Before we paint all animal rights activists with a broad brush, it should be pointed out that Frank Albrecht's suggestion has met with opposition from other animal rights groups in Germany. Albrecht would actually have a point if this animal was to be released into the wild...no, it would probably not survive. The Berlin Zoo can use the bear as breeding stock in the future and actually benefit the dwindling polar bear population, however. Albrecht is clearly not seeing the whole picture.

Neither is this thread, as titled and presented, however. Yes, the animal rights umbrella does include some exceptionally wacky extremists, but it also includes animal cruelty laws that give you legal recourse if someone shoots your dog and protections for endangered species (neither of which existed before the historical equivalent of animal rights activists campaigned for them).

Mike

Not sure if that's attributable to a lack of protein or something (though I DO get plenty of protein from non-meat sources), however. Maybe I'm just somewhat sickly. :/

That's another reason for me to avoid fish. My dad is deathly allergic to seafood. I dunno if stuff like that is hereditary, though.



Now see, I can't stand the scent either way. When we went to England, at one point everyone else went out for fish and chips and brought 'em into the apartment. The smell was simply nauseating. (I respect the fact that some people enjoy fish, of course; I just don't particularly like being around 'em when they're eating it!)

As for health issues and stuff, I've always been tall and skinny. I've evened out a bit recently, but I'm still slender (about 5'4" and about 111 pounds). The weight can be attributed to having a really fast metabolism. (This was inherited from my dad.) However, I also have a tendency to get sick a lot, though I might just be a hypochondriac or something. (Not deathly ill, just unpleasantly ill.) Not sure if that's attributable to a lack of protein or something (though I DO get plenty of protein from non-meat sources), however. Maybe I'm just somewhat sickly. :/

Anyway, toastpaint.

Hi Guys and I are going on some sort of adventure to save the bear. I'm his wisecracking, incompetent sidekick! ^^

Also...



There, fixed. Please start using proper spelling and grammar, typing like you do will earn you no respect here. Also, you can't go to jail for being a jerk. (If you could, I'd prolly be incarcerated.)

why cant send them too jial ?

(Also, lol @ Mandy using a comma splice within the same sentence in which she was talking about proper grammar.)

Bwave, the stuff you're talking about is already illegal; there's not much more animal rights activists can do about it. Animal cruelty laws are already in place and carry stiffer sentences than many of you might imagine. As I mentioned above, they are the results of successful activism.

Again, folks, be careful characterizing an entire group by its lunatic fringe. Some of you are pro-life; is it be fair for the entire movement to be characterized as crazy -- as it sometimes is -- because certain extremists like to murder doctors?

Mike

Heh, oddly enough, I, a proud grammar nazi, completely missed that. It's far from the worst comma splice I've seen, though.

The Animal's Bill of Rights!

1. You have the right to be eaten by a human.

2. You have the right to be skinned by a human and worn as clothing.

3. You have the right to have medical experiments done on you.

Perfect.
Let's stick that in the bible, too.

After all, we are nothing more than advanced animals.

I disagree. We may be advanced animals, but I don't think that makes us NOTHING MORE than that. I think that the fact we are even discussing such a thing proves that we are much more than merely advanced animals: we have a concept of right that, to the best of our understanding, no other species has attained yet. Add to that the moral responsibility to preserve those rights, and you have to almost conclude that we are much more than mere advanced animals.

Although we can observe the actions of animals, we cannot assume their behaviors are based on the same motives and emotions as our own. Some animals spend a great deal time caring for and nurturing their young; others simply pause long enough to give birth (or lay eggs) and continue on their way. Some animals will protect their young at the risk of their own lives; others will consume their own offspring if food is in short supply. Even when an animal does exhibit a seemingly human-like behavior [...], we cannot know whether the animal was truly motivated by an emotion such as love, whether it made a conscious choice to sacrifice its life, or whether it was merely acting out of instinct.

In particular, what we may see as morals in animals may simply be an evolved behavior that is most effective in ensuring the survival of the species. This would explain why such behavior varies wildly from species to species.