What makes us Homo-Sapiens, human? How are
we different from the rest of the animal kingdom? Universally, it’s when and
how we draw the line between our animal instincts and being compassionate is
what sets us apart. So says the books, but are we actually humane?
Of late, the Yulin lychee and dog meat
festival held in the Guangxi province, China has been making news for all the
wrong reasons. Over 10000 dogs are brutally killed to satiate the Chinese in
this festival annually for their meat which is believed to ward off heat during
the summer solstice. Though traditionally eating dog meat has existed for
thousands of years in china, this festival started around 2009 in June when the
dog meats are relished & washed down with copious amount of liquor for 10
days. Such is the atrocity of the trade that even pet dogs aren’t spared; they
are abducted and then killed along with the others without a hint of mercy.
Many videos shot in the market show the dogs crammed in tiny cages which are
then barbarically beaten, prodded with rods, torched, skinned alive and
slaughtered. The videos are unbelievably haunting and disturbing. Though many
animal activists have been continuously opposing the killings, there has been
no end to it. The Chinese meat lovers fail to be reasoned with and continue to
shower the blows on those wonderful creatures.
So then do we actually deserve to
be called humans after the many inhumane acts imposed on the fellow occupants
of this planet? Why do we fail every day to harmoniously co-exist with our own
species as well as the other species? Despite our IQ being much higher than the
other animals we are at crossroads when being at peace. This Chinese festival adds
a whole new dimension of human beings not only being callous but also barbaric.
Different parts of the world witnesses various such similar acts and yet the
rest of the world doesn’t get together to stop those slaughters. This questions
the entire evolution. As much as we have rights to live freely, so do the
animals even if the case is them not being on par with us in terms of
intelligence. They deserve to live on their own terms and this planet is much
as theirs as it is ours. We sure are capable of loving one another and helping
each other, then why not extend the same courtesy to the animals? The Yulin
festival which is downright sickening needs to stop, so do the many other
festivals and occasions for which animals are ruthlessly killed in large numbers.
It is up to us to stick together to protect and fight for the gentle beings. Just
being called ‘Human’ doesn’t make us any different from the animals, being one
in and out is what would make a difference for the better.
