Political Correctness gone wrong: Animal ethicists shun “p” word

In an article  from Global Edmonton, a new academic journal states that we should stop using the words “pet” , “wildlife”, “vermin” because they are derogatory. The journal even suggests that “animal” is a “term of abuse.

The academic journal also states that by changing how we address animals (or in their case non-human species) by their noun will change how people act and think.

Who really is being offended by these simple terms? According to the journal animals could be offended but the bigger picture is how we treat animals. They are saying that the way we address a “non-human species” relates to how we will treat our pet (or in their case companion animal). However, a linguistics professor states that in changing words it is not a guarantee that people will change how they treat their pets.

The journal has also decided that similes such as “drunk as a skunk”, “eat like a pig”, “sly as a fox” etc are also derogatory and we should stop using them immediately.

The new journal has created a public outcry that political correctness has been taken too far this time. The new politically correct terms of “spring sphere”,”Happy Holidays” and now “companion animal” have taken this topic way too far. In the end would an animal really notice if it is called a “pet”, “wildlife” OR  “companion animal”, “free-living” respectively.

Animal ethicists shun ‘p’ word-the full article

B 😀

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Spring is in the air or so we think

What is spring? That is what many of us here in Canada have been asking ourselves for several months now.

I know spring is finally here when:

You can smell rain instead of snow mold

You see robins jumping about

You hear songbirds in the morning

But most importantly there is no SNOW on the ground.

But for us prairie provinces we don’t release a shout of joy for spring until the beginning of June. Our weather can change drastically, within hours, if you just look at mother nature wrong. We can go from sunny skies to an all out blizzard. On the other hand we can get a down pour of rain when thirty minutes ago it was bright and blue.

For example, just when our friends of Manitoba thought spring was here to stay mother nature hit them with a snow storm that resulted in another 30 cm of snow.

Here in Alberta we are holding spring firmly in our hands waiting for the solstice to bring us summer. Right now we will continue the ritual of  watching the weather channel, holding our breaths and releasing  it with a big sigh when we hear there is just sunny skies in our forecast.

However, just for now I think I’ll keep my winter gear ready. You never know what will happen tomorrow till you look out the window.

B 😀