Not long ago I wrote a blog about what it means to be a good advocate for your dog. After what happened to Carl and what has been happening around the nation in response to the murder of George Floyd, I began to think about that blog.
While that blog is less that a few months old, I feel like I’ve changed immensely as an advocate and an activist. Since then, I’ve held a bleeding dog after he was purposely bashed in the head with a rock and I thought he would die. I witnessed the aftermath of chickens who had been beaten, stomped, and mutilated. I’ve marched in anger with several communities demanding justice for a man I didn’t even know. I’ve watched as the ones who have sworn to protect us have failed at doing so. I’ve also watched as law enforcement was complacent in crimes and need to be reminded of the law they are responsible for upholding.
So, I feel like I need to add to the list of ways we all can be better advocates for animals (and I believe these ideas can translate well to ANYTHING you want to be an advocate for).
Speak Up
First thing’s first: if you see something wrong, say something. We can no longer be quietly mad about injustices. It’s time to be vocal and it’s time to be LOUD.
I have no doubt that without being loud, Carl’s abuser would still be free. It’s thanks to the thousands that shared his abuser’s face and shared Carl’s story that he’s in jail right now. It’s thanks to the many who called law enforcement and demanded they actually act and that they act quickly to get Carl’s abuser off the street.
Anger, as we’ve seen around the nation for the past two weeks, can be used to get things done. Being loud and demanding justice works. Far too often, people sit quietly and hope that the justice system does it job. I, like millions of others, have lost faith. I truly believe that, sometimes, the only way to ensure that something is done is by being loud and saying, “Hey, that’s not right and we’re not going to tolerate that anymore.”
If 2020 is showing me anything it’s who is willing to stand up and be vocal for the things they believe in and who is staying silent as atrocities occur.
Take Action
It’s not enough to say you care about animals and you think they deserve to be treated well. You need to be actively FIGHTING for their rights. After you get loud, you need to leave your couch and social media and do something about mistreatment when you see it.
A lot of things have bothered me about the abuse I saw on May 24. It bothers me that people had to be shamed and pushed into doing their job, it bothers me that organizations that claim they are against animal cruelty were silent, and it bothers me that that the chickens who were mutilated have been forgotten.
As I watch this next civil rights movement happen, I can say the same things are bothering me.
And this is why it’s important march with others down the street in unity for a cause. When you get home, it’s important to sign petitions and to keep calling or writing law enforcement, your local politicians, and judges to demand a change in policy. It’s important to VOTE for those who vow to create that policy change and vote out those who have been complacent in injustices. It’s also important to donate to organizations who ACTIVELY fight against animal cruelty and injustice, not those who are silent.
We can no longer tolerate passiveness. We must encourage those who are passionate about being proactive in both animal and human rights – not those who wait for an injustice to happen so that then they may or may not respond to it.
Be Consistent
After you’ve been loud and been active, you need to be consistent. We can’t let these fires die out after starting them.
This week, after the cop who murdered George Floyd was arrested and charged I heard people say, “Why are they still protesting? He’s been arrested.” But people kept showing up demanding more be done. Then later in the week, the three other cops who were complacent in the death of Mr. Floyd were arrested and charged. Again I heard, “Why are they still protesting?”
Being charged and arrested is not the same as being sentenced. Time and time again, we have had to watch as those who commit atrocities are given light sentences or found not-guilty. It’s not enough for someone to be arrested. We must demand this never happen again and show other abusers that we will not tolerate unjust actions.
When I think about Carl, I know justice has been far from served. His abuser has been charged with felony five animal abuse, but he hasn’t been found guilty or sentenced. It’s not enough for him to simply be put behind bars. He should never be allowed to own an animal. He should serve the maxim prison time allowed by the state. And he should receive mental health help to make sure he never abuses anyone again.
My giving updates about Carl is about consistency. I don’t want his story to be forgotten, and it’s important that what happened to him never happens again in our community, especially not by the same person.
Speak Up. Take Action. Be Consistent. Change doesn’t come easily or without resistance.