Thought Exercise #12: Due 12/3/13

Marie Mason:...I was a direct action proponent from the age of five. It started for me at the age of five when a group of teenagers were throwing a kitten in the air repeatedly to see if the old adage was true that she would land on her feet every time. She was clearly frightened and exhausted, failing to land on her feet and not doing well by the time I worked up the courage to leap from the crowd of bystanders, grab the kitten, and run like hell for home. My parents explained to me that pets were other people's property and I had stolen other people's property. So, they made me go talk to the "owner," apologize for my "theft," and explain my side of the story. I managed to impress them with my sincere wish for the cat's well-being, so they gave her to me, and Misha lived with my family for twenty-two years as a cherished companion.
“What Is Good for All of Us, Is the Only True Good for Any of Us”: An Interview with Marie Mason
Matthew Ross Calarco
Pg. 127-139

Just reading about how children treat animals make me think that children can be no different from adults in their treatment to animals. When I see or hear of children mistreating animals, or saying they hate animals, it makes me wonder about their level of empathy and compassion, particularly by the time they develop into adults. In high school, one of my teachers say told the class that even though it is always said that people change over time, while there is some truth to that, people actually do not fully change their personalities throughout their entire life. At the very core of each person are some traits that do not simply alter, even as they face different events and scenarios throughout their lives. Some people may remain stubborn, or introverted, or extroverted, or weak-willed. It may simply just be because that's just how they are born to be.
Just like humans, animals all have their own unique personalities. As a dog owner, I observe this in dogs as well. One of my dogs hates swimming and is terrified of large bodies of water, but my other dog enjoys it very much. One of my dog prefers to be petted on his back, while my other dog prefers his neck and head. They shouldn't be subject to the harsh treatment only because they are different creatures from humans, one who cannot use human speech to convey their feelings or speak up for themselves.