Always Remembered
Always Remembered – In animal activism the moments of triumph (and they are growing) – are tempered by the losses we see all around the world. But I am encouraged by the growing number of animal advocates that I see in China – India – Romania – Egypt – The Czech Republic and Japan – to name a few of the countries with a growing awareness of the connection between humanity – the animal kingdom and our magnificent planet Earth.
This awakening consciousness is the much needed antidote to the appalling cruelty with which we treat sentient beings the world over. Animals have no rights – no voices and no power. One day humans will look back with great horror and disgust at the way “we” used to “consume” every being that fell under our control. How we accorded them no mercy. Future generations will marvel at our arrogance – selfishness – entitlement – greed, inhumanity and our profound ignorance.
We will owe a great debt of gratitude to all the incredible creatures – whose lives were sacrificed so that we could finally awaken to the magical inter-play between our species. The incredible dance of the tides and the skies – the sun and the stars – the earth and the galaxies. This incredible universe that is a gift almost beyond comprehension in its richness and bounty!
Today I remember these lost lives. The spirits that were broken and taken too soon because mankind was lost in his own self-importance. The memories of these beautiful creatures keep me grounded and centred in my animal activism. They are the reason why I will not give up when sadness overwhelms me and I feel that mankind has crossed that final line in the sand.
I have great hope! Every lost – but not forgotten soul – represents another stepping stone to the world that we can have – when humanity awakens from its collective slumber!
I wrote this simple line for lions just before the Global March For Lions in March 2014
“Lions Belong To The Wind – The Rain – The Sunshine – The Stars At Night And The Dew In The Soft Morning Light – They Are Not Ours To Kill” …
I now know that it should read:
“Animals Belong To The Wind – The Rain – The Sunshine – The Stars At Night And The Dew In The Soft Morning Light – They Are Not Ours To Kill” …
Always Remembered
Nuan Jaan – Worked Until She Fell – Died June 2014
Melani – Died August 2014 – Loved And Finally At Peace
Marius – Died February 2014 – The Copenhagen Zoo Didn’t Like His Genetic Makeup
Watoto – Died August 2014
Joy – Died June 2014
The Copenhagen 4 – Killed To Make Room For A New Male Lion At Their Zoo
March 2014
Limba – December 2013
Used Until Just Before She Was Euthanized By The Bowmanville Zoo
Tembe – His Body Parts Used In Traditional Medicine – Died March 2014
The Namibian Desert Elephant Delta – 2014 – Shot By Trophy Hunters
A Small Herd Remains
Qumquat & Her Family Killed By Poachers – October 2012
(photo – Nick Brandt)
Magnificent Satao – May 2014 – Murdered By Poachers
And For The Nameless Animals – Lives Stolen By The Billions
For Human Expediency, Ignorance And Greed
The Fur Industry Globally
The Forgotten Dogs Of The World
The Tortured & Exploited
The Confined & Trapped
Massacred – In The Name Of Religion
The Unwanted
The Victims Of Culture – Tradition – Ignorance
Poached
And So We Remember Them – Those Whose Lives Were Stolen – Those Who Imparted Their Wisdom To Humans Who Were Too Blind To See
Each With A Story To Tell And A Life To Live
They Looked Out At The World And Saw The Same Blue Sky
And Felt The Warmth Of The Same Bright Sun
Forced By Our Hands To Suffer And Die
Because We Believe In The Same Great Lie
All Now In A Softer Place …
We Owe It To Them To Be Better!
