A little Serenity for the Soul

     You always hear of people giving up all their time and money for a good cause, but never do you think you'll come in contact with one of them. I volunteered at serenity springs this week and was thoroughly impressed. Terry DeGaw, owner and director for Serenity Springs Sanctuary, gave me a tour of the complex and the expressed her feelings towards why she does what she does. She said that she has always had a love for animals but felt compelled to save the lives of those that had been tortured or left to die. Her favorite are the pot bellied pigs and farm pigs. They treat her as if she was their mom. She said something that reminded me of Carol Adams view on animal names. Terry said "I give all the pigs names, not that they know their names,..." Adams states that "In the Hebrew Geneses, the animals do not speak their own name to Adam; rather, they are given their names by this first man. Language, for the Hebrews, was becoming a purely human gift, a human power" She does not exploit her animals but tries to give them a serene atmosphere where to spend their life. Every now and then when the chickens would lay eggs and leave the unwanted ones there, she will use them. Immediately after she mentioned this, she asked me if I were a vegetarian. I quickly giggled and said "No." This is an image of Self most animal conscious people share. Pollen wrote in his article An Animal's Place that its a mutualism that some animals have with humans. Her main source of income to sustain the sanctuary is from donations. She works pretty much alone or with volunteers, with no paid staff.
     After the tour, she put me to work. The pig pens were just cleaned so there was just a lot of yard work. I raked part of the grass and garden. Next, I tilled the garden so it would be softer and easier to plant flowers. I also got rid of a couple weeds. I am planning on going back in the summer to be able to do some feeding plus more interaction with the animals. 
     I learned a lot of things from this experience. I've always believed in the safe treatment of animals but never have I done anything about it on a large scale. This class has taught me to question humanities moral and ethical institutions. We create this in an anthropocentristic view, manufactured to give all power to humans. We use the dualism of "human/animal" to benefit ourselves while hurting the sustainability of animal culture. I do believe that the idea of "predator/prey" is important to the sustainability of our ecosystem. "objects to the suggestion that all human and nonhuman predation violate animal rights—, which even animal rights philosophers agree with" (Warren, 2000). I do not agree with the mass over production of animals to supply food that people still throw away. It is wasteful which pollutes the environment and leads to a double-loss.
Terry says this is something she will be doing until she cannot walk anymore. It is her passion and goal to create a more caring and aware environment that can better animal rights.

Big Bacon from Serenity Springs

a video by Dartse on Flickr.

Progressiveness Happening at Serenity Springs

Being that I am a vegetarian and have strong opinions about what human and animal rights mean to me, I was very excited to head to Serenity Springs Sanctuary and Animal Shelter. I didn’t know this place even existed until I looked it up online, and when I did I was instantly drawn in. Not only do I agree and have the same kind of philosophy as Terry, but the lifestyle that was shown to me was something I think is hard to find. From what she does with the animals and how she treats them to the removed environment and nature she surrounds herself with, it gave me hope that there are people out there who not only believe in the same way of life that I do, but live it fully. What I got out of this trip was more than I thought I would. I was expecting to have a certain confirmation of my lifestyle choices through the lens of the treatment of the animals, but I wasn’t expecting to be so drawn in to the motives and way of life of the people who are so dedicated to keeping a shelter like this going. It really did show me a more progressive way of how shelters should be.

In keeping of this idea of progressivism, I feel like the biggest contribution I can make is donating money, and more importantly time, to organizations like Serenity Springs. While I believe volunteering is great in general, I feel that giving to places that are offering alternative options to whatever cause are ways that we can not only help the issue, but change it for good. Ironically, Mason and Finelli state, “While alternative, “human” animal agriculture is growing in popularity and may be preferable to factory farming, virtually all animal agriculture involves a substantial degree of animal suffering and death” (170). I consider myself to be very health conscious. Yes, I do eat all organic, however, I realize that just because something says it is organic doesn’t mean that is the best thing for you. This statement reaffirms this fact for me. When going to the shelter I asked this question many times- if animals are raised in an environment like this from the time they are born and then eaten when they die naturally, is it okay to eat meat? Though I personally wouldn’t do this, I do feel it would be okay.

