My note: I actually wrote this a few days ago, but wanted to post it on here.(This is one of my more serious blogs, I promise I am NOT always this serious and my topics do vary! :]*I have recently become disgusted with the way our world treats the most innocent of beings.
First up, let me allow you to read an article that was posted on the Bronx Zoo's website on February 5th, 2009.
"The following statement was released today by the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli:
We applaud the New York State Legislature for rejecting Governor Paterson’s proposal to disproportionately cut the Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquariums (ZBGA) budget line by 55 percent for Fiscal Year 2009. This was a strategic decision by our state legislators who recognize the economic, educational, and environmental importance of all 76 institutions funded by the ZBGA budget line. While the decision to protect the funding this year is vital, we ask that our state legislators recognize the importance of the state’s Environmental Protection Fund to all New Yorkers and reject the governor’s proposal to zero out the ZBGA budget line in Fiscal Year 2010. We hope Albany will use a scalpel, and not an ax, to make targeted reductions that will allow our institutions to weather the current financial storm.
This week’s vote will ensure that living museums across our state funded by ZBGA, including the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium, will receive the original $9 million allocated to them at the beginning of Fiscal year 2009. We want to thank the Bronx and Brooklyn state legislative delegations, more than 60 community organizations and businesses, and all the New Yorkers who helped to send more than 46,000 messages to Albany asking that zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums get the funding they need as they face dwindling private donations and repercussions due to a volatile stock market.
All these ZBGA living museums are integral to our state’s local communities as they face great challenges with the financial crisis. These ZBGA-funded institutions attract more than 12 million tourists a year, helping local merchants with their sales and bottom line.
The 114-year-old Bronx Zoo and 113-year-old New York Aquarium are part of the rich history and fabric in New York State and are located in some of the most underserved areas in New York. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages these facilities, educates millions of students and future conservationists, employs more than 4,000 staff worldwide, and pumps more than $400 million into our state’s economy. More than 4 million tourists visit WCS facilities each year, buying from the local merchants in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and across New York. The Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium employ approximately 1,200 seasonal workers in the summer, many of whom are retirees, citizens on public assistance, and students. And each year, we train 2,000 public school teachers and nearly 2 million students visit our facilities, including 70,000 who attend our formal education programs.
If the state government eliminates funding for the Wildlife Conservation Society, it will be the first time since 1895 that we, a state chartered institution, receive no support from the state. We think that's an abdication of the state's century-old commitment to us and the people of the State of New York.
Even with this week’s vote, we ask that New Yorkers send a message of support to Albany by going to www.wcs.org. We continue to face a 100 percent cut of funding from the state as proposed by the Governor for Fiscal Year 2010."
Why is it that the second we face an economic crisis, everyone feels that animals should be the first to suffer? Why is it that they want to cut back cost when it comes to animals? Why should an animal loose its food, shelter, and safety? I grew up learning that animals are just as important as human beings. From the teeny tiny ant to the magnificent Elephant, all animals should be treated equally and not get pushed aside when times get rough.
I have heard to many horror stories about families who are going through tough financial situations that leave their pets to starve and die. There have been a few times when my family (along with over 50% of the US population) have gone through financial difficulties. We have THREE dogs, and FOUR birds. Not once was our answer to cut back on their food or water or shelter. They are just as important as we are, and they depend on us to care for them. I understand that some families truly feel they cannot care for their pets anymore when they are facing financial difficulties.. but I think if that happens, then they need to be responsible and find a no-kill shelter where they can bring their animal.
