I suddenly realized what this blog is about.
It is not about attacking Boks, Animal Services, County, Pierce, Carolina Biological, or defending Mason, or ADL or ALF or anyone else.
This blog is a mirror. I am showing us ourselves. I am showing what “they” are doing to animals and they are also doing it to themselves, for the brutality they commit on them is within them as much as directed outwards.
I am also showing us, and how impotent and cowardly we are, mostly for fear of them in uniforms hurting our animals. We think if we are a raised nail, we will get pounded down.
We have been cowardly, divided and fearful. This is what we are.
I have hoped by showing the horror of what is happening to our animals and the animals, that we might grow united despite our fears, and make positive change.
ALF might take up arms against the animal destroyers and ADL picket Boks, and some political types work behind the scenes trying to get things done, but we all know that change is not happening fast enough. At this rate it will be hundreds of years that killing animals will be viewed as o.k.
Are you willing to allow this to continue?
Who are the real “enemies?” Animal Services and a GM that can’t get to no kill? Mayeda who hasn’t a clue? Cruel shelter workers? Huntington Laboratories, Carolina Biological, Villaraigosa?
Of course the real enemy is the absence of heart, or a living connection between people with each other and animals. This cannot be legislated or taught, in fact culture teaches us against it, and the ugliness of everyday life detroys it.
But bad actions can be legislated against, bad politicians fired, cruel shelter workers jailed, incompetent managers shown the door.
This is a matter of heart and the LA animal community needs to get its act together.
I appeal to you to organize.
Don’t leave it to me, just meet with others groups even though you have no time or energy left because you are tending after your own and you fear for your own.
Remember, unless we get together now, “they” will come after us one by one, just as Mason was attacked. Also, there are really evil people out there that Animal Services, the ACTF, ASPCLA really do protect us from. Boks is not evil, just narcissistic and wants to be admired. At times he does a lot for animals such as going over budget in areas where it matters and getting five new veterinarians for Animal Services. Mayeda, on the other hand, is a complete fraud.
I don’t think it so much there are evil corporations or agencies, but there are evil and corrupt people who use organizations for their own ends, or average people that sometimes do evil things.
We have to expose evil and have the public and each other vomit seeing the horror and not just sink into apathy or depression. It is everywhere. Corruption is everywhere. Inhumanity is everywhere and exposing it is a beginning.
It is time to wake up. It is time to feel the pain again of perceiving that inhumanity and cruelty and doing something about it. Don’t run from the pain. Don’t run out of fear for your animals. You can still act, just be clever about it.
Help others with animals that need help. If you see someone with too many cats, take part of that burden on yourself. Don’t just lecture, help. The same with Animal Services; do good, do no harm. There was no reason to come down on Mason instead of helping him.
Boswell never helped, they only demanded that he do things beyond his capability. They never helped. Ed needed a PR event and he failed Mason and exposed who he was. Briefly we all saw that he was and he knew we all saw what he was.
Go to Charlotte Laws' events, Sorentino’s events, see Nathan when he comes here, organize against Villaraigosa, see if Hertzberg wants to run against Tony. Just begin to act in a larger way beyonf feeding, speutering and giving care to animals. Face the horror, face the huge need for chnage, and begin acting.
This is what this blog is about.
See too my sister blogs, especially http://lacdacc.blogspot.com. They are serving as another mirror. This is bigger than just a war; evil, cruelty and war are symptoms of something deeper and this needs to be exposed—all of it, from LAAS, to County, to Pierce, Carolina Biological, Huntington Labs, all of it. And we need to see in ourselves why we abide with this and do nothing.
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13 comments:
Oh, I NEVER thought this blog was about the animals; it's all about you, your feelings, your dreams, your confusion, your ignorance, your anger and your hating.
That too. We are all mirrors for each other. What are you?
What I would love to see in this mirror would be compassion and love for your fellow man first; and the thousands dying of starvation and dehydration daily in Africa, and the Indian ocean disaster zone. MAN brought sin into the world, and so yes, we NEED to consume animals to survive. You cannot create heaven on earth, only God can, and he will someday. But the dying of hundreds of thousands of HUMANS from starvation should point out t you where you need to start. Form groups to feed the needy; to provide healthcare for children, and oh so many other needs of humans.
