware of the cruelty to animals, but I have never really gone as far as to say, "Leave animals alone!" I also never tried to understand the distinction between animals which people deem acceptable to eat and animals of the opposite. But of course it has to do with who we are and where we come from: there are ethical and religious standards, but regional standards as well. In the United States, if you eat a cat, most people are going to think you're a disgusting and barbaric human who should probably seek mental help in some way. However in another part of the world, cats may be a normal part of the society's diet. Likewise, in some regions due to religious affiliation, pigs are considered an unacceptable meat source, but here in Christian-centric United States, seeing someone order some bacon with their pancakes isn't abnormal. There is no solid or concrete standard for what animals should be consumed in the entire world, therefore judging another society for food choices is a Barbaric action enough. Our diet may seem as taboo to them as their diet is to us. But is the action of eating animals itself a good enough reason to label us as Barbarians with a horrible blood lust? Or is meat such an ingrained part of our society that we have come to the conclusion that eating a cow is what sets us apart from that cow? Deep down, do humans eat animals merely for sustenance or to prove our superiority? That's just some food for thought. (Haha see what I did there?)