George Floyd of the US or the pregnant Indian elephant: Every life matters
Animals are less wild and humans less human
In the past few days, the USA has been seeing massive protests on the streets. George Floyd, who died screaming “I can’t breathe” when a policeman kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed face down in the street. Cities in the country are on fire, stores looted, bridges burnt, and the protests are getting violent and violent day by day.
It is not the first case where a black guy was oppressed because of his skin color. Not only George Floyd got killed for the color of his skin, guys who were driving, jogging, sleeping, sitting in a park, sitting in a van, and standing in the yard also became victims of police racist violence. Now, the big question is:
Who do you call when the murderer wears a badge?
While the west is dealing with human discrimination and racist attacks, the south-eastern country, India recently witnessed a distressing, disturbing, and unsettling event. A 15-year-old cow elephant got killed because she had eaten an explosive-stuffed pineapple that went off in her mouth.
The cow elephant was straying in the village near Silent Valley National Park where she ate a pineapple filled with firecrackers. The firecrackers exploded in her mouth. The injured pregnant elephant walked for days in pain before she dropped dead in the river on May 27.
Although keeping firecracker or explosive-filled fruits to protect fields is subjected as cruel and is condemned, villages still follow this practice to protect their fields from animals.
Indians are outraged by this nerve-wracking event and are demanding justice for that pregnant elephant. The government is leaving no stone unturned in finding the culprits. But, this event is another example of how we are betraying and being Judas to wildlife for our mere profits.
Animals have become less wild. Humans have become less human.
It is not just about Blacks or elephants. Look at the bigger picture, oppressions in Hong Kong, Libya, Gaza, CAA-NRC protests in India, and it is the never-ending list. Higher powers are dividing people, Hindu-Muslim riots in India, racism in Britain and the USA, oppression against LGBTQ community, class oppression, racial oppression, animal cruelty, and whatnot. There is no end of these oppressions, protests against them, and public outrage.
White or Black, Hindu or Muslim, Gay or Straight, rich or poor, humans or animals, this world is for every single one. We have to just keep faith in every single living being. Else, there will be another protest happening in some other place or another tiger hurt and we will be fuming seeing the visuals on the screen saying “His Life Matters”, “Her Life Matters”, or “Their lives Matter”!
Peace!
