http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...clogo1.svg.png Discrimination portalv t e Speciesism (
/ˈspiːʃiːˌzɪzəm, -siːˌzɪz-/) involves the assignment of different values, rights, or special consideration to individuals solely on the basis of their
species membership. The term is mostly used by
animal rights advocates, who argue that speciesism is a prejudice similar to
racism or
sexism, in that the treatment of individuals is predicated on group membership and morally irrelevant physical differences. The argument is that species membership has no moral significance.
[1]
The term is not used consistently, but broadly embraces two ideas.
[2] It usually refers to "human speciesism" (
human supremacism), the exclusion of all nonhuman animals from the protections afforded to humans.
[3] It can also refer to the more general idea of assigning value to a being on the basis of species membership alone, so that "human-chimpanzee speciesism" would involve human beings favouring rights for chimpanzees over rights for dogs, because of human-chimpanzee similarities.
[4] All the underlines and highlights are from Wikipedia. I think the laws on the books should be enforced and or strengthened. As our Federal Law here in Canada against Animal Cruelty has an "out" a big one for the defense of someone so charged. It has pretty steep consequences if found guilty, but there is this out or may I say flaw in the law. And that is you have to prove intent on the person so charged under Animal Cruelty laws. Apparently intent is very hard to prove. We have a case up before the courts that has dragged on for months as the defendant utilizes every legal stratagem, including denying ownership of the dogs that were seized on her premises. I am not a lawyer by any means or form, but as much as I abhor my dogs are considered property, I am also quite leery of changes to the law that might alter their status. The law of unintended consequences..... says be very carefull of how you change things. But back to this documentary. A piece that was in no way objective, that presented different arguments, that showed a range of different options that are right now available in our food chain, that used low tactics to make a point or buttress a point.