48 years ago today, this image of the Earth rising above the horizon of the Moon was captured by the astronauts of Apollo 8 — the first manned lunar mission in human history … Some three years later, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell witnessed the same stunning “Earthrise” and was overwhelmed with emotion — emotion that had him feeling deeply at one with all of humanity; emotion that inspired him to pen the following:

“You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch.’”

 

And indeed, here we are some 45 years later and not much has changed — other than the fact that our species is now literally on the verge of extinction, and that the primary reason for this imminent tragedy is the way we humans STILL use and abuse animals.

 

And so it is that I echo the brilliant, heartfelt sentiments of Mr. Mitchell when I proclaim:

“From right here on the Earth, our traditions & allegiances look so petty — all the patriotism, all the religious fervor, all the subsidized & celebrated acts of animal cruelty. It makes you just want to grab the person next to you gently by hand, take him a quarter of a million miles up, turn his face towards the Earth and say, ‘Look at that — Look at the immense Beauty — Look at the miracle of life that you and your selfish habits destroying even as we speak!’”

 

Please stop contributing to the suffering of others and the destruction of our species …

 

Please go vegan … Thank you.

Filed under: Sanctifying Sentience by Scaughdt