The bed looks like a dead animal act
It was in the movie "All about Eve" in 1950. Margot Channing was having a party and all the lady guests turned up with fur coats, which had all been put on a bed in the spare bedroom.
Sometime later in the evening when she went into the spare room, the housemaid came out with the one liner "the bed looks like a dead animal act".
In the 1920s and 30s, a lady would be admired for the fur she had draped over her. Nowadays, the way ladies decorate themselves can at times be very odd and quite extravagant . But can you imagine today if some dumb blond were to parade about with a dead fox over her shoulders?
Fortunately, that is a fashion long since abhorred.
In my book, there are two fundamental principles we should live by.
Live and let live. Which simply means, do what the hell you like just so long as it does not interfere with anyone doing what they want. And that goes for fauna and flora as well.
Never kill unless your life depends on it. I would find it very difficult to kill anything but fully aware that killing is performed on my behalf. I understand and totally accept that every time I buy a T-bone steak, part of the cost goes to the Abattoir.
Obviously we have to kill, or someone does on our behalf, to live. We are no different from any other animal. Except that is, some of us enjoy hunting and killing. Not to save us from starving like our predecessors, but just for the fun of it. In this respect, I believe the human race is unique.
It is very sad that there are people who cannot find any interests in life other than taking the life of another, innocent creature. Often coming up with the quaintest of "excuses" such as controlling numbers.
This always amuses me when game keepers go the trouble of protecting pheasants and grouse from other predators so that they may breed profusely thus ensuring that there are plenty to shoot at on the "glorious twelfth"!
Then there is the old chestnut "the catch is always eaten" as if they are wondering where their next meal is coming from and not enjoying the hunt one little bit! A Canadian acquaintance assumed that because I was British I condoned Fox Hunting!
How do you answer that? After a moments thought, I put the simple proposition to him; as a fox, which would he prefer, to take his chances in his natural environment with a lot better than evens prospects of living out a full and natural life, or being condemned to life imprisonment caged up in a zoo.
Like so many anti blood sports people, he was supportive of zoos. His insipid response; "But they get a sort of life". Need I say more?
And for some odd reason these same people seem to think it is quite OK to torture and kill fish whilst flying the anti blood sport banner!
At the end of the day causing mental suffering especially when a life sentence, is many many times worse than a clean kill in the hunt. We are told are we not, that second only to us, the dolphin is the most intelligent creature? Yet we condemn them to swimming around aimlessly in a painfully inadequate volume of water just for our titillation.
Zoos are justified on the grounds of protecting endangered species. Without entering into the debate as to why this is desirable, it has no real chance of succeeding for 4 fundamental reasons.
1. It has proved to be incredibly difficult to breed in captivity.
2. Because of 1 we continue to hunt for more to replenish the stock. Thus further depleting the wild population.
3. In circumstances where breeding has been successful, these 2nd generation (or more) animals are incapable of surviving in their ancestors' environment. They have become institutionalised, unable to hunt or avoiding being hunted.And if they can never return to the wild, then WHAT IS THE POINT?
4. And even if they could, their natural world is and continues to be reduced at an alarming rate, mainly by one powerful predator. Us humans!
It is a real tragedy that our fauna cousins have to be imprisoned for their natural life as a public spectacle to satisfy the whims of us humans.
Funnily enough, we all accept that if we want to see the leaning tower of Pisa, the Pyramids, the Vatican, White House, Niagara Falls, Coventry Cathedral, Grand Canyon, Great wall of China or even the Thames Barrier, we have to travel there to see. Or alternatively, satisfying ourselves by looking at pictures and travelogues. So why just because they are portable should we round up the wild animals rather like the Africans were 250 years ago for slavery?
If that is not enough, we also taunt and torture them. At a Rodeo, the horse is fitted with a goad under the saddle. When the cowhand mounts the horse, it is literally "goaded" into bucking to try and remove the offending rider. The so-called bucking bronco!
And cattle calves all but get their necks broken just so the cowboys can demonstrate their lassoing prowess. And the blindfolded horse in the Bullfighting arena, albeit padded, but will be attacked by the bull and possibly gored without seeing or being allowed to avoid the onslaught.
Can you even start to imagine the trauma these creatures must suffer? All of this in the name of sport and spectacle!
And we have all seen where animals are kept hungry so that food can be dangled in front of them just out of reach, carrotwise, to rile, antagonize and incite them into "performing" stupid and unnatural things. All in the name of entertainment. I doubt the crocodiles and dolphins are amused!
And where were our "household named" conservationists when crocodiles were being shot because they consumed people who were swimming in their territory? They were conspicuous by their silence, so tacitly condoning such atrocities. It just makes you wonder what it was they were or are trying to conserve!
And what is the mentality of those who "are" the Kennel Club? Who deliberately encourage incestuous breeding to the extent that some types of dog are incapable of giving birth to a litter by natural means? Others who's flattened faces, can hardly eat or breathe properly. As if that wasn't enough, the breeders set about chopping off the tales and the owners get them castrated. Oh yes, this is what we do to our BEST FRIENDS!
There was a rather amusing anecdote about a well known TV personality who defended his reasons for angling on the grounds that fish were stupid. Justifying their stupidity on the fact that the same fish would get caught time and time again. To which the retort was, if that defines the fish as being stupid, what does it say of the angler who keeps catching the same fish time and time again?
I do not see myself as an animal rights advocate. And would not even classify myself as an animal lover.
I just have considerable respect for all our wild and domesticated fauna friends. And, when I am lucky enough, enjoy watching them doing their own thing in their own natural environment.
As for that "dead animal act", maybe in time and perhaps some more legislation, we will all learn to respect our wild fauna friends and just leave them alone.
