It's obvious when you think about it: Most conflict stems from the idea of "us vs. them." Our family vs. theirs. Our country vs. theirs. Our religion vs. theirs. Our species vs. theirs.
In the ranking of species, humans have conveniently put Homo sapiens not only at the top but also in its own category separate from the rest of the animal kingdom _ a ranking as inaccurate and arbitrary as declaring that men are more important than women or white people more important than people of color. Is the human race really separate from and above all the animal races? PETA doesn't think so, and that's why, in 2020 and beyond, we have our sights set on ending the toxic mindset known as "speciesism" _ prejudice or discrimination based on species.
If you've ever wondered how someone can be moved to tears by a news story about an abused dog yet think nothing of eating a bucket of chicken wings that caused multiple birds to suffer and die, that's speciesism.
It's speciesist to convince ourselves that we have the "right" to experiment on animals in laboratories because it might help humans. It's speciesist to tell ourselves that it's OK to eat ice cream made from cow's milk because our desire for the dessert outweighs a mother cow's need to care for her calf. That it's OK to steal sheep's wool for sweaters and scarves and to deny orcas their freedom for our "entertainment."
It may be convenient for humans to ignore animals' interests, but it's not right. Animals aren't objects for us to use; they're individuals, just like us. When we look into an animal's eyes, there's someone _ not something _ looking back at us. Someone who feels hunger, thirst, pain, fear, joy and love and who makes decisions, has preferences, overcomes challenges and uses language (even though we may not be able to understand it).
Anyone who has carefully observed animals knows this is true. Think of the clever sheep in the U.K. who learned that they could cross hoof-proof cattle grids by lying on their sides or backs and simply rolling over them. Their reward was tasty flowers and vegetables in neighboring gardens. Think of the octopuses who _ though colorblind themselves _ can, within a split second, elude capture by "becoming" part of the sandy ocean floor, or the pearlfish who use oyster shells as speakers to help amplify the volume of their communications. Think of the elephants who mourn their dead, the female orcas who stay with their families for life, the puffins who use sticks to scratch their backs and the rats who willingly put themselves in harm's way to save others.
These other animals aren't just like us: They are us.
So how do we end speciesism in our own lives? We can start by valuing other animals as individuals, not for the ways they can be exploited. And then we must act, by rejecting anything that causes harm to other living beings. It can be as simple as choosing personal care and household products that aren't tested on animals; leaving animal-derived foods off our plates; buying sustainable vegan clothing instead of items made from wool, leather, reptile skin or feathers; shunning SeaWorld, roadside zoos and other facilities that imprison animals for entertainment; and always referring to animals as "he" or "she" instead of "it" (the same pronoun you'd use for a sofa or table).
PETA's vision for 2020 is that we all break free of our prejudices and see ourselves in everyone else _ animals included. Are you ready? Visit PETA.org to find out how you can end speciesism in your own life.
