Sci has learned something important today: Mini-moos SUCK. I know my regular brand of coffee. I know it in all its dark, rich, spicy deliciousness. But today, it tastes like…like…I don’t know how it’s possible for a creamer to make expensive, fair trade, delicious awesome into watery stuff you could buy from the 7-11.
I want my REAL creamer back. Call me old-fashioned, but…
The other thing you should know is that the animal research debate has resurfaced. It’s going on at Dr. Isis’ and at Dr. Free-Ride’s, both of whom can talk about this much better than I can.
All I can say is this:
Right now, I need to do animal research. I need to do it to find treatments and cures for people very like yourself. I want to rid the world of AIDS, schizophrenia, cystic fibrosis, drug addiction, heart disease, and the many, many other diseases that cause so much pain and suffering around the world. Not only that, I want to help other animals, help in their health and preservation.
I do not LIKE hurting animals. There are very few people that do, and we try to make sure that those who do like hurting animals do not end up in animal research. I will be happy when I no longer have to do it. In the meantime, I work hard to give my animals comfort and respect, and to keep them free from pain and stress as much as I can.
If you want me to stop, I completely respect your opinion. If you want me to stop, find me something else. Help develop a computer program that really DOES model all the stuff we need to know to experiment on the body. Help develop sensitive assays that might eliminate the need for further animal testing. Volunteer for clinical trials to get needed drugs on the market and to evaluate side effects. Press for legislation promoting animal welfare and restricting the use of animals.
Do not threaten harm to those who act against your beliefs. Do not threaten the safety of my children. Do not firebomb my house or car. These actions will scare us, and make us angry. They will NOT make your opinion seem more reasonable, or make other people feel your position is more legitimate. Moreover, they will not eliminate the need for further medical research requiring the use of animals.
If you feel you cannot countenance the use of animals in research for any reason, act on that. Don’t get chemotherapy. Don’t take your dog to the vet. Don’t use antibiotics. Don’t use hair dye, lotions, acne medication, allergy medication, asthma medications, heart disease drugs, birth control, or vaccines. Do not use surgical interventions for cleft palate, broken bones, back pain, c-sections, or head trauma. Do not take medications for depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, or ADHD. Don’t take drugs for AIDS. Don’t take medications for Chron’s disease, or accept organ transplants and the medications that go along with them. Also, better not eat anything but organically grown vegetables and meat, the pesticides and antibiotics used in normal foodstuffs have been tested for harm. Don’t use toothpaste or makeup or shampoo or deoderant. Though new products have not been tested on animals in their entirety, all of their component parts were.
If you want to live in the dark ages, that is fine with me. But do not force the rest of society, who may be suffering from treatable and curable diseases, to go with you. Help us find other ways of doing things, help us to do what we need to with as little pain and suffering as possible. Making our lives unlivable and making us quit our jobs will only make more people go without treatments for longer, and will only slow the progress toward research that might, one day, not involve animals at all.
