Comments on: Silence of Marcus the Lamb: Pet Lamb Butchered After Vote by Children

By: Bob Pomilla

Bob Pomilla — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:22:07 +0000

I find it hard to believe that this “pro-slaughter” vote was uninfluenced by school staff, which admittedly, gave it’s “full support” to the slaughter. Don’t think it likely, that, after nurturing this little creature, children would vote so overwhelmingly to have it chopped to pieces.

Whatever the case, I do hope that the little dears were made to witness the results of their vote. All our actions have consequences and to avert our eyes from those consequences, teaches nothing.

By: kay

kay — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:21:08 +0000

Kuddos to the one student that voted against killing their classroom pet. The other students are so predictable… I think they started to act like “sheep”.

By: Chiaw

Chiaw — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:23:19 +0000

Ah, city folk. We are a funny lot.
Just because we’re uncomfortable about having a direct and meaningful connection with an animal we are going to eat doesn’t mean that there is anything fundamentally wrong with it or that others have to subscribe to the same philosophy we’ve been conditioned to live by. Being around an animal, caring for them and having a meaningful relationship with our food source is something that has been systematically removed from our modern consciousness.

The reason feed lots and over fishing happens is because mankind lost that sense of stewardship.

By: liz

liz — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:20:45 +0000

I think that this was actually a great lesson for kids because if you ask the average 7-11 year old they don’t know where their meat has come from! Raising a lamb caringly shows that you can get meat even if you spend the time to care for it instead of mass production farms who do not give their lambs a nice life. People eat meat, to have meat you need animals, therefore teaching kids how this happens is a good thing. They were learning about farming not having a pet. The child who voted against coud have done for a number of reasons but it doesnt mean it shouldn’t have happened or that they will be emotionally scarred because of it. The huge protest around it probably caused more confusion and damage than the lesson.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:09:56 +0000

‘Jules’ said on September 16th, 2009 at 2:37 pm

As Ghandi said:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

======================================================

HOW NICE & TRUE….
GOOD ONE JULES !!! GOOD ONE…..

ONE THING’S FOR SURE…I’LL NEVER KILL A ‘pet’ THAT
HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE….
MORE SO–I’Ll NEVER SEND MY KID TO A SCHOOL LIKE THAT!
THERE IS NO MORE CONSCIENCE IN PEOPLE THESE DAYS…
Instead of teaching our kids to love Nature/Animals,
we let it happen ! CRAZY !!!

HOW MUCH MEAT CAN U GET FROM THAT POOR LAMB ?
Let alone–How much $$$ ?!!!
IF U NEED $$$ FOR OTHER PROJECTS–THEN, U SHOULD SELL
OFF THAT LAMB….to any farmer around there.
I SALUTE THAT 1 CHILD WHO ‘voted’ AGAINST…
THAT IS A HUMAN-BEING; THE REST ARE ‘humans’ only…

By: Jules

Jules — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:37:02 +0000

As Ghandi said:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

Clearly Bob Callihan lives as part of the herd-minded that will never see above himself to realize that he himself is an ‘animal’ like any other living, breathing being. If reincarnation does exist, I pray his return as a sheep on a farm so he can fully absorb the experience of exploitation of a life.

By: Derek

Derek — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:39:32 +0000

I think the idea of “continuing the educational process” by useing Marcus to teach about wool production, or even the raffel idea to generate money to further expand the lesson into pigs (ultimatley a lesson in economics) is commendable “outside the box” thinking. In fact sending Marcus to be butchered seems like one of the least educational solutions; would the students get to watch the process?
All the hysterics and threats are certainly insane, but seems that having 7-11 year olds “vote” is kind of a lazy cop-out.

By: Private Citizen

Private Citizen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:13:36 +0000

I think the farm project met its objectives. The children have learnt there is a good reason not to get too attached to production animals, they behaved like good farmers. They got a lesson in democracy as well. Unfortunately they seem to have copped a unnecessary exposure to public hysteria campaigns. Where unrelated folk try to bully a school when there are thousands of lambs just like marcus being butchered (actual not emotive usage)every day. I suppose it is easier picking on a school than the local farmer.

By: Alison

Alison — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:34:57 +0000

That one child who voted against the slaughter spent time with the lamb and probably became “friends” with it. The emotional attachment is there for kids or can be, whereas it may not be the same for adult farmers. I think the school should have required a unanimous vote to protect all voters from emotional distress.

By: Bob Callihan

Bob Callihan — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:24:30 +0000

Apparently the children, unlike the those who are willing to burn the school, and other dream-world protestors, understand what farm animals are for, and what real life is about. Congratulations, kids. Perhaps there is hope for this world after all.