Before I came here, I said that I hoped I could somehow maintain some ability to distance myself from what I saw, sort of as a form of self-preservation. I have always been the kind of person who is deeply affected by things around me, and knew that some of the things I would see in South Africa would be things I would not know how to deal with. I realized after I got here, though, that I would not only be unable to distance myself from the things I saw, but also unwilling to even try to. For me, a huge part of this experience is learning to accept who I am, and more specifically to accept and embrace the fact that I will never be the kind of person who bases their decisions on logic or fact, but rather on what I believe is possible, and what I feel is right.
I do not believe that humans are innately selfish, or insensitive, or disconnected from the world by which they are surrounded. I believe these attributes are a consequence of patriarchy and of capitalism, and overall a product of the system. We often talk about the idea of progress in relation to innovation, economy, and technology, but I personally measure progress in relation to morality. Whenever I hear the word, I always think of the quote by Mahatma Gandhi which states that “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated.” I could not agree with this quote more.
I have always struggled with the hierarchy that we place on life, and the idea that animals were placed on this Earth for humans. Recently, someone I work with made the comment that the reason he is a vegetarian is because he believes that the animals of this world are also his brothers and sisters; that comment struck a chord, and has continued to stay with me. I believe that everything and everyone in life is connected, and that watching another being experience pain is the same as me experiencing that pain myself.
Because of this, seeing so many stray and starving animals every day has been so, so difficult. I understand that so many people here are also living in terrible conditions, but I do not think that is a justifiable reason to turn my head to the other injustice that is taking place. In an effort to feel more proactive, I decided to do my activist project at a no-kill animal shelter called TEARS, located in Fish Hoek, right on the edge of a township. From Rondebosch, it takes about forty minutes by train, and then another ten or so minutes by mini-bus; however, the long ride is completely worth it, and if I could, I would spend every day there.
The shelter has dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens. We get there at about 9:00 and begin by walking the many dogs, who are all so friendly and just want attention and affection. The employees and volunteers at the shelter seem extremely grateful to have our help, and we are more than happy to be there. I think many of us miss our “pets” back home, and spending time with the shelter animals is more than helpful. No offense to those of you back home, but I miss my dog, Monte, more than anyone!
Missing my dog and cats, though, is not my only reason for wanting to volunteer at the shelter. As I said before, I believe that everything and everyone in life is connected, and similarly, that the oppression, inequality, and injustice that occurs in this world is all interconnected and stems from the same source. As ecofeminist theory argues, there is a strong parallel that exists between the male oppression and subordination of women in families and society and the degradation of nature by similarly masculine attitudes and methods. As stated in the wikipedia definition, "while feminism is a primary entry point, women and men also come to ecofeminism through environmentalism, alternative spirituality, animal rights, and other progressive affiliations. The kaleidoscopic lens of ecofeminism includes a prepatriarchal historical analysis, an embracement of spirituality, and a commitment to challenging racism, classism, imperialism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, anthropocentrism (i.e. human supremacism), speciesism and other forms of oppression."
I genuinely believe that progress, in it’s most simple form, is defined by morality. I believe that every day we can all do something, no matter how small, and that it will make a difference. A few weeks ago, most of the house watched the movie The Constant Gardener, a movie that I had already seen. There is a line in the movie, though, that really touched me. The two main characters are arguing about trying to help a young boy, and one character says, “Tess, you can’t save everyone.” She then says, “no, but I can save this one.” Every time I pass a stray animal or a child who asks for food, I think of that line. I may not be able to take home every dog or cat that needs a home, or feed every starving child, but I can do small things, every day, and in the end, I believe that will bring about a lasting and substantial change.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Gandhi
Missing my dog and cats, though, is not my only reason for wanting to volunteer at the shelter. As I said before, I believe that everything and everyone in life is connected, and similarly, that the oppression, inequality, and injustice that occurs in this world is all interconnected and stems from the same source. As ecofeminist theory argues, there is a strong parallel that exists between the male oppression and subordination of women in families and society and the degradation of nature by similarly masculine attitudes and methods. As stated in the wikipedia definition, "while feminism is a primary entry point, women and men also come to ecofeminism through environmentalism, alternative spirituality, animal rights, and other progressive affiliations. The kaleidoscopic lens of ecofeminism includes a prepatriarchal historical analysis, an embracement of spirituality, and a commitment to challenging racism, classism, imperialism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, anthropocentrism (i.e. human supremacism), speciesism and other forms of oppression."
Michelle & boyfriend Dan after a day of volunteering at TEARS
I genuinely believe that progress, in it’s most simple form, is defined by morality. I believe that every day we can all do something, no matter how small, and that it will make a difference. A few weeks ago, most of the house watched the movie The Constant Gardener, a movie that I had already seen. There is a line in the movie, though, that really touched me. The two main characters are arguing about trying to help a young boy, and one character says, “Tess, you can’t save everyone.” She then says, “no, but I can save this one.” Every time I pass a stray animal or a child who asks for food, I think of that line. I may not be able to take home every dog or cat that needs a home, or feed every starving child, but I can do small things, every day, and in the end, I believe that will bring about a lasting and substantial change.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Gandhi
