Service Learning Project at Serenity Springs

After becoming a vegetarian this year, I was very excited to hear about Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary. I was eager to learn more about the organization the day that the sanctuary was mentioned in class. After class, I immediately got on my computer, checked out their website, and emailed the lady who runs the sanctuary. A few days later, on Saturday April 23rd, we were there. "We" being me, as well as 2 other students from class, and 2 other friends of mine. We left Denton around 10:30 am, and arrived at serenity springs around 11:45 am. I had decided my objective was "to expose myself to the life that free animals can have, to fully understand the capability for love to be shown to all types of animals, to distinguish further how I believe animals should be treated (as property, or persons?), to learn to take active part in things that I believe in, and to apply these principles to other objectives in my life." The trip to the sanctuary was extremely impacting, and I believe my objective has been achieved: I can't wait to return to Serenity Springs to volunteer again.

The tour of the property was amazing. I had never seen pigs like these before. Potbellied pigs are so adorable! I didn't even know there were so many kinds of pigs! They all had such unique personalities. One of the most memorable moments of the tour, was when Terry got a pig to sit for a cookie. Just like a dog! Pigs can be trained to do tricks?! To my surprise, pigs are extremely intelligent. This memory is now a staple of my vegetarianism. I can't believe I used to eat pigs! Terry said that they are as smart as 2 year olds! I like how Mason and Finelli state in "Brave New Farm?", "The animal factory pulls our society one long, dark step backward from the desirable goal of a sane ethical relationship with the natural world and our fellow inhabitants"(159). Serenity springs animal sanctuary is a small way of stepping forward. I believe that Terry has an ethical relationship with the abused animals, and have decided that this is my view of where our relationship with animals should stand. If we can do anything to stop torture to our fellow earthlings, we should help them because we, ourselves, would want to be helped.

Francione might argue that Serenity Springs is still keeping the animals as property, but at the same time, I argue that Serenity Springs is healing the animals and working towards their recovery. Saving, rather than killing the animals. This is recognizing a very important component of Francione's argument. "Although there may be many differences between humans and animals, there is at least one important similarity that we all already recognize: our shared capacity to suffer. In this sense, humans and animals are similar to each other and different from everything else in the universe that is not sentient"(121 Property or Persons). This was very clearly illustrated to me when we were on our tour, and one of the potbellied pigs got one of his tusks stuck in the fence. His wailing, screaming, crying... is something that I can still remember very vividly. The sound made me want to cry, to help, to do something to stop the pig's pain. Clearly, it was hurting him very badly. He was trying to escape from the fence, but no matter how much he pulled it just pulled more on his tusk and hurt him even more. Terry took her clippers and went to the rescue. The pig managed to break free right before she could get to him. Another eye opening moment for me. Wow. Pigs really do cry. Pigs really do feel pain... just like we do. I felt like this should have been obvious. They are animals. Why could I never fully see them as sentient before? "Animals are self aware and have interest in their lives" Francione states. Just like we do. Peter Singer agrees in "All Animals are Equal", "If a being suffers, there can be no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration. No matter what the nature of the being, the principle of equality requires that it's suffering be counted equally with the like suffering... of any other being. If a being is not capable of suffering, or of experiencing enjoyment or happiness, there is nothing to be taken into account"(163). (Francione also discusses the principle of equal consideration in his argument). As well as the suffering component, I don't think that anyone on the trip to Serenity Springs could have denied the happiness expressed by the pigs when being fed, or when simply lying, or rolling around happily in the mud. As Singer believes, We should not discriminate animals by choosing some to love, and others to abuse. We have to stop eating meat and supporting these industries. Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary is a vegetarian organization.

Helping out was definitely one of the best parts of the trip. We raked up leaves in her yard, and helped to feed the animals. It was nice to just be able to do something for Terry, because she spends all of her time caring for the animals, as if they were all her own children. She has made financial sacrifices, something that many people would not do, in order to save the lives of abused farm animals. I was happy to be able to give her a donation at the end of the day, which Terry mentioned will be used to help pay for veterinary care. As a part of my objective, to learn to take an active part in the things that I believe in, I also promised Terry that I would be coming back to volunteer again next month. I will be returning at the end of May/ beginning of June with a group of friends. The final part of my objective was to "apply these principles to other objectives in my life". I have decided through this transformation of self, that exposing myself to new ideas makes me more able to understand my own feelings, and sharing my own feelings with people who disagree. Not only with vegetarianism, but with other things too. I need to learn to listen to other people's opinions, have experience, knowledge, and action behind my own opinions, and use that as leverage to understand, and share. Taking action in your own opinion, however, is a big part of being able to have opinions. So I have decided to connect this to voting. I am going to work harder on solidifying more of my opinions and values, so that I can give to them and support them politically, and financially.

