I love animals. I think they're pretty nice.
I've had pets, and some of my pets have either died or had to be put to sleep. It's not an easy thing to lose a pet. I firmly believe that people can come to love animals just as they come to love people. But, let's be real here - they are still animals. Their value is still second to that of humans in the grand scheme of things.
I think.
Let me get to my point here. Today, the 2006 Kentucy Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized. I, like millions of other people saw his tragic [and eventually fatal] injury at the 2006 Preakness in Baltimore. Doctors did amazing things to keep him alive and get him moving back to good health. Unfornately, this was not meant to be. This post is NOT intended to make light of Barbaro's death - I just want to put that out there!
This post is to look at what is important to us in death. What is the human perspective.
These are just some of the 4657 comments I found on MSN.com:
- Just know how much you were loved and how much you will be missed.
- We will continue to pray for his peace.
- Barbaro - Goodbye my hero.
- Barbaro has been an inspiration to many.
- a true american hero, who inspired people all over the world.
- Deepest sympathy to everyone trying to save this beautiful angel.
- your champions heart will live on in the memoriesof all of us who loved you
- To the beautiful baby, God rest you now.
- I will always remember him with admiration and love and deepest respect for his intelligence.
- May God give you rest my friend...you have been such an inspiration to so many of us...
- They could never have caught your spirit with which you ran, Nor the love you gave to your fans.
- You were a fighter and a winner.
- we are better for having experienced his tremendous courage and fight.
- Thanks for inspiring us all.
- Rest in peace my friend you are a true hero.
Like I said, I feel for the loss of an animal and I'm not knockin' the situation with Barbaro - I feel for his owners and his trainers and the doctors that tried to save him. But...
But...
But... BARBARO WAS A HORSE! He was a race horse. Bred to run, period. He didn't cure anything, he didn't design anything, he didn't DO anything except RUN. Okay, he ran very fast! I'll give him that. But all this mushy, tearful, end-of-the-world non-sense about being an INSPIRATION, a TRUE HERO, an AMERICAN HERO, a FRIEND, a BABY, an ANGEL, a FIGHTER?
My God people, lets try and keep our perspective here. BARBARO was a horse. That's all. Just a horse. Where is all this love and passionate outcry when our fellow man dies? When people are murdered, when children are starving? Where is all this love and compassion? Let's keep our perspective here people!!!
If the people that took the time to write these wonderful and flowery tributes to a DEAD HORSE took that same amount of time to E-Mail their Congressmen about: trying to stop the killing of human beings in Darfur; trying to stop the misguided plan of President Bush's Iraq strategy; trying to work hard to establish affordable healthcare in our country; trying to fix our social security program; trying to fight global warming; trying to help fight AIDS... if these people used their love of a DEAD HORSE and focused their perspective and their energies on their fellow living humans... oh, what a wonderful world this would be.
It just a horse people, that's all. Take that same passion and go ask a stranger, "How are you doing today?" See how you can make the world a little better for your fellow MAN.
I'm sure Barbaro is looking down from Horsey Heaven saying the same thing. (sort of)
TTBM
14 comments:
This tells you a lot about our society. People love animals more than people.
I wonder how many of those people boo-hooing over the death of a horse have shed any tears, physical or philosophical, over the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq?
I love animals. It nearly killed me when I had to have my dogs euthanized. This goes just a bit too far.
GF
Welcome BEAUTYINBALTIMORE!
A Sista's from my hometown!
It is pretty sad when an animal can garner this much over-the-top, and melodramatic love from folks that have never even met him or been a part of his life. I think a lot of these people are just band-wagoners and the rest have just too much free time!
Thank you for leaving a comment, I hope you drop some more!
GUNFIGHTER You and I know these people don't think our illegal invasion of Iraq was a bad thing. After all - they are just hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis - BARBARO won the darn KENTUCY DERBY!!!
Take care Brother.
Hello YOUNG MISS WILLIAMS and welcome to my humble little blog!
This whole Barbaro thing has me TRULY scratching my head!
Take care and please come back!
You're so right about this. I wondered if people love their animals more than they love themselves during Katrina and Rita when people refused to leave their homes without their animals. Now don't get me wrong, I love my kittens, and was sad when I had to have my dog euthanized, but I can't put an animal over my family or myself...ever.
It's sad when people will shed tears for a dead horse faster than they'll shed tears in rememberance of a man like Martin Luther King, Jr.
My goodness! I've been thinking the same damn thing! When I looked up on Monday at it was "BREAKING NEWS" I knew then, it was going to be a "week of tributes and reflections." For a horse!
I know what you're saying but I kinda have a different perspective. I just feel like there is just soooooooooooooo much ugly in the world that being sad about the life of an animal is kinda sweet. Shows that perhaps the sensitivity we think is missing...really exists and we've just become so jaded regarding "humans."
You said exactly what I've been thinking.
I agree with most of the comments. Uhm, I'm kind of a animal liker. I can be around them for awhile (if they're friendly), but them I'm happy to go home to my pet free house. I just don't see, value or love them as I do humans. Even though Creole's dogs are growing on me! *lol*
This reminds me of this PETA chick I dated before I got married. Well, I didn’t date her, after our conversation she was disqualified. She was ranting about how people need to die sooner so they ate fewer animals!
Nut job. I say PETA people are insane.
You're so right. People are spending $1000's of dollars on pets and cringe when you ask them to give to charity. Its really sad. People just have their heads messed up.
right on point man. I love animals too, but this is crazy
Hmmm, I guess I'm in the minority. I love animals, and I don't see why we can't love them as we love humans. What makes humans so special? There are PLENTY of humans that I'd kick to the side for the sake of an animal, lol. I'm not an extremist or anything, but everyone has a right to their own cause.
Thanks for the comments everyone-
I see we're all pretty much on the same page.
Hello, B.GOOD
I certainly agree that everyone has a right to their own cause, and I have no problem with people loving animals... heck- I've loved animals too! My first pet was a turtle named Fred that my Grand Father gave to me, I was about 6 when Fred died and I can tell you that I still remember balling up next to an armchair in my living room and crying my eyes out over that little green turtle. My issue has nothing to do with loving animals.
My gripe with this BARBARO thing is... lets keep things in perspective! He was a race horse that got injured and had to be put down.
-He was no "AMERICAN HERO" - Our brve men and women in Iraq are our AMERICAN HEROES!
-Barbaro didn't do anything inspirational, he broke his leg and got surgery, if folks need to glamorize that then there is a problem.
-People are talking about his "intelligence." I must have missed the post race interview with him! I certainly didn't read the article Barbaro wrote in Sports Illustrated!
-Folks "admire his bravery." Bravery? Bravery! I also must have missed him pushing his trainer away at the Preakness and telling him, "Back off! I can do this! Back off!"
Simply, I'm all for loving animals, but lets not uphold them higher than the greatness of the human spirit.
And you ask - "What makes humans so special?" JUST THE FACT THAT YOUR BRAIN CAN MAKE YOUR FINGERS TYPE THAT QUESTION, MAKES HUMANS SPECIAL.
Thanks for your comment B. GOOD.
Did all these people who agreed with you come from your family? Barbaro touched many peoples lives on so many levels and to make light of what he meant to so many is unkind. Thats what I love about animals they are never deliberately unkind. I pray for those who die in Iraq and their families and sending care packages to our service men and women. Our wedding anniversary was near Katrina and instead of a piece of jewelry my husband donated money to the Red Cross as well as the Salvation Army. I resent reading that those who love Barbaro care nothing for his fellow man.
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