Travis the chimp has been in the spotlight for years. Whether it was in Old Navy or Coca Cola commercials, Travis has been a friendly face on TV for many. What we didn't know was that Travis was going to be getting much more media attention. In the past few weeks many stories have been done on Travis because he attacked a family friend by mauling her face and ripping apart the palms of her hands. What Travis did was wrong and everyone in America feels terrible for the poor woman not many people feel bad for Travis. Most of them say things like, "well of course the chimp did that, he's a wild animal!" or "that's what you get for keeping a chimp for a pet" but the people that feel bad for Travis, because he's Travis, are few and far between.
Unfortunately, Travis is not the only animal who has been looked over. In America, millions of animals roam the streets homeless or spend their days and nights in cages. Most of these animals are “put to sleep” or more realistically, killed because there just isn’t room for them and breeders keep on breeding, preventing the mutts and kittens from making it to a loving home. Every animal deserves a home and a chance at a happy life and for many people that’s obvious. However, how do we convince the other half of the nation, the larger half, that animal cruelty is wrong? Better yet, how do we convince them that animals have a worth and inalienable rights, because they’re creatures- like us.
Sources say Travis the chimp lived a fairly human lifestyle. He enjoyed TV, surfing the Internet, sleeping in his bed and dressing himself. He ate at the table with the rest of the family and enjoyed many things humans enjoy as well. While this may seem cute and maybe fascinating to many Americans, it deep disturbs people like me, animal lovers. A real animal lover loves not because the animal is cute or funny but because the animal deserves to be happy like the rest of us creatures. Travis never wanted to life he had. He's a wild animal and deserves to enjoy the life of a wild chimp. The fact that he lashed out and attacked a family friend only supports this idea. After 15 years of being on camera, no wonder Travis went bananas. He just couldn't take it anymore.
Today in my persuasive writing class we discussed PETA and the persuasive videos they show in the hopes of rallying members and preventing animal cruelty. The responses from students only support my theory even further: most students don't care about animal rights. The Catalyst, a Seattle University newsletter, took a poll in last month's edition on which issues were most important to Seattle University students. I was appalled to find out Animal Rights was tied in last place for the least important social issue. The only other issue that fell this low was the issue of student loans. Student loans vs. Animal Rights? Really? I struggle with this because in my mind, the life of an animal is worth much more than money or the ability to borrow money from a bank. But like I said, I'm alone in this battle.
What is it going to take for people to care more about the life of an animal? Do we need more graphic images? More terrifying statistics? PETA's videos include some of the most horrific footage I have ever seen but after showing some of the videos, the students in class continue to laugh and joke around. For them, life goes on. Many people don't see animals as being even close to as worthy of value as humans, so they struggle to grant them the natural rights that seem so obvious to me. For the above reasons, I am extremely frustrated with people on this issue, everyday. Why do so many people enjoy the bliss of ignorance and turn a blind eye when they see animals suffer?
The audiences to consider in this piece are animal lovers and non-animal lovers alike. It’s a ‘mean’ case where the audience regards the issue as unimportant or uninteresting. Gabby effectively addresses these groups by reaching out to them, the animal lovers in particular, and asking them why they aren’t doing anything to prevent animal cruelty. In the case of Travis the Chimp Gabby makes the point that in a sense this animal was being held against his will, and if he’s capable of dressing, watching tv, and surving the internet, then he’s aware of the kind of life he wants to live. Being locked up wasn’t his definition of ‘quality’ and eventually snapped. The audience is presented with the question, why don’t we care about the animal that was killed? All the attention has gone to the woman that was injured, and she expresses that attention is rightly direction towards her, but why not the chimp as well? Animal lovers need to come out of their closets and the less affectionate need to consider their own actions.
ReplyDeleteThe genre of this piece was an editorial, and works well for the audience as it centers on opinion and an appeal to emotion. The editorial is the perfect medium for this kind of response.
The audiences to consider in this piece are animal lovers and non-animal lovers alike. It’s a ‘mean’ case where the audience regards the issue as unimportant or uninteresting. Gabby effectively addresses these groups by reaching out to them, the animal lovers in particular, and asking them why they aren’t doing anything to prevent animal cruelty. In the case of Travis the Chimp Gabby makes the point that in a sense this animal was being held against his will, and if he’s capable of dressing, watching tv, and surving the internet, then he’s aware of the kind of life he wants to live. Being locked up wasn’t his definition of ‘quality’ and eventually snapped. The audience is presented with the question, why don’t we care about the animal that was killed? All the attention has gone to the woman that was injured, and she expresses that attention is rightly direction towards her, but why not the chimp as well? Animal lovers need to come out of their closets and the less affectionate need to consider their own actions.
ReplyDeleteThe genre of this piece was an editorial, and works well for the audience as it centers on opinion and an appeal to emotion. The editorial is the perfect medium for this kind of response.
Language that provides detail for the issue are statements like, “most of the animals are ‘put to sleep’ or more realistically, killed.” The audience can then see the other side of the issue. Or impassion them if they already had similar feelings.
ReplyDeleteThere is some good analysis in this essay. It takes the fate of Travis the Chimp and applies it to animal rights and how students at SU ranked animal rights near the bottom of issues that affect them. Again it could use some statistical information about incarcerated animals and how it effects behavioral problems.
Yes, the message is clear and has a clear purpose of motivating animals lovers that are afraid to take action.