Joy Nicholson lives in New Mexico with 
| Questioning the Sacred Cow of Cultural Sensitivity In the Name of Animals, Part 3 |
| Sunday, 27 November 2011 | Joy Nicholson | Blog Entry |
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I remember once, years ago, when I was engaged to marry a Moroccan citizen while living in Morocco. I was shocked and horrified to see how he treated a starving dog wanting some of our food at a cheap bazaar. I was so disgusted by his cruelty that I couldn’t carry on the relationship. It haunted me. As soon as I saw his treatment of the dog, I felt cold toward him, though it took a month or so for me to believe what I’d seen and connect it to rational “I Must Leave’ behavior. (Sorry. It wasn’t a movie. It happened in actual time.) It was not only his personal cruelty, but the prevailing abuse of dogs in that country that scared me away from ever wanting to live there—despite all the beauty. I have traveled extensively in the Muslim world. I love the deserts, the poetry, the sights, the gardens, the mosaics and the hammams (Turkish baths)—don’t get me started. I almost lived my life there. Yet. Dogs in the Muslim world are very often treated like beaten-down, starved slaves who can be tortured for fun. (Cats are regarded better.) Dogs are scapegoats for all anger and rage, yet are expected to be loyal—which they often are. I loved my fiancé and lived with his family—slept in women’s quarters with sisters, an aunt and mother—who were all kind to me. But the canine brutality was all-pervasive. It was sickening. Cruel-meaning epithets, “He’s the son of a dog” or “He’s a running dog,” are common in the Arabic language. Why? As kind as some of the people were toward me personally, the overwhelming feeling toward dogs was horrific. It just killed me inside. What is wrong with this ancient, wise ‘culture?’ And all cultures that torment animals? Ancient, wise or not? All of us not caught up in cultural nonsense need to help the many, many dogs abused in the name of ‘culture.’ Islamic or otherwise. I’d like to say that my former fiancé was a monster and that’s why he was cruel to canines. But he wasn’t a monster to me. He was loving and kind to me. He was a monster to dogs. I am still shaken by the Muslim attitudes toward dogs I’ve seen, and I don’t want to believe what I’ve seen is the norm. Is it? Is it not? God, I hope not. Let me know—please. What I’ve seen is awful. Please educate me that I have known and seen only an extreme. If I haven’t seen only the worst—it’s very bad. Very bad indeed. Help the Earth, Spread the Word: Share this article with family and friends by clicking on the "Email This" or "Share This" links below right. Then see TODAY'S TOP STORIES.
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(3)
Written by kristaf , October 09, 2009
Sadly, because they cannot defend themselves or even tell on you, animals often become psychic dumpsters for humans. It's sad for dogs, who humans have domesticated on purpose to love and be loyal to us, to then become the victims of our feelings of rage and powerlessness. Joy, you also make me wonder about times in my life I've been cruel to animals. Growing up, I had fish I forgot to feed until they died and a cat I thought of more as a stuffed toy than a sentient being. I wish I had known better, had been more able to appreciate the miracle of each life for just that.
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Written by amy kaplan , September 18, 2009
Joy, I believe that the way a culture treats animals and children is a reflection of who that culture is at their heart. Had you stayed, instead of left, you would have learned that.
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Here in the West, as imperfect as we are, and we are, there is a striving to be better to animals and children and I think this reflects a change of heart for the better -- although it may take centuries to root. |
Again, in visiting many, many other countries and cultures, for many, many years, I’ve been offended by only one thing: animal cruelty.
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