The experience was so much more than what I can say, or explain. Blind horses, another with a hurt foot, a pig with a broken tongue... I'm so glad that these abused animals are now in good hands, getting help. Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary represents a rescue that we all have a duty to recognize and take part in as fellow sentient inhabitants of this earth.

immigration across the world

The reasons for Central American’s that migrate to the U.S. is because of the better economic opportunity’s they have. Also it’s a better way of starting a new life even if it is from scratch because of the more wealth there is on this side. Other immigrants come because of the disasters that happen in their countries or also because of the refugees that are being a burden on them especially when they are putting their lives in danger. Others migrate because of the new technology coming into play now and as other countries start to grow lower rates other developing countries grow higher in populations. Its also a lot of people migrating because of the global warming. Theirs people leaving other countries because of the sea levels that are rising that are covering more land and then going to have less space for people to stay. Also political repression is the reason for immigration as well so they try and get away from that.

People in the U.S. are starting to get upset with the idea that theirs is starting to be a lot of immigrants in the U.S. because of the fact that it is making global warming worse. Also for example in California they passing them laws were the police can ask now with no limits were a persons proof of being a U.S. citizen is. I think it would be a very big and hard challenge to try and stop immigrants from coming to the U.S. It’s just to many loopholes in the system but it would defiantly be something great to try and progress in.

Polluting Our World

In the article, Shell Refuses To Pay For Nigeria Oil Spill Pollution by Arthur Max, the author explains that the Shell company does not want to pay a 100 million dollar fine that was imposed because of the pollution of the Niger Delta caused by the companies oil drilling. The reason for why Shell does not want to pay the fine is because they feel that the majority of the pollution has been caused by rebels. In the youtube video, Nigeria: 50 Years of Oil Spills, the host, Fareed Zakaria explains the same thing the article says, but he also explains how these types of Oil spills have been happening for the past 50 years and over 550 million gallons have spilt onto the Nigerian costs. According to reports the majority of the oil spills have been caused by rebels not by malfunctions.

In the article by Summers, he explains how most pollution is made in cities or countries that people don't really care about. He believes that the poorest countries ends up getting polluted. "I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that"(Summers, 224). Nigeria is a poor country that no one really hears about other and is lost in the media because of other things that occur in the world. People tend to not pay attention to things that don't affect us in a manner which we can see and feel ourself.

In the article by Figueroa, he explains and talks about the many Environmental Civil Rights courts. He talks about how there are many laws protecting the environment and people still believe we need to do more to protect it. Figueroa talks about distributive justice, which is considered the just process. He also talks about the participatory justice, which he explains to be when everyone cooperates to help the environment become its best. And he also talks about the recognition justice which he says is considered the social and cultural Justice. This type of justice has to do with our beliefs and what us, humans, believe we need to do to protect our environment.

References:

http://www.worldweatherpost.com/2011/01/27/shell-refuses-to-pay-for-nigeria-oil-spill-pollution/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z3UfehL5JU

Food Deserts and Agribusiness

The following are videos on Food Deserts in America. Food deserts can be easily related to the hunger problem in the Global South. Big businesses are taking over, and terms like "economic equality" and "equal opportunity" are nonexistent within these small town food deserts of America. Currently, Michelle Obama is attempting to make change in these small towns. Communities themselves are also taking initiative for their own health, and starting community gardens. See the videos below for more on food deserts. Take action, because as stated by a youth in one of the videos "Give back to your community, because without your community, what do you have?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hL6jDyKqMk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g-X8GNBYCM

The quote above by the youth in the community garden in the Chicago Food Desert documentary clip is so much more profound than it seems. "Give back to your community... because without it, what do you have?" Coincidentally, we are dealing with an issue much larger than just our community. We are dealing with our planet. And without our planet, what do we have? Mistreating, misusing, abusing, and taking advantage of our fellow earthlings is not going to help us sustain our planet long term. We need everyone's interconnected community's cooperation and resources in order for the future to be bright. As stated in one of the videos in class this week, "Humans do not share resources well." We often believe we are doing what is most economically efficient, but even more often we are choosing the least ethical option, as well as the most economically, and "earth" destructing option. The truth is, we have plenty of resources, we just don't have farmers. The farmers have all been displaced by Agribusiness. Unfortunately this is causing even more hunger, because these once locally usable crops are becoming export crops, leaving none left for the locals. We send aid, but this throws them into a pit even further because "If you give a man a fish, he can eat for a day. However, if you give a man a fishing pole, he can eat for a lifetime" (also American aid forces them to lower their local food prices). Our "aid" funds are being used for our own economic agribusiness gain. Everything here is interconnected. How does it relate? In Mississippi, we saw in the video that it is hard to find healthy food in low income areas. As stated in the video "Farm workers have been replaced by machines...", even the textile workers. Now the number of people below the poverty level is increasing, and these people do not have access to a supermarket or healthy foods, just like those who were displaced in the global south. Farmers in the global south are also displaced from their land due to agribusiness, move to the cities, and find it extremely difficult to survive due to lack of funds, and ability to do what they were skilled at doing. Shiva calls this "Corporate Hijacking", coincidentally directly causing "the emergence of food totalitarianism, in which a handful of corporations control the entire food chain and destroy alternatives so that people do not have access to diverse, safe foods produced ecologically"(Shiva 17). As stated in the Chicago video, "Separating people from land and food is disempowering." The "fish out of water" effect is an indirect driver of the malnutrition. The urban migration of local farmers with land due to institutional injustice, is causing there to be a lack of farmers accessible to maintain local community crops. The malnutrition problem in these Food Deserts are also related to the corporate hijacking in such a way that we can see the effect that fast food and big industry businesses are having on lower income family health in America. Fast food is a direct driver of malnutrition in food deserts, as lack of food/agribusiness is a direct driver of malnutrition in the Global south. The farther the grocery store, the higher the obesity rate: a proven direct driver. Thus, just as local community crops need to be maintained in these hungry countries, community crops need to be maintained and utilized in food deserts of America. These community crops will also encourage biocultural conservation. People will be able to maintain their local cultures, their community bonds, and all of their unique qualities of grouping with others. Doing work together whether you live in a foreign country, or America, is healing to the indigenous of the area. Ironically there is a shot of bread being fed to pigeons at the start of the Chicago video. As preciously produced grains are being thrown at birds, many are starving for the opportunity to have one good meal a day.

