Monday, January 9, 2012

Care Ethics, Animal Rights, and the Logic Behind


I was reading Love in the Time of Cholera this morning and I encountered this phrase describing how the character Dr. Juvenal Urbino carried a certain feeling of hatred for animals.

"He said that people who loved them to excess were capable of the worst cruelties toward human beings. He said that dogs were not loyal but servile, that cats were opportunists and traitors, that peacocks were heralds of death, that macaws were simply decorative annoyances, that rabbits fomented greed, that monkeys carried the fever of lust, and that roosters were damned because they had been complicit in the three denials of Christ."


SOURCE: http://costumeshred.com/category/dog-costumes/
The line which said "people who loved them to excess were capable of the worst cruelties toward human beings," struck me the most because I happen to hold the same belief. I am not an animal lover, but I am not exactly a hater. I just cannot reconcile why people have to spend thousands for their pets or parade naked on the streets for veganism when they can do something more important–to care for millions of impoverished kids who have no choice but to endure hunger, pain, and cold.


Of course, I am aware that animals are living beings too and that they should be treated with utmost kindness. I also respect how the creation account in the Bible mentioned that humans should be the stewards of everything God created on earth, including animals. However, I think there are a lot of people these days who got confused with the real context of their "role." It seems that the care ethics they practice for animals is no longer rational.


For instance, Americans spend over $41 billion annually for their pets. That amount is higher than the gross domestic product of most countries in the world, and is even expected to go higher in the coming years despite the global economic instability. The worst part is that most of the money was burnt on foolish and unnecessary things like Neuticles–a pair of patented testicular implant that cost $919. The inventor claimed that this allow "people to restore their pets to anatomical preciseness," and also let pets retain their natural look and self-esteem.


However, it is obvious that there is something wrong with the scenario. Pets cannot talk and even if they could, I don’t think they would want to have such an artificial body part installed because that is not necessary for their survival and is not even useful for their reproduction. According to psychology experts, this is problematic because most humans want to reward their beloved animals in human terms which is something that is already unnecessary. Several studies made it clear that men have “moral obligations only to animals which are proximate, open to caring completion, and capable of reciprocity.” That is why it is okay to care for a stray cat that shows up at the yard or treat wounded birds that had been attacked, but man is under no obligation to practice veganism or provide shelter for animals that are better off in the wild.


SOURCE:http://www.good.is/post/good-books-read-up-on-animal-rights/
 A study titled “Care ethics and Animal Welfare” had a similar argument which states that “the human obligation to care for non-human animals is limited by the degree to which non-human animals are dependent upon humans" (Engster, 2006.) Logically, this shows that the obligation to care is rooted in dependency. Why would men need to care for animals that can survive on their own and attain happier lives by being free? The study further postulates that veganism or vegetarianism is also not required for as long as animals manage to complete their maturity without being abused, and for as long as they are humanely slaughtered.


Certainly, I have nothing against those empty nesters and single professionals that try to divert their attention and affection to pets as their companion. I just hope that they will manage to find the balance between caring for animals and being concerned of other people’s needs. No matter how we put it, the lives of human beings are still more important than that of animals. It is better to provide food, clothing, and shelter to victims of calamities and famines especially those that belong to third-world nations than to buy unreasonably expensive animal clothing and accessories for pets. This, however, does not mean that animal abuse and mindless slaughtering will be encouraged. Protecting animal rights is still a vital player in the society, but knowing the appropriate role of stewardship toward them is a must. Men will always be the “caretakers” of the earth where the Bible obliged them to provide the needs of animals and avoid cruel acts.


Sources:
http://www.gotquestions.org/animal-rights.html
http://www.iep.utm.edu/care-eth/#H9
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_32/b4045001.htm

Monday, January 2, 2012

From Running to Teaching: The Burning Passion of Elma Muros

Asia's fastest woman -- Elma Muros-Posadas -- had already stopped from running on the track, but she has not abandoned the passion for the sport just yet.

The 43-year-old track superstar's career thrived in the 1990s where she began to bag countless awards and collect magnanimous titles from various prestigious events all around the globe.

