Author: Souran Bakhshzad

We are exploiting animals in a way that Spanish Empire exploited Cuba’s inhabitants hundreds of years ago. They went to their habitat, they used their island as a slave house to just farm tobacco.

Discovering Cuba for the first time, Columbus told king and queen that “they make good slaves”, as he indicated by usiung “They” were Cuban natives, “They” were not developed as Spanish and British people were. “They” did not know their language. “They” were defenseless against developed military equipment that Spanish Empire possessed. If a British citizen would ask the King and Queen that if what they are doing to those humans was fair, they would have said, “They” are not Spanish and not beneficial to the world so let’s use them as slaves and exploit them, but you know what? “They” were innocent. “They” were just living their lives before no one knew they existed. “They” could not speak English or Spanish but they could speak with the language of love instead of slavery and death. “They” had families. “They” had their own lives. “They” enjoyed their lives the way they were, and this was none of anyone’s business if they lived different lives, it does not give us an excuse to exploit them. “They” felt pain. “They” could live… “TheyT could live without having to serve to us.

What do you think? Isn’t it true that since they were not useful for the world like the Spanish and British were, so they should have been exploited by the one in power? Don’t you think they did the right thing to do? Not at all. Can you imagine how nonsensical this excuse is?

You and I will not even argue with that because all sane adults in the 21st century know that slavery was an action of unfairness, exploitation, abuse of power, and violence. Furthermore, it will not be acceptable in any way if someone tries to buy or sell a person, a human being.

Can you imagine how unfair The Spanish Empire and Britain had behaved to not only Cuban natives, but also to Africans, about 14 million of whom were sent to Cuba for the sake of slavery to death? None of slaveowners ever accepted that their actions were nothing but abuse of power and unfairness. They had their excuses. They would have argued with people who were against slavery.  Not only because of what those anti-slavery people believed would have stopped them from benefiting from other defenseless human beings, but also because they felt judged by them when they were questioning slavery. Slaveowners would have called them annoying for sure.

Let me tell you a shocking fact: one day and in another century, there will be a generation who will call you unfair. A generation who will call your behavior an act of exploitation, abuse of power, unfairness, violence, and not acceptable in any way in their own time.

What actions? Capturing animals in a slaughterhouse and feeding them to be fat enough to be sold and feed you by their lives. Taking their children from them. killing a group of them to eat them and keeping the others in prisons called a zoo.

You may say that “They make good food” in the same manner that Columbus said “They make good slaves”. “They” are not developed or smart as we are. “They” do not know our language, and we do not know theirs. “They”, in some cases, have their own families. “They” have their own lives. “They” enjoy their lives the way they are and that is none of our  business if they do not live in an apartment as we do. “They” are defenseless against humans’ knives and guns. “They” are innocent. “They” can have their own life if we do not take it. “They” can live without having to serve to us.

What do you want to tell me? They are not human? The same way that some Spanish people would have said to someone who was against slavery “but they are not Spanish”.

When I tell you it is not the right thing to do, would you feel angry because I am asking you to cut off your pleasure? Would you feel like you are being judged by me? Let me answer the last question: You are being judged unless after reading this text, you start thinking of your lifestyle and decisions which affect the other living creatures’ lives, unless you start questioning your reasoning when it comes to cutting off your pleasure for the sake of other living creatures who wants to live as you want to live, unless you choose saving lives instead of taking them, and of course unless you have a special health condition.

You will be judged not only by me, but also by the next generation if still after reading this text you are willing to take your phone and order a dead cow (cheeseburger) from your favorite restaurant.

Yes, you will be judged not only by me, but also by future generations who will call your actions an abuse of power the same way we call the slavery an abuse of power nowadays.

And let me remind you, now you also know that there is no difference between you and slave owners hundreds of years ago. You just found a new and fancy way to exploit other living creatures. You might say that plants are also alive and so should not be eaten.

Plants and animals both are alive and both feel pain, but why don’t you save at least one of them? Then you will coexist with one of them at least. Science has proven that you can live without any animal source of food, so why don’t you just try to let one of these two groups (animals and plants) live their own lives without you killing them? Let me finish it with my last question, which one do you want to choose: taking life or saving it?

References

Christiansen k. & Dedio F. (Directors) & Bouchehri R. & Louis-David & Delahaye & Rasch B. & Zatulkina O. (Producers). (2016). The Cuba Libre Story [Motion picture]. France & Germany: LOOKSfilm.