It was in the movie "All about Eve" in 1950. Margot Channing was having a party and all the lady guests turned up with fur coats, which had all been put on a bed in the spare bedroom.
Sometime later in the evening when she went into the spare room, the housemaid came out with the one liner "the bed looks like a dead animal act".
In the 1920s and 30s, a lady would be admired for the fur she had draped over her. Nowadays, the way ladies decorate themselves can at times be very odd and quite extravagant . But can you imagine today if some dumb blond were to parade about with a dead fox over her shoulders?
Fortunately, that is a fashion long since abhorred.
In my book, there are two fundamental principles we should live by.
Live and let live. Which simply means, do what the hell you like just so long as it does not interfere with anyone doing what they want. And that goes for fauna and flora as well.
Never kill unless your life depends on it. I would find it very difficult to kill anything but fully aware that killing is performed on my behalf. I understand and totally accept that every time I buy a T-bone steak, part of the cost goes to the Abattoir.
Obviously we have to kill, or someone does on our behalf, to live. We are no different from any other animal. Except that is, some of us enjoy hunting and killing. Not to save us from starving like our predecessors, but just for the fun of it. In this respect, I believe the human race is unique.
It is very sad that there are people who cannot find any interests in life other than taking the life of another, innocent creature. Often coming up with the quaintest of "excuses" such as controlling numbers.
This always amuses me when game keepers go the trouble of protecting pheasants and grouse from other predators so that they may breed profusely thus ensuring that there are plenty to shoot at on the "glorious twelfth"!
Then there is the old chestnut "the catch is always eaten" as if they are wondering where their next meal is coming from and not enjoying the hunt one little bit! A Canadian acquaintance assumed that because I was British I condoned Fox Hunting!
How do you answer that? After a moments thought, I put the simple proposition to him; as a fox, which would he prefer, to take his chances in his natural environment with a lot better than evens prospects of living out a full and natural life, or being condemned to life imprisonment caged up in a zoo.
Like so many anti blood sports people, he was supportive of zoos. His insipid response; "But they get a sort of life". Need I say more?
And for some odd reason these same people seem to think it is quite OK to torture and kill fish whilst flying the anti blood sport banner!
At the end of the day causing mental suffering especially when a life sentence, is many many times worse than a clean kill in the hunt. We are told are we not, that second only to us, the dolphin is the most intelligent creature? Yet we condemn them to swimming around aimlessly in a painfully inadequate volume of water just for our titillation.
Zoos are justified on the grounds of protecting endangered species. Without entering into the debate as to why this is desirable, it has no real chance of succeeding for 4 fundamental reasons.
1. It has proved to be incredibly difficult to breed in captivity.
2. Because of 1 we continue to hunt for more to replenish the stock. Thus further depleting the wild population.
3. In circumstances where breeding has been successful, these 2nd generation (or more) animals are incapable of surviving in their ancestors' environment. They have become institutionalised, unable to hunt or avoiding being hunted.And if they can never return to the wild, then WHAT IS THE POINT?
4. And even if they could, their natural world is and continues to be reduced at an alarming rate, mainly by one powerful predator. Us humans!
It is a real tragedy that our fauna cousins have to be imprisoned for their natural life as a public spectacle to satisfy the whims of us humans.
Funnily enough, we all accept that if we want to see the leaning tower of Pisa, the Pyramids, the Vatican, White House, Niagara Falls, Coventry Cathedral, Grand Canyon, Great wall of China or even the Thames Barrier, we have to travel there to see. Or alternatively, satisfying ourselves by looking at pictures and travelogues. So why just because they are portable should we round up the wild animals rather like the Africans were 250 years ago for slavery?
If that is not enough, we also taunt and torture them. At a Rodeo, the horse is fitted with a goad under the saddle. When the cowhand mounts the horse, it is literally "goaded" into bucking to try and remove the offending rider. The so-called bucking bronco!
And cattle calves all but get their necks broken just so the cowboys can demonstrate their lassoing prowess. And the blindfolded horse in the Bullfighting arena, albeit padded, but will be attacked by the bull and possibly gored without seeing or being allowed to avoid the onslaught.
Can you even start to imagine the trauma these creatures must suffer? All of this in the name of sport and spectacle!
And we have all seen where animals are kept hungry so that food can be dangled in front of them just out of reach, carrotwise, to rile, antagonize and incite them into "performing" stupid and unnatural things. All in the name of entertainment. I doubt the crocodiles and dolphins are amused!
And where were our "household named" conservationists when crocodiles were being shot because they consumed people who were swimming in their territory? They were conspicuous by their silence, so tacitly condoning such atrocities. It just makes you wonder what it was they were or are trying to conserve!
And what is the mentality of those who "are" the Kennel Club? Who deliberately encourage incestuous breeding to the extent that some types of dog are incapable of giving birth to a litter by natural means? Others who's flattened faces, can hardly eat or breathe properly. As if that wasn't enough, the breeders set about chopping off the tales and the owners get them castrated. Oh yes, this is what we do to our BEST FRIENDS!
There was a rather amusing anecdote about a well known TV personality who defended his reasons for angling on the grounds that fish were stupid. Justifying their stupidity on the fact that the same fish would get caught time and time again. To which the retort was, if that defines the fish as being stupid, what does it say of the angler who keeps catching the same fish time and time again?
I do not see myself as an animal rights advocate. And would not even classify myself as an animal lover.
I just have considerable respect for all our wild and domesticated fauna friends. And, when I am lucky enough, enjoy watching them doing their own thing in their own natural environment.
As for that "dead animal act", maybe in time and perhaps some more legislation, we will all learn to respect our wild fauna friends and just leave them alone.
(posted April 2007)
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