RIP Baby Alan Rabbit

[AeolianHarp]

Radio hosts spark outrage for killing baby rabbit with a bicycle pump live on air.

Two Danish radio hosts killed a young rabbit with a bicycle pump live on air, sparking hundreds of complaints for what they said was a bid to highlight the “hypocrisy” of animal welfare campaigners.

Radio24syv presenters Asger Juhl and Kristoffer Eriksen ate the nine-week-old bunny, nicknamed Allan, after clubbing it to death with the pump during their show.

More than 1,500 people have now joined a Facebook group demanding a boycott of the station.

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-05-26/r...p-live-on-air/

Sign the petition to get the cruel DJ off the air!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/599/4...-bicycle-pump/

[Sorrano]

Here in Utah that DJ would have been arrested; I believe that is a felony here.

[AeolianHarp]

Here in Utah that DJ would have been arrested; I believe that is a felony here.

Same here Sorrano. We have animal cruelty laws in Britain. He'd have been arrested and the RSPCA called. Poor little Alan Rabbit- he was a beautiful innocent little baby. That DJ is a wicked coward- perhaps he ought to re try his experiment with an adult crocodile.

[Chris]

While I was enjoying kidding you in the other thread, AeolianHarp, I actually am quite fond of rabbits.

Still, I don't think these DJs really did anything wrong. They killed a rabbit. They didn't waste it - they ate it. And according to that article, they killed it according to careful instructions from an expert from a Danish zoo.

And it seems the point of all this was to bring attention to the fact that animals there that are actually raised to be food are treated quite badly. And while everyone gets upset over cute, visible animals being mistreated (even when they are not really being mistreated), no one cares about the animals who are actually being kept in terrible conditions.

[AeolianHarp]

Still, I don't think these DJs really did anything wrong. They killed a rabbit. They didn't waste it - they ate it. And according to that article, they killed it according to careful instructions from an expert from a Danish zoo.

Alan was not an "it"- he was a tiny little baby who was beaten to death! Careful instructions my ar*se. He would have hardly any "meat" on him. He had hardly lived. It was a despicable act. And if any DJ had done this in my island he would have been arrested and charged with animal cruelty.

And it seems the point of all this was to bring attention to the fact that animals there that are actually raised to be food are treated quite badly. And while everyone gets upset over cute, visible animals being mistreated (even when they are not really being mistreated), no one cares about the animals who are actually being kept in terrible conditions.

To murder a tiny baby like that does not bring to attention in a compassionate and positive way how other animals are suffering in abbatoirs. The best way to do this is to adopt a plant based diet. Plenty of people do care about how animals are cruelly treated- those who do, do not beat a baby animal to death.

[Chris]

Alan was not an "it"- he was a tiny little baby who was beaten to death! Careful instructions my ar*se. He would have hardly any "meat" on him.

He was an animal that was eaten by another creature. Like it or not, this is in the nature of animals.

He had hardly lived. It was a despicable act. And if any DJ had done this in my island he would have been arrested and charged with animal cruelty.

If he had lived longer, would it have made any difference? Would he have grown in wisdom and understanding? Would he have ever understood abstract concepts, reasoned from one to another, and made good choices? Would he have ever created art? No. The rabbit was all he was ever going to be. And it is only our emotional attachment to him, which can go beyond what is reasonable, that makes it into a tragedy. Certainly no other rabbit cares about this, feels any sadness at it, or even understands it.

To murder a tiny baby like that does not bring to attention in a compassionate and positive way how other animals are suffering in abbatoirs. The best way to do this is to adopt a plant based diet. Plenty of people do care about how animals are cruelly treated- those who do, do not beat a baby animal to death.

If they had adopted plant-based diets, would we be discussing this right now? I doubt it - no one would have bothered to write an article about it. So one way or the other, they did get our attention.

And I'm not sure their purpose was to accomplish something with regard to the stock animals living in bad conditions, but rather to draw attention to the hypocrisy of some groups who claim to love animals but do not care about the situation.

[AeolianHarp]

He was an animal that was eaten by another creature. Like it or not, this is in the nature of animals.

That DJ had no need of killing and eating Alan, who was so tiny that he had little meat on him. The DJ was not starving, had no need to kill Alan- it was all for his own sick attention to get more ratings on his radio station.

If he had lived longer, would it have made any difference? Would he have grown in wisdom and understanding? Would he have ever understood abstract concepts, reasoned from one to another, and made good choices? Would he have ever created art? No. The rabbit was all he was ever going to be.

What has that got to do with anything? And humans are not all that- we brutally kill each other for silly religious differences, and all other spurious reasons. Hardly wise. I'd take Alan's innocent nature over that. Rabbits don't create art, true, but that doesn't make them lesser beings. Some other animals do create art such as apes and elephants ( paintings). But we don't need to judge other beings by comparing them to humanity. Humanity has a lot to learn. To live in peace with each other would be a start.

