As many people prepare to eat holiday feasts and go shopping on Black Friday, over at the Utah State philosophy blog, Harrision Kleiner talks about Peter Singer’s argument on moral duties for helping the poor. And while Americans react to seeing Sarah Palin give an interview as a turkey is slaughtered behind her, Kleiner calls attention to Singer’s article in Newsweek on animal rights. A clip from Singer:
If animals do have rights, what rights would those be? The most basic right any sentient being can have is for his or her interests to be given equal consideration. After that, things get more complicated. Some advocates think that all animals have a right to life. Others give more weight to the lives of beings such as chimpanzees, which are capable of understanding that they have a life, and of having hopes and desires directed toward the future. The movement’s supporters agree that the way we treat animals now, as test subjects and factory-farm products, is flagrantly wrong.
Meanwhile, native people attempt to educate folks about the real story of Thanksgiving and discuss what Thanksgiving means to them. For many native families and friends of native people, Thanksgiving often turns out to be an annual discussion of Native American stereotypes because various school projects and products sold in stores for the Thanksgiving holiday employ native stereotypes. Rather than write out those stereotypes, I’ll link to pre-made lists here and here!
Finally, because it’s always cool to highlight the awesome things native communities are doing, and because November also happens to be American Indian Heritage Month, I call attention to a new PBS documentary made by three Swinomish teens. The film, March Point, is about the impacts of oil refineries on nearby native communities. Here’s a couple of previews of the film (Check your local listings at www.PBS.org).