We are not being more economically wise through agribusiness. We are destructing agriculture, cultures, and the planet. As stated in the "Future of Food" documentary, "A lot of identities are at stake, we need to protect the seed and the cultures". Shiva, in The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply speaks of the urban migration, and "stolen harvest" in this quote, "It is being experienced in every society, as small farms and small farmers are being pushed to extinction, as monocultures replace biodiverse crops, as farming is transformed from the production of nourishing and diverse foods into the creation of markets for genetically engineered seeds, herbicides, and pesticides"(7 Shiva). Is this "natural"? What are we creating? Isn't this worldview not more mechanistic? We are losing the intrinsic value of our biocultural diversity, and trading it in for monocultures, and genetically modified/engineered/chemically tampered "food". Shiva goes on to discuss the myth of "free trade", which really only causes gains for the rich, and destroys the local, and national markets (7 Shiva).

Shiva suggests Food Democracy, to combat this food totalitarianism. "We have to reclaim our right to nutrition and food safety. We have to reclaim our right to protect the earth and her diverse species. We have to stop this corporate theft from the poor and from nature"(18 Shiva).

New York Time's Steakhouse Review

In the New York Times’ review of the famous Steakhouse, Bruni explains how this extraordinary food served at Robert’s was served in a strip club. Keeping the class discussions in mind, one can clearly see how much gender, food, and discrimination are so closely linked together. Here, for instance, men look at a huge slab of meat differently then any woman would. Because steak is seen, in our society, as tough and manly men want the best cut, the most expensive and the best tasting. Women on the other hand are seen as delicate creatures who might or might not eat steaks or even meat for that matter. If they do, aren’t they more concerned with calorie intake then if it taste good? And if so, why are they this concerned about counting calories? This is one example of the male gaze. When thinking about what exactly the male gaze is this article is a great example. What is interesting is how both men and women do it in the exact same ways. in keeping with this theme, it is ironic that strippers are the ones working at the strip house. Men see what is perfect as the one way, and the women realize this perfect woman and want to be her. Yet is it the men who have come to define what this perfect woman is or is it the women themselves? Looking at this issue from a linguistic standpoint, the fact that this is even called the MALE gaze gives men the power to determine what exactly a man is.

Bruni states, "The prices of some dishes, pumped up to reflect the entertainment on hand, might also be called topless." The fact that men think that the more expensive the stake the better is a clear reflection of how a great cut of meat feeds into their own identity of being a better man. Yet, would any of these men be proud or high class if they were to go home with one of the strippers? Probably not. The women on stage, however, are probably considered the equivalency of a hot dog at best. It is sad that the animal has now become a higher standard in the man's eyes than the person. On the lines of the class discussions, who then be considered the animal? Would it be the woman on stage that is less of a priority for the man's reputation, or would it then be the expensive stake feeding into the man's persona of who he should be to be a true man?

Another theme running through this article is the sense of dehumanization of not just the women, but of the steaks as well. Just as the men see these women as just strippers, they see the steaks as just food and not a once living and breathing animal. There are many reasons for this however they all come down to one basic thing. People in today’s world are used to being strong, hiding their feelings, and not taking responsibility for their actions-these are all feminine attributes. When someone can look at something as it truly is, and not what is on their plate or on the stage, it gives them a sense of guilt. When reducing something that is as valuable as a woman or an animal to something that is merely an object, it takes away the guilt one might feel and legitimizes it so they can follow through with their actions. It makes it easier. With this ease it no longer is the subject's fault or problem, but naturally the problem gets placed on whatever the object is. In this way, dehumanization directly results in a naturally formed hierarchy system in the man's world.

To see the full article go here

By: Alek Trail