And it is only our emotional attachment to him, which can go beyond what is reasonable, that makes it into a tragedy. Certainly no other rabbit cares about this, feels any sadness at it, or even understands it.

Rabbits are mammals- they have emotions, they are not robots. They have friends and love each other. They are social beings and suffer from loneliness when stuck in a tiny hutch alone.

If they had adopted plant-based diets, would we be discussing this right now? I doubt it - no one would have bothered to write an article about it. So one way or the other, they did get our attention.

Not so, many people adopt plant based diets and do positive things for our animal brothers and sisters which get attention.

And I'm not sure their purpose was to accomplish something with regard to the stock animals living in bad conditions, but rather to draw attention to the hypocrisy of some groups who claim to love animals but do not care about the situation.

Alan's death was not worth pointing out hypocrisy.

[Chris]

That DJ had no need of killing and eating Alan, who was so tiny that he had little meat on him. The DJ was not starving, had no need to kill Alan- it was all for his own sick attention to get more ratings on his radio station.

Well, it was certainly to get attention, but that's not enough to make it wrong. He was going to have to eat something. He could have gone into a restaurant or store and gotten a young rabbit to eat, one who had probably not been treated as well as Alan. So it's not like this is really any different from what he might have had for dinner any other night. It seems sad, because we saw a cute picture of the rabbit, and he had a name, but this is in principle no different from ordering a rabbit dish at a restaurant.

What has that got to do with anything? And humans are not all that- we brutally kill each other for silly religious differences, and all other spurious reasons. Hardly wise. I'd take Alan's innocent nature over that. Rabbits don't create art, true, but that doesn't make them lesser beings. Some other animals do create art such as apes and elephants ( paintings). But we don't need to judge other beings by comparing them to humanity. Humanity has a lot to learn. To live in peace with each other would be a start.

Humans may do evil things to one another, but the fact that we can recognize them as evil things speaks to the amazing nature of human beings, which is far, far above that of any animal. You must know this yourself - you refer to the rabbit's nature as "innocent", and yet a rabbit who becomes agitated for some reason may eat her young. Why are you not disgusted over such a senseless, brutal act? The mother did not need to eat her babies. Why do you find this "innocent"? Because you know that rabbits are not capable of "evil", since they do not posses intellect or will. They are not capable of knowing abstract concepts, like "good", "evil", "rabbit", "human", and they cannot make choices that require that knowledge. They, like all animals, act through instinct. Human beings do not - we posses intellect and will, and this is not merely a difference of degree, but something entirely different, elevating human nature far above that of non-rational animals.

Rabbits are mammals- they have emotions, they are not robots. They have friends and love each other. They are social beings and suffer from loneliness when stuck in a tiny hutch alone.

True, rabbits have emotions, and are certainly not robots. But they also aren't smaller, cuter, human beings either. They form associations, but they do not have friends or love each other in the way human beings do, because they do not have the capacity to know what "friend" or "love" is. I think it is important that we do not anthropomorphize animals in this way. That does not mean we should treat animals with senseless cruelty, of course, but it does mean that that we cannot apply the standards of how we treat one another to how we treat animals. We are two different kinds of things.

[Peter]

As someone who's loathe to kill an ant, I do think it was an unnecessary cruel act and wrong to do live on radio whatever the reasons behind it - completely mindless and will change nothing. Having said that, I do however recognise the hypocrisy not just in other people on these issues, but in myself as well. I wonder how many of those complaining consider the animal suffering behind their tasty chicken sandwich? Nor can Vegetarians afford to feel smug on this as they add milk to their tea without a thought to the conditions of the cows or the slave labour that harvested the tea.

[AeolianHarp]

Well, it was certainly to get attention, but that's not enough to make it wrong.

Are you s*** me?!

He was going to have to eat something. He could have gone into a restaurant or store and gotten a young rabbit to eat, one who had probably not been treated as well as Alan. So it's not like this is really any different from what he might have had for dinner any other night. It seems sad, because we saw a cute picture of the rabbit, and he had a name, but this is in principle no different from ordering a rabbit dish at a restaurant.

And he could have gone and had a plant based meal which would have not resulted in Alan's brutal murder. There was NO NEED to murder and eat baby Alan at all. Denmark is a western country with plenty of plant based options.

Humans may do evil things to one another, but the fact that we can recognize them as evil things speaks to the amazing nature of human beings, which is far, far above that of any animal.

Oh sure, that's why we have ISIS, Auschwitz, FGM, constant wars, eugenics, slavery...
Above animals we most certainly are NOT.

You must know this yourself - you refer to the rabbit's nature as "innocent", and yet a rabbit who becomes agitated for some reason may eat her young. Why are you not disgusted over such a senseless, brutal act? The mother did not need to eat her babies. Why do you find this "innocent"?

Animals eat their young if they feel unable to care for them, the young are weak and won't survive, or if they are ill themselves. The fact that it is not premeditated deliberate wickedness makes it more innocent than human acts- humans are the most brutal species on this planet.