When putting this shelter in context of the Francione reading, its hard to say, personally, if this shelter would be considered keeping the animals as a property or person. On one hand, I can see why someone could assume that the shelter was holding these animals hostage as property. Looking at the situation through the lens of Francione, the animals are still being treated as if they need to be taken care of-as if we are better than them and we are caring for them simply for our own self-righteous satisfaction. He would argue that if the animals are in fact equal to humans, why do we feel the need to take them in to “save” them? He might also question our intention behind why would do this. However, I can also see the other side of this. One could, ironically, relate this to certain views in feminism. Some people believe that women should have the same rights as men in every way possible (like Francione) while others believe women and men are different and should have different but equal rights. I can see how animals could be treated in this way as well. By giving them different but equal rights that doesn’t mean we have to dominate over them and think of ourselves as better. It just means that we are treating them in ways that are beneficial to them without lessening them to something lower than humans. I feel in this way, Serenity Springs healed animals in a way that was helping them become the best they could be. Because of this, I feel as though Terry’s efforts are coming from a proactive, and again progressive, state of mind.

This also reminds me of Singers arguments. When walking through the shelter I couldn’t deny the constant state of peacefulness the animals were living. Even though many of these animals were injured or hurt, I could see that they knew they were being cared for. It reminded me of when I meet people who have chronic diseases or are disabled in some major way yet they most of the time have the best outlooks on life. Singers’ ideas mirror many of Francione’s, and when I was at the shelter I noticed just how much my way of thinking is not like theirs. My immediate thought was that these animals are so lucky that they are in a place like Serenity Springs. However, as I sat down to write this blog, I realized this way of thinking contradicts what these philosophers have to say. These are just a few of the many animals out there that have been “caught” in order to be “saved”. As contradictory as it is to the philosophers, when I spent time at the shelter I couldn’t help but feel that the people at Serenity Springs are doing way more good than harm to these animals.

-Alek Trail

A turn Around Project

At first when I herd we had to go to a farm for class it made me upset because I did not want to go do nothing extra for a class. One of my friends in class told me she was going to Serenity Springs Animal Sanctuary. I decided to tag along with her because I wanted to get it over with and I defiantly had no interest in going but I went because it was for a grade. We left around 10:30 am on a Saturday (April 23rd) and got there at 11:45 am that same day. It was five of us there helping out. My objective of the day was to do what I needed to do for the grade and leave as soon as possible. I hated the fact that I was their and would never of came if it wasn’t for it being a grade and new I would never come unwillingly.

When we got their we met Terry and then went on a tour of the place. We started with the horses then moved on to the donkeys and then to the pigs. She even had pony’s their as well. The tour took about an hour and a half but only because she was telling us a little history about the animals. The more she told us about their history and were she got them and saved them from and the more I seen the animals I started to feel glad about coming. I started to get attached to the horses out of all the animals. I fed a horse a cookie and after that he kept following me trying to get more. At a point I was moving the cookie around in circles and the horse with his head would do circles too. In that very moment when the horse kept following me and made that relationship with me it amazed me and made me realize how beautiful life is even in a horses perspective especially coming from a abused horse. After that moment I was very excited to be their and was glad that I came. I liked the way Thomas Hobbs stated in Lindsey Clarks “Animal Rights” “speech or language is the connection of names constituted by the will of men to stand for the series of conception of the things about which we think. As a name is to an Idea or conception of a thing, so is speech to the discourse of the mind. If some brute animals, taught by practice, gasp what we wish and command in words, they do so not through words as words, but as sign; for animals do not know that words are constituted by the will of men for the purpose of signification ”.(17) what happened in my moment with the horse was explained in that very quote because I did not care what the horse was doing at first because I felt I couldn’t understand what he wanted just because he couldn’t speak. When he showed me with his signs he was giving me it made me realize more of what he wanted and also appreciate the horse more then it just being an animal. If animals could talk I think we could appreciate them more and also have more respect for them then what people do now and wouldn’t treat them the way people do.

After the tour we racked some leaves for her and then went and helped Terry feed the animals. I was doing most of the work for Terry by feeding the animals since we were their I wanted to be at the most help I could be to her so she could have a day off basically. We fed the horses and the donkeys first then went on feeding the pigs. The more I stayed their helping and feeding the animals the more I wanted to stay! Their were these blind horses I was feeding and it made me a little upset because the horse had to rely on his other senses to find the food we gave him all because some people back then felt they wanted to abuse the horse were it cant see no more just for their pleasure. It made me realize that even as a animal it still suffers like a human. it feels pain just like us and even gets happy just like us. “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).”

After we were done their and ready to go I realized that the whole trip their was a very big success and also opened my eyes in animal abuse about knowing the deep impact of it more then what I used too. I was glad I came and I love what Terry is doing with the animals in trying to help them. I’m actually coming back (willingly) next month to come and help terry again with the animals and she also told me that next time I come back I can ride one of the horses!

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