Animal Rights

[GGT]

There's a new CNN film called Blackfish. Reminded me of "Free Willy".

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/us/cnn-f...iref=allsearch

I've only seen parts of it, but it's a good way to expand the dialogue about animals in captivity, zoos, aquariums....for entertainment, educational, and economic purposes.

To be honest, I feel conflicted about the whole thing. Always have been, even as a little girl going to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, seeing animals caged behind bars, pens, enclosures. Educational, of course, but also entertaining -- they sold warm nuts and popcorn that we could share with the animals. I've got old photos of my sisters and I petting skunks (whose skunk glands had been surgically removed).

I was an adult when I visited Sea World. It was both exhilarating and depressing. The floppy dorsal fins of the majestic Orca.....performing "trained acts" for a human audience.....splashing water on cue with the DJ's script....

Since most people can't afford to watch animals in their natural environment, zoos and aquariums serve a good purpose. But they can also be bad, so bad that Animal Rights trump any human want, need, intent.

What do you think?

[Hazir]

Hmmm... I think I wouldn't go as far as advocate 'animal rights', I'd be in favor of rules against cruelty against animals.