For one, she was awarded as the "Athlete of the Year" after the 1996 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games not only by one but two athletic institutions known as the Sports Communication Organization of the Philippines or SCOOP and the Philippines Sports Writers' Association or PSA.

Muros, who was dubbed as the 'Iron Woman' of the Philippines, also seized the legendary epithet of "SEA Games Heptathlon Queen" subsequent to her control of the heptathlon in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games. The swift Filipina sprinter and long jumper hurdled her way to success as she won a total of 15 Southeast Asian gold medals and many other more awards including a bronze medal from a 400-meter hurdle in the 1990 Beijing Asiad and another Bronze in the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad Long Jump. But for the retired trackster, her sweetest triumph was the Century Dash that she won in the December 1996 SEA Games in Thailand.


SOURCE: http://pinoymiler.wordpress.com

Running

 
"Good things come slow - especially in distance running."
          
 - Bill Dellinger, Oregon coach
Elma did not traverse in a smooth and easy path. She struggled hard and fell down many times before she was able to pick herself up and continue the run. During the height of her sports career, Elma experienced being demoralized by intrigues that hounded her career for quite some time. Even though she is a real winner in life, Elma did not take home all the golds that she fought for. She experienced being just a second-best and for some instances, she even ended up losing.

Despite all of those challenges, plus the fact that she belonged to an impoverished family, Elma still managed to keep herself whole and her confidence intact. She proved that Filipino athletes are born to be tacticians. Whatever they may lack physically and logistically, they make up with their speed, force and tenacity. They finish every fight magnanimously and maintains their grace while striving for focus and precision in their every move. Also, it is common among Filipino athletes to get their strength and inspiration from their families and loved ones.

With the case of Elma, her father played a big part in her run toward success. During the low points of her career, Elma's father gave words that motivated her to trust in her abilities and be patient in waiting for her moment of success. She remembered her father saying in Filipino, "It's not yet too late. What goes around comes around so just wait for your moment on top."

Those words that showed fatherly love appeared as a prophetic statement because Elma Muros truly achieved her place on top and managed to maintain that spot even until now that she has retired.


SOURCE: http://survivormuch.com
 Teaching

"I am willing to teach those who want to learn, because I would hate to see them waste their talents."
       
- Elma Muros

In January 2002, Elma Muros concluded her sports career. As she retires, she also closed one of the most celebrated chapters in Philippines sports.

After bringing home countless awards and immeasurable honor for the Philippines, Elma has decided to slow down in her journey and divert more of her time and energy for her family. Elma was married to Coach George Posadas and they were blessed with two children. The elder is Clarisse Yvonne, who acquired the athletic genes of her parents, and Georger Jr. who has just turned 7 years old.

Back in 2002, the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Go Teng Ko announced Elma's retirement. He said that their emotions clashed as they all felt both happy and sad by Elma's decision. They were saddened because they will surely miss Elma and her amazing humility despite her huge success. On the other hand, they also felt happy because they became part of her glorious life and career at the least. The joy and honor that she had brought them were incomparable as well. As the group moved on from Elma's retirement, they shared with the Iron Woman's new goal in life -- to train more young and promising tracksters.

Presently, Elma and her husband are coach athletics at Brent School in Laguna and at Jose Rizal University. Now that she is living a quiet life as a mentor, Elma is far from the intrigues that she struggled through during her career as an athlete. Even though she seems contented with her new advocacy, Elma admitted in some interviews that she still misses those times when the entire country adored her and thanked her for all the pride that she has brought home to the Philippines.

What the public might not be aware of is that Elma remained loyal and patriotic to her nation even as she stopped competing internationally. As she retired, Elma turned down an offer from another country for her to coach at a school abroad. Because she loves the Philippines, she opted to teach and train young Filipino athletes than to gain better financial rewards.

Obviously, she has not put off the fire of the torch; Elma simply passed the flame to the young others who share the same passion for running and winning.

*This is an unpublished article I submitted as a requirement for my SportsJrn class in my senior year as a Journalism student.