Why do humans come first?
My background is Buddhism. Though many are slackers, one of the Buddhist four vows is, "Sentient Beings are numberless, I vow to save them."
Humans and animals share the same life; they are sentient, feeling, experiencing beings sharing the same Consciousness and with all the characteristics of umans.
Saving does not mean saving for eating.
What makes you think we "NEED" to consume animals? If we so needed vegetarians would be extinct.
Shapiro purportedly is of the opinion that people starve in India because they don't eat cows.
If Indians ate cows, all the cows would be gone in two years and they would be starving again.
India has made a choice between spiritual progression and eatig meat. So have I and millions and millions of other people. I once ate meat and once I stopped, my guilt about eating animals dissolved.
Also, you assume because we care about animals we do not care about people or help people. For some who love animals this is true; for many it is not.
In any event, I think the proper role for humanity is to be a shepherd wisely managing and preserving all life not for our ends, but for the good of all beings. The shepherd protects, advises, manages; he does not destroy.
There are many of us that are not cowardly and fearful and we are speaking out and working everyday to stop the influx of animals into our shelters. Organize??? Not a chance. Just look at your blog and the answer is there. Anyone more experienced than you and anyone who disagrees with you is belittled and degraded. Would you want to associate with someone like that? Would this sort of person be effective in dealing with people who may not love animals like we do? I don't want this sort of person on my team. Those capable of understanding the problem and dealing with it already are - quietly. The numbers going down throughout the years is a result of these quiet, informed people, the very people you put down in your blog. Remember that a mirror has two sides, one for clear viewing and the other for a blank nothingness. Which side are you looking at? Social change takes time, it doesn't happen overnight. Rushing a change only results in more animals suffering. Not only does the people have to change, but animal control has to have what is necessary to implement that change. The failure of Philly had a lot to do with moving too fast and not having what it took to do the job. This problem was not created overnight and a social change to solve the problem will not happen in a short span of time. The first step to "organize" is to show respect for other beliefs and opinions. The second step is to research the subject with an open mind. No one will want to cooperate if there is nothing awaiting but condemnation if it is tried and fails. Such is the case of Philly. Rather than going in and learning where the mistakes are, the highly paid consultant chooses to condemn, turning off the people who tried to make it work. The next time a Philly Alderman is asked to help the animals, will they be eager to do so considering the condemnation they have suffered whether earned or not? A much smarter move would be to have offered help and gain the respect of the powers that be. Too late now, the damage is done. Think about this the next time you want to go off on someone who has taken the time to respond to your blog. Whether they agree with you or not, they obviously want to help or they would not take their time to write. Your responses on this blog toward these people are enough to answer your questions as to why there will not be organization.
>>>animal control has to have what is necessary to implement that change.<<<
WTF? You have GOT to be kidding! I would love to hear what is necessary to stop their ACO's from filing falsified reports. I would love to hear what is necessary to stop their investigators from PURPOSELY WAITING until evidence is destroyed before they arrive to investigate. I would love to hear what is necessary to eliminate a conflict of interest where an ACO runs a private beef operation on a campus that is subject to the same animal cruelty laws as the rest of the state. All of it being done with public funds, and you dare to state that they "have to have what is necessary"? Oh, I'm all ears, pal!
Your argument that someone who fights for the health and welfare of animals automatically equals disregard for any other issue you choose is pathetic. So if I start a blog for the elderly that must mean that I hate babies, right? Maybe next time you can manage to have something intelligent to say.
>>>MAN brought sin into the world, and so yes, we NEED to consume animals to survive.<<<
Somebody needs to read their Bible again. Until that happens, go ahead and continue your idea of salvation as your excuse for your own hipocracy.
"MAN brought sin into the world, and so yes, we NEED to consume animals to survive."
I have no idea what you are talking about. The logic makes no sense. What has sin to do with consuming animals? Are the sinful required to kill to live?
