In mid-May, the Chicago city council announced that the ban on foie gras that had been enacted in 2006 was overturned. Animal protection advocates banged their heads against the wall in frustration, while foie gras fanatics cheered and happily renewed serving the “delicacy.” Why didn’t the ban stick? Simply, because people don’t like to be told what to do.
One of the first phrases we learn to utter at the top of our voices as kids (after “No!”) is “You can’t tell me what to do!” Especially in the U.S., our culture cultivates an almost-religious fervor for individualism and the freedom to believe and do and choose pretty much as we want. Go diversity! Go freedom!
People want to feel like they have a choice, and they don’t want that freedom of choice (whether illusion or reality) to be taken away. That’s one reason laws are so complicated and tricky. As nice as it would be to just legislate everyone into making humane choices, you can’t create a humane world by forcing people to comply with something they haven’t freely chosen. We have daily evidence that compelled obedience doesn’t work: murder, rape, pollution, discrimination, child abuse, slave labor, drug use, corruption, speeding in a school zone –- we have laws in the U.S. that prohibit all of these actions, yet they are still daily occurrences. If we ask everyone whether these behaviors are wrong, most people will say yes; that hasn’t stopped them from committing these acts anyway.
The New York Times recently published an article about the fact that even though cockfighting is now banned in New Mexico, the law has only changed the way most cockfighters do business; it hasn’t stopped them. Slavery is illegal in every single country, yet there are an estimated 27 million slaves around the world.
A May Gallup poll conducted to explore how people feel about the treatment of animals showed that, while many people don’t approve of banning practices, they do support positive action (such as passing laws concerning the treatment of farmed animals).
There is definitely a place for legislation. Legislation has brought about the Clean Air and Water Acts, the Endangered Species Act, the right for gays to marry in two states, the banning of gestation stalls in Oregon, and more. But laws can also lull people into a false sense of security (Oh, that’s against the law now. Good. Nothing more needs to be done. I don’t need to take any action.). And, they don’t stop the actions of those who don’t care about the law.
Creating a humane world can only happen by increasing the number of people who choose to live humanely of their own free will. So, yes, let’s continue to work on legislation for a more humane world. But, more importantly, let’s work to educate, inspire and empower people to make daily choices that do the most good and least harm for all people, animals and the planet.
If a critical mass of people believe that slavery is wrong and take positive action, no more slavery. If enough people speak out against cruelty to animals and take positive action, no more cruelty. If enough people truly want a humane world and make choices every day to help manifest that vision, then we’ll have that humane world.
~ Marsha
Filed under: animal protection, farmed animals, food and diet, positive choices | Tagged: fois gras, freedom, laws, legislation, power of choice
“Humane legislation” is an oxymoron. As a wise man has said, “You cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that created the problem.” The imposition of authority by laws does not promote a humane society and can only be seen as a desperate measure taken by those without enough imagination to find a truly humane solution.
Legalizing gay marriage does not solve the problem of homophobia which denied this right originally. The Clean Air and Water Act does not cause people to respect our environment. The Endangered Species Act has not stopped the destruction of forests worldwide. The only effect of banning gestation stalls in Oregon has is to promote the importation of meat from sources where they are not banned.
There is no example that can be sighted of legislation solving a social illness. Laws only work when most people already abide by them.
Thanks so much for your comment. You’re absolutely right that laws don’t solve social ills, which was much the point of my post. But laws do have their place in helping bring about positive social change, and they can help make damaging systems or behaviors into less damaging ones, as well as help curtail the behaviors of those who would do more damage, if left unregulated. I agree with you that it’s important to focus on inspiring and empowering others to make humane choices.