HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama says he won't just be a president for the American people, but the animals too.
"What about animal rights?" a woman shouted out during the candidate's town hall meeting outside Las Vegas Wednesday after he discussed issues that relate more to humans, like war, health care and the economy.
Obama responded that he cares about animal rights very much, "not only because I have a 9-year-old and 6-year-old who want a dog." He said he sponsored a bill to prevent horse slaughter in the Illinois state Senate and has been repeatedly endorsed by the Humane Society.
"I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other," he said. "And it's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals."
I find this really scary. Obama cares about animals so much he wants to prevent horse slaughter. This just shows how out of touch he is with animal agriculture in the US and he might be our next President. So, instead of allowing unwanted horses to be slauughtered he would rather see them slowly starve to death from neglect? Nice way to prevent cruelty Sen. Barack Obama.
Here is the thing that people don't seem to understand. I raise cattle and sell them to a feeder and eventually these animals will be slaughtered. I probably care more about animals and there proper care and treatment than 99% of the people in the Humane Society and Obama himself. I deal with animals every day feeding and caring for them worrying about their health and buying medicine to doctor their ills. These people who claim to care for animals but don't lay hands on them and work with them every day flat piss me off. I care for these animals more than I care for most humans and to tell me I am cruel to them is like slapping me in the face.
Obama really needs to clarify what he means here by "the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals." Exactly what cruelty is he speaking of that I perform to these animals? How am I abusing them. Loving, sweating and caring for them on a daily basis isn't enough for him? What is then? Sen. Barack Obama has insulted me to no end here and I want some clarification from him. Why is he attacking animal agriculture this way? What is his goal? The main cruelty performed to animals in the US is people not understanding the basic needs and motivations of animals trying to tell those of us who do understand them, how to raise and take care of the animals. I hate to tell them, but animals are not humans and ascribing human motivations and feeling to them doesn't work out real well. They don't think and feel the same way. I won't say they don't think and feel because they do, but their needs and motivations are different than humans and people need to remember that.
This attitude by Obama really scares me. He might be in touch with the popular movement, but he is not in touch with the reality of animal agriculture in the US. What will he do to animal agriculture if he is elected really worries me. I hope it worries you too.
Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia. Charles M. Schulz
I agree with every sentiment of your post. Animals don't have rights. Humane treatment is just that, not an assertion of rights. For example, I think being a good shot makes me a humane hunter.
Re-examine Obama's statement, I think you will find nothing directed at you or your trade. Only a statement couched in dangerous context. Understandably nerve wracking, but not directly threating.
I do find his statement and actions directed at me and my trade. By his actions to ban horse slaughter he is saying something to me. Something that is scary. By banning slaughter he is condemning many an animal, not all since a large number of owners will deal with the situation one way or another, to a cruel and unusual death from either starvation or neglect. If that is his idea of preventing cruelty, I want nothing of it.
Here's hoping Obama answers your call... but don't hold your breath. Never liked that rascally rabbit anyway.
I'm so glad that there are still real folks left in this country. We were forced out of the cattle business because the ground we leased was subdivided and...well, you get the picture.
We were poor and several times when my husband needed to put one of the horses down he hauled them over to the horse slaughter house. They allowed him to lead the horse in and be there until the end.
Probably sounds cruel to some, but he had peace of mind knowing that they did not suffer.