Because you know that rabbits are not capable of "evil", since they do not posses intellect or will. They are not capable of knowing abstract concepts, like "good", "evil", "rabbit", "human", and they cannot make choices that require that knowledge. They, like all animals, act through instinct.

That is what is supposed, but none of us can truly know an animal's thought processes- but one thing is clear they are quite capable of love and compassion and helping each other.

Human beings do not - we posses intellect and will, and this is not merely a difference of degree, but something entirely different, elevating human nature far above that of non-rational animals.

Oh yes that is so true! We create laws which make some people privileged who live in unbridled luxury whilst other people slave 12 hour days and live in filth for barely enough to survive on, we beat our females to death for being raped by a man, we wage war on each other for ridiculous reasons, we sexually abuse our children and then murder them in the most horrific ways (and then deny it happened!), we decide that one group of people are less worthy than others for entirely spurious reasons and then send them to death camps, create pogroms, we state that our females are men's property and deny them a voice, opportunities and adequate food, we tell little girls that unless we break their feet and bind them to be very very small that no man will marry them and that they will look ugly with normal feet, we decide another person's way of being/views/religion is not acceptable and torture them until they recant, we tell women they better not be pretty and enjoy men's company or else they will go to a laundry and work 12 hour days and be abused by "sisters".....I could go on and on about the elevated human nature, so rational, so superior!!!

True, rabbits have emotions, and are certainly not robots. But they also aren't smaller, cuter, human beings either. They form associations, but they do not have friends or love each other in the way human beings do, because they do not have the capacity to know what "friend" or "love" is.

They love as rabbits love and that is as worthy as two fellas down the pub drinking beer and being all matey.

I think it is important that we do not anthropomorphize animals in this way. That does not mean we should treat animals with senseless cruelty, of course, but it does mean that that we cannot apply the standards of how we treat one another to how we treat animals. We are two different kinds of things.

That means not abusing other beings because we think we are superior.

[AeolianHarp]

As someone who's loathe to kill an ant, I do think it was an unnecessary cruel act and wrong to do live on radio whatever the reasons behind it - completely mindless and will change nothing. Having said that, I do however recognise the hypocrisy not just in other people on these issues, but in myself as well. I wonder how many of those complaining consider the animal suffering behind their tasty chicken sandwich? Nor can Vegetarians afford to feel smug on this as they add milk to their tea without a thought to the conditions of the cows or the slave labour that harvested the tea.

All we can do Peter is do our best each day to not to cause deliberate harm to other living, sentient beings- Buddhist teachings recommend this for a fairer, more loving world. I agree with it. It can be as simple as not drowning the spider in the bath, not killing snails in the garden and feeding the wild birds in the garden.

[Peter]

All we can do Peter is do our best each day to not to cause deliberate harm to other living, sentient beings- Buddhist teachings recommend this for a fairer, more loving world. I agree with it. It can be as simple as not drowning the spider in the bath, not killing snails in the garden and feeding the wild birds in the garden.

Well yes I agree we should try to respect all living creatures and I do my bit for wildlife, feeding the birds, plenty of bee friendly plants and no chemicals in the garden.

[Peter]

We create laws which make some people privileged who live in unbridled luxury whilst other people slave 12 hour days and live in filth for barely enough to survive on, we beat our females to death for being raped by a man, we wage war on each other for ridiculous reasons, we sexually abuse our children and then murder them in the most horrific ways (and then deny it happened!), we decide that one group of people are less worthy than others for entirely spurious reasons and then send them to death camps, create pogroms, we state that our females are men's property and deny them a voice, opportunities and adequate food, we tell little girls that unless we break their feet and bind them to be very very small that no man will marry them and that they will look ugly with normal feet, we decide another person's way of being/views/religion is not acceptable and torture them until they recant, we tell women they better not be pretty and enjoy men's company or else they will go to a laundry and work 12 hour days and be abused by "sisters".....I could go on and on about the elevated human nature, so rational, so superior!!!

We, unlike animals have a moral choice which gives us a special responsibility and people frequently and deliberately make the wrong choice through pride and selfishness. You list a whole load of negatives but what about the positives? What about great music, architecture, charity and a whole host of things people do to help others? I love animals, plants and the natural world, it is all part of creation, but no rabbit ever wrote a symphony that I'm aware of!
All the more reason why we should respect nature of course and to come back to the original post, it is why Baby Alan deserved better than this cheap act from a human being whatever the motive behind it.

[AeolianHarp]

Well yes I agree we should try to respect all living creatures and I do my bit for wildlife, feeding the birds, plenty of bee friendly plants and no chemicals in the garden.

Sounds like you have a great welcoming garden Peter.

[Megan]

Here is a song I'd like to dedicate to AeolianHarp, sung by my all time favourite Art Garfunkel. Love his voice.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGyQmH9NZcw[/YOUTUBE]