"Somebody needs to read their Bible again."
What the hell are you talking about? Since when does your interpretation of the Bible have any credibility?
"Until that happens, go ahead and continue your idea of salvation as your excuse for your own hipocracy."
What does "salvation" have to do with eating animals or skinning them?
Where is "Thou shalt eat and skin animals?"
And, your science and proof is found in the Bible? How quaint.
>>>What does "salvation" have to do with eating animals or skinning them?<<<
Allow me to clarify. Those who belive that they are "saved" tend to commit any hipocracy they see fit. Including eating and skinning animals. Why? Because they "believe" therefore whatever they do is "fogivable". Get it?
>>>What the hell are you talking about? Since when does your interpretation of the Bible have any credibility?<<<
That was my point. Sorry you missed it.
To Anon of July 17th. You must take lessons from Ed with your reasoning. I do believe many of your statements have yet to be proved, just allegations at this point. And what was meant is adequate shelters, budgets, better salaries to attract better people to ACO positions, etc. Philly is the case in point taking on a program that they did not have the ability to do with their resources. I know you would find it very hard to understand any of this but please try.
>>>And what was meant is adequate shelters, budgets, better salaries to attract better people to ACO positions, etc.<<<
Of course it is! How could you possibly answer the actual question? They're corrupt because they don't get paid enough money. That's the answer! I'm so relieved! Please do continue to enlighten us because I couldn't make this crap up if I tried. It's best that it comes straight from your mouth as an LA ACO and all...
"Remember, unless we get together now, “they” will come after us one by one, just as Mason was attacked."
I found from experience that these types of pleas do not work. Everyone just hid in a corner saying things like, "not MY babies!" I was told by the ones who had tried it before that not enough people would come together. Then, there were those who stooped to a new low in the "not MY babies!" game by pointing their fingers at others in return for not having their own animals raided. All this has served to do is create warring factions in the rescue arena.
Yes, they will come after us one by one. You raid one rescue and some of those animals go to the remaining rescues (or not). The same thing happens with the next raid, and so on. Rescuers drop out of rescue. And, unbelievably, rescuers begin taking all their animals to the shelter voluntarily so their home will not be torn apart during a raid and so they will not be prosecuted.
Animal rescue is itself a mirror of humanity. It encompasses the people who actually care and are capable, people who get in over their heads and just need help, people who are in it for the glory of seeing their face in the paper or on youtube, and people who are in it for the money they can wring out of cases of varying notoriety.
Animal rescue and animal welfare are full of people who don't care about the animals and some who actively hate the animals. It is a safe haven for the pretenders who have attained those positions because they learned how to exploit the compassion and hope of people who are not informed enough to know the difference. These hypocrits have lied to us, covered things up, lined their pockets and put a lot of effort into making themselves look good. Every bit of this has been at the expense of the animals they purport to be "saving." These are the people who are using animals for profit of one kind or another, and each one of them is as guilty as Michael Vick.
As far as exposing evil is concerned, that has been done here, but everyone has just looked the other way. They choose to take it as a personal attack that a buddy of theirs is involved in a cover-up or cruelty, as though it somehow degrades them to be associated with someone who is doing something bad. As far as that mirror is concerned, there are many who are selective in what they want to see when they look into it. Again, at the expense of the animals they purport to be saving.
Mr. Muzika, you are asking people to do a very painful thing, to look inside themselves and change what they don't like to see. This has to happen on an individual basis before it can happen in a group. The same people who are unwilling to endure that kind of pain, apparently have no problem telling the animals what kind of pain they must endure. I can see from most of the comments made here that organization is a far-off dream.
The comment by one I assume to be a rescuer disturbs me the most, but it does reveal much of what is wrong in rescue politics. Even so, the statement that demanding quick change can hurt the animals is borne out in reality. If you threaten sudden or drastic action, say, to get rid of a shelter director, the kill rate can start rising, or they can start giving animals away for free, or both, or animals' classifications can change, all in an effort to try and make the numbers look good again. Some people just don't want to be slaves to the mirror no matter how many animals die.
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