Necessarily insensitive moment of the week: Barbaro, the champion racehorse who was euthanized yesterday, was only a racehorse. So let's get over it. Barbaro was a really fast racehorse, yes, but still just a racehorse and doesn't warrant the agony, grief and overwrought eulogies that suddenly emerged last night. I understand that an animal can tug at our heart strings like few other things in this world, but let's be careful here.
This is anthropomorphism of the worst kind. Are we speaking about an animal or a person? Do we know the difference? I've heard this animal described as brave and competitive, winsome and stouthearted, but he wasn't. He was bred and trained, rewarded and conditioned. Yet people easily overvalue an animal that has the appearance of essential human qualities while undervaluing actual human life.
I'm amazed that this country can glurge over the death of an injured racehorse and yet abort almost a million babies every year. How do we justify grieving the death of a horse and not the 13-day starvation of Terry Schiavo?
1 comment:
Jared,
I agree. I noticed the disproportionate grieving, too.
Thanks for your ability and willingness to put things in perspective.
mom
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