Back to the main issue...does Govenor Paterson REALLY think that cutting and bascially taking away funding and budgets from the NY zoos, aquarium, and botanical gardens is going to help with our economic crisis? I have been to the Bronx Zoo quite a few times.. and each time I went there, it was PACKED with people. The Bronx Zoo, the NY Aquarium, the Botanical Gardens... they are all an important part of NYC. They bring people and tourists in. If anything, they are HELPING the economy by boosting sales of the zoo, the aquarium, the gardens, and the areas around them. The Bronx Zoo is not only a place of employment for thousands of people, but it is HOME to a HUGE amount of animals. Some of those animals were BORN there. What will the zoo do if they loose their funding? How will they care for these precious animals? Some of the animals there are endangered species. How will the zoo ensure that those animals do not become extinct without the proper funding? These places/museums truly are a part of NYC's culture and history. I do not believe the answer to our economic crisis is taking away the funding of NYC's zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens. How about we focus on things like the $1 million dollars in bonuses that AIG insurance paid its employees? Some bonuses paid to people who didnt even WORK for AIG insurance anymore. Nobody wants to stand back and look at the real picture. Its not the Bronx Zoo, or NYC Aquarium or the botanical gardens that is taking money away and putting us into an economic crisis. Its US, the PEOPLE, the UNITES STATES, the people who work for major corporations who are getting insane amounts of money placed in the palm of their hand and dont want to give up the luxuries they have become acustomed to, who are putting us deeper into this economic crisis we are in right now.
Something else that has disgusted me is President Obama's view on abortion. I have ALWAYS been a FIRM believer that the SECOND a male sperm fertilizes a female egg, a HUMAN LIFE is formed and begins to grow. Abortion takes that LIFE, and KILLS it. I am tired of hearing all the excuses. Here's my take on these "excuses"..
"What if a woman was raped and becomes pregnant as a result?" - When a woman is sexually assaulted or raped it is, without a doubt, a horrible, terrible, traumatizing experiece for that woman. I am in NO WAY taking that away from victims of rape/sexual assault. BUT, in life, things happen. Things that we dont WANT to happen. Things that we dont anticipate happening. Sometimes, we have to deal with what life gives us. I believe if a woman is raped, and becomes pregnant because of that rape, then the woman should give birth to the baby, and then give the child up for adoption. Yes, the nine months leading up to the birth and the birth of the baby may be hell on earth for the woman, but that child did not ASK for her to be raped. That child deserves to LIVE. That child deserves the chance to be brought into this world. There are thousands and thousands of couples out there who can't have children naturally and who would love to adopt a beautiful baby girl or boy.
"What if a teenager has sex and becomes pregnant and cannot take care of a baby?" - Again, life has unexpected turns and we have to deal with what live gives us. If a teenager decides they are mature enough to have sex, then they are mature enough to give birth to a baby. Again, if the teenager cannot give the baby a proper home, and love and shelter and safety, then they can give that baby up for adoption. Why is it that a teenager is mature enough to make the decision to have sex, but isn't mature enough to realize that the baby they are carrying inside of them deserves to live?
"What if the mother's life is at risk?" - This has always been tough for me. I dont believe I have ever heard of a doctor telling a woman "If you do not abort this pregnancy, you will die." I believe that certain things are in God's hands. Now if the woman is in labor, and the doctor feels that the baby or the mothers life is in danger, that is a completely different story, and a doctor has to make a tough call. But I do not believe that a woman would DIE if she did not terminate a pregnancy.
"What if the woman finds out the baby will be deformed, or be a special needs child?" - So what? Just because a child does not grow the proper way or does not have the same mental capabilities of most in the world, they should just be killed and forgotten about? AGAIN, life has unexpected turns, and THAT is one of them. If a woman feels she cannot raise a child with special needs, then again, she can put that baby up for adoption and there is someone who WILL be able to raise that child and love that child.
I have come to notice that in our world, we feel that those who are innocent, those who do not have an actual "VOICE" (animals, unborn babies, young children) do not matter. Its as if most people think that they do not have feelings. They DO. Just because an animal cannot TALK to you and just because an unborn child cannot TALK to you, does not mean that they do not want to, does not mean that they do not deserve the same love that any other human being would get.
Don't allow people to invalidate the feelings of the innocent beings of our world. They deserve to live a beautiful life, just like anybody else.
Take action... and take action now!!!
To take action against Govenor Paterson taking away funding from New York's zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens please visit: http://capwiz.com/wcs/issu....es/alert/?alertid=12198681
To take action against Abortion and President Obama's decision to fund abortions please visit: http://www.prolife.com/
Peace, Love, and Pug Hugs,
Maryann
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