I live on the northern coast of California. So far north, I jokingly call it "southern Oregon".
Before moving here a few years ago, being a southern California girl,(SoCal for short) I had no idea how different the coastline would be from what I was used to.
Apparently, the large number of sea stacks offshore are responsible for causing the waves to break and bounce in ways that create extremely dangerous and unpredictable currents in these super cold waters. It's just not safe to go swimming in the Pacific above San Francisco.
The reason for the mini geology lesson in this post is unfortunately a tragic one. This past weekend, here on the North Coast, three members of a family lost their lives.
A mom, dad, and 16 year old son drowned in an attempt to save the life of their family dog, who got swept away in the treacherous ocean waters while playfully trying to retrieve a stick. Their dog was ultimately able to swim to safety. You can read the story here and here.
I was sharing this with a relative out of the area and their response was one of sadness and disbelief.
This got me thinking. I wondered if this presumption about animals and their worth(or lack of it) was fed more so by religious belief or cultural background? The black community as a whole is not known for fighting for the cause of animal rights. Some might say that blacks have been fighting too long and too hard for their(our) own civil rights to worry about dogs and cats are treated.
But I'm curious. If you're a non-vegan person of color and/or religious, would you risk your life to save your family pet? Why or why not?
I especially want to hear from those who are not vegan, because right or wrong, I assume that we who are vegan and/or vegetarian for ethical reasons would indeed risk our own safety for the animals in our care.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
