Is it Morally Wrong to Wear Fur?

I have often asked myself why someone would choose to elevate an animal to the same equality level of a human being. And if PETA people aren't doing that than it seems they have debased themselves to the level of animals.

To have a human being assume that animals have the same rights, feelings, and emotions that I do would be the same as an Animal assuming that human beings have the same drives and instincts that they do.

So before we deal with the basic question of weather or not is moral for me to wear fur or leather, lets look at this question of equality.

My lovely wife does not live in a den, have litters of off spring or have the urge to eat her young in time of hardship or famine. I do not have an innate instinct to bread as many fertile females, as possible. When someone annoys me or I feel trapped I do not feel the instinct to bite or scratch. I have the ability to communicate succinctly with other members of my species, either in groups or one to one.

Even the people that are outside of my culture and speak another language, are not immune to this because we have the ability to think and learn from one another, we will communicate if need be, that is part of being human.

I have a detailed, and complex memory, with that said I am a human.

The point of this is that Humans and Animals are not the same. We are not Equal. Things that make me sad, don't make animals sad. I am not sure that animals are even capable of anything more than base emotions. I would bet my last beaver hide that animals are not capable of the emotion that PETA seems to want to bestow on them most of all and that is Guilt.

I wonder if PETA people have even ever been around animals ? Cowboys have managed cattle forever with a horse, wearing boots, on saddles, with bellies full of beef. Guess what ? The Cow doesn't care. I believe that animals are incapable of grief, they don't have souls, they are blessed with the ability to live in the moment. 'I was part of a herd, now the herd is smaller.' I'm pretty sure this is their thought even as they are lined up in the shoot for the knocker room at the beef packing plant. I have watched chickens gather at my feet to eat the innards of the hen that I have just butchered while I pluck the feathers off of it for Sunday Dinner for my family.

Fur coats are warm and luxurious, they last forever when cared for properly, and are made by man for man, what could be more perfect than that. I eat animals, I have animals for pets, and I really do love animals. But with that said, I maintain that the level of consciousness that an animal possesses is not equal to that of humans.

This elevated level of consciousness however, comes with responsibilities, one of them is to take care of the animals that you own. Don't be cruel, they are trusting you to use your elevated level of consciousness to care for them, feed them, shelter them, and protect them. A flock of chickens alone won't last long. A free cow or horse wondering the highways and back roads of Kansas is on borrowed time.

If I were to abandon my dog that would be a bad thing. All of my animals are fed, watered, and doctored, I want my animal to have a good life, and not be abused or tortured, but they are still only animals. Would I expect my livestock to feed or water me ? Would I ask my horse to walk away from his bag of oats to make sure that I was fed ? Of course not he is an animal and I am a human. At times I envy the life of an animal, especially my animals, they have a good life, they are fed sheltered and cared for.

PETA zealots are plastic people who live in a plastic world. If you want to worry about something and change the world how about devoting all of your resources and money to prevent the twenty percent of abused children from suffering for one more day, or make sure that all little kids have car seats. Take a kid out for a hamburger, or buy him some leather gloves to keep his hands warm as he walks to school.

Worry about resources that aren't renewable like coal or oil, and of course report animal cruelty when you see it.

Wearing a fur coat is not animal cruelty. Abusing harassing or discriminating against people who make different choices than you do is cruelty.

Lets all try to be kind to animals but lets try harder to be kind to people.