A lion is not a chicken: Essential distinctions for the perplexed -- Mark Morford

[madokie]

One of my favorite snarling right-wing attacks, whenever I criticize Christianity as a whole or the Catholic church specifically – which is frequently, on both counts, for all manner of homophobia, sexual dread, constriction of human spirit, and so on – goes something like this:

“I’d like to see Morford try his liberal, anti-religion shtick in (Angry Hardline Islamic Country) and see how long he survives! Why does SFGate let him get away with this? He’d never say the same thing about Allah!”

It’s as amusing as it is clumsy and unsophisticated, the lopsided belief that everything is the same everywhere, that context does not matter, that it makes sense to draw ham-fisted equivalencies where none exist, mostly because it’s easier to lash out in a rage than it is to unpack moral or intellectual complexities.

(My response to the haters: Christianity is the dominant religion here, where I live, directly impacting my country and world, for millennia. Islam has no bearing on American life, law, behavior, moral code. I respond to and work within the context and freedoms as they unfold here. False equivalencies are for simpletons and Fox News).

The rest: http://blog.sfgate.com/morford/2015/07/28/a-lion-is-not-a-chicken-essential-distinctions-for-the-perplexed/

[msanthrope]

1. "Perplexed" is a good word. So much more polite than "stupid." nt

[GusBob]

4. "confused"works too

[n2doc]

2. The heart of the matter:

Verily, when it comes to our treatment of the animal kingdom overall, doesn’t hypocrisy abound? It most certainly does.


To a point.

Nevertheless, a vital distinction must be made. The moral/spiritual compass must not be discarded completely, lest everything be lumped together, lest we become like screeching Bible literalists, like one-size-fits-all dogmatists, like militant vegans who see no difference in swatting a mosquito versus slaughtering a whale. Here’s the thing: The killing of animals for food is far different than hunting down a majestic, solitary, almost-but-not-quite-endangered wild animal for no other reason than to give yourself relative value in the world (i.e.; to make you feel like a “man,” or whatever).

Put another way: Killing animals for food makes fundamental sense to us; hunting for necessity has been around as long as we’ve been upright. Killing for trophy/sport? To prove your thuggish dominion over the animal kingdom, because no one listens to you back home and your life is terrifically boring and you’ve got something to prove? That’s new. That has minimal spiritual, intellectual, or moral validation. It’s just cruel.

This is the message: Context matters. You must have a mind – and a heart – nimble enough to make distinctions, lest nothing be of any deeper value and everything is shoved into a grand pile of Who Gives a Damn or OMG Everything Is Totally Precious We Should Only Eat Air. What’s true for Cecil is also true of other species, too.

[Demeter]

3. Even worse, the dentist had to cheat to feed his ego

It wasn't a real contest, when the game is rigged against the lion as that one was.

[lonestarnot]

10. The fucking game is always rigged against the lions.

[FailureToCommunicate]

6. +1

Thanks for adding that.

[whatchamacallit]

7. This hyperbole

... like militant vegans who see no difference in swatting a mosquito versus slaughtering a whale.

I know lots of vegans, none have ever espoused such a notion.
Lame.

[Hekate]

17. Just this week a DUer accused human omnivores of being murderers. OP not hidden. Huge flame fest.

Personally speaking, I take some exception to that. There are several vegans in my immediate family, but none has ever accused me of being a murderer. That had to take place at DU.

[hifiguy]

13. A brilliant summary,

[Heidi]

5. Kick, kick, kick!

And good morning to you, madokie!

[Igel]

8. Ah. So now context matters.

Very often it doesn't. The difference seems to be whether it helps "my side" or not. Must ponder the greater cosmic principle in his, because it can't just be egocentrism and lack of critical thinking.

"The supreme leader, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, first secretary of Zanu-PF, president of the Republic of Zimbabwe, chair of the African Union and Southern African Development Community, and sole Zanu-PF presidential candidate for the next elections – hopefully to be held in 2018 – turns 91 on Saturday....

"On the menu will be two elephants, two buffaloes, two sable antelopes, five impalas and a lion kindly donated by a local farmer."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/20/robert-mugabe-91-elephant-president-birthday-zimbabwe

"Local farmer Tendai Musasa has pledged to donate two elephants, two buffalo, two sables, five impalas and a lion worth a combined £78,000 towards the jamboree, Zimbabwe’s Chronicle newspaper reported.

“ 'This is our way of supporting the function and to ensure a celebratory mood in our community as well,' Musasa was quoted as saying. 'The total value is $120,000. This reflects the money we get annually and we thought this would be a perfect gesture.'

"He added: 'At the moment we are making arrangements with the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to slaughter these animals a few days before the day. We are also liaising with the hotel that will keep the meat'.

"Mugabe’s government is already under fire for a plan to export 27 live elephants to China, and activists condemned the donation."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/16/robert-mugabe-birthday-party-elephant-meat-lion-zimbabwe-91

Villagers said the animals involved were part of their annual hunting quota and donating them meant no income for the whole year.

They said they were powerless because challenging the donation could be misinterpreted as unwillingness to participate toward the celebrations.

http://www.chronicle.co.zw/vic-falls-farmer-pledges-120k-donation-for-21st-february-movement/


So while lion isn't chicken, it apparently makes a really good chicken-substitute for those times when chicken is scarce or doesn't send the right message.

The bit about the elephants and the fear the villagers had is for added spice and flavor, or I guess we could call it "context." Lion by itself can be quite bland, I guess.

[malaise]

9. Great read

[madokie]

11. Morford is a good read

I found him shortly after I found this place.

[malaise]

12. Always

You introduced me to him

[madokie]

14. then I've done good in life

[NobodyHere]

15. Of course Lions are not chickens

Chickens are tasty and lay tasty eggs.

I have no idea what good purpose lions serve.

[melman]

16. Terrible column

Poorly reasoned, and poorly written.

[Hekate]

18. Good column. Well reasoned and thoughtful.

I always enjoy Morford.