carnivalnights

"Smile though your heart is breaking." Nothing makes me melt faster than this man's smile. I absolutely adore this photo of him. It reminds me of everything I love about him: his passion for life, his sensitivity toward animals, his concern for children, his dedication to environmental issues, his belief in humanity despite the way he was treated by so many. How he was able to maintain such innocence in the face of adversity is something I will never understand. He never stopped caring. This man stood for everything I want to stand for in life. His smile easily brings back all of the memories I have of him and everything he has done for this planet. If people choose to overlook that, I feel sorry for them. He did so many great things while he was here, and there are so many people carrying on his tradition and spreading the love he had only just begun to spread. Michael's smile will forever remind me of everything he did and everyone we can continue to do for this planet, for humanity and for animals. ♥

The Canadian and worldwide seal hunt is, by far, one of the most disturbing examples of brutality in the history of mankind. Despite my efforts to combat this disgusting animal abuse and murder, I feel so helpless. That feeling of helplessness when it comes to animal rights is the worst feeling I experience on a regular basis. First and foremost, the killings are senseless. It is not something we need, it is wasteful and there are alternatives. To murder an animal for the sake of fashion or for any unnecessary reason is the deepest kind of heartlessness there is, and this is why I refuse to buy anything made from any sort of animal skin or fur. My concern is two-fold though. On the one hand, I am so hurt that these animals have to suffer needlessly, including all of the babies who have barely had a chance at life. Almost all that are slaughtered are under three months old. That is the most heartbreaking factor in this hunt, that hundreds of thousands of these poor animals have lost or are losing their lives. Seal pup mortality rates are increasing thanks to global warming and record-low ice; the mothers have no place to birth and the pups have no way to survive. They are already struggling; they do not need at additional hurdle to survival.

In addition, the fact that humans who can do this murdering and sleep at night is almost more disturbing than the murdering itself. I could not even stand to be in the same room as one of these hunters. I think all of my belief in pacifism would go right out the window if I ever came face to face with someone who was part of the seal hunt. I really do. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. I almost made myself sick looking for this photo, and I actually went out of my way to choose one that was toned down... and it was hard to find.

I am comforted by the recent European Union ban on seal product trade and also by Russian's ban on their commercial seal slaughter. The USA and Mexico have also banned the sale of seal products. These are just small steps in bringing this cruelty to an end, but at least some places are moving in the right direction. There is nothing I would love to see more, in my lifetime, than for this terrible seal hunt to end. It really is "Canada's shame." I will never be fully at peace in life until there is peace and harmony between humans and animals.

"Canada's annual seal hunt began at dawn on Saturday. Even as you read this, fishermen are clubbing baby seals in the North Atlantic, just to earn a few extra bucks by selling seal skins. Last year, 98.5% of the seals killed were two months of age or younger—and veterinary reports indicate that many seals have been skinned while still conscious and able to feel pain. Our ProtectSeals team is now in Canada, braving the frigid waters to document the hunt and show the world why this unconscionable cruelty must be stopped."