Hi Kirt,

I applaud you for not using excuses like mercy and compassion for your
decision to eat animals.  If I felt that eating animals was necessary for
my health and well being I probably would eat them too, and hopefully I
wouldn't engage in some hypocritical ritual like apologizing to the dead
flesh or thanking the animal for giving up its life, as I have heard some
people do.  I don't mean to judge you or others who eat flesh as less
compassionate, though I admit to having those feelings at times.  Maybe
that can be a discussion for another day.

> Or put another way: why should ETs give two hoots about our notions of
> compassion and mercy, much less desire our gratitude!? I find no examples
> of these things in nature regarding lunch.

Well, why should Hitler have given two hoots about the Jews?  Their bodies
supposedly provided many useful products, though not food, as far as I
remember, for the Nazi war machine.  I guess we could just say that's the
way it is, let's just accept it and not whine about it.  In a larger sense,
I agree with that.  The way to true Freedom lies in facing the truth about
What Is and not wishing things were different.  But on the scale of my
individual human-ness, I think it is perfectly natural to expect others, at
least intelligent beings, to exhibit some kind of kindness and compassion.
And if they argue that they are merciful and kind and compassionate because
they are not torturing us, I would argue that a more appropriate word would
be "non-sadistic."

> FWIW, I would _very_ much appreciate not being tortured if I was to be
> another's lunch--whether the other is a lion, a microbe, or an ET.
Further,
> I would wish no torture for my loved ones, and even "all other living
> creatures". How could it not make a difference to you? Are you not
> compassionate? Have you no mercy? Further, I would fight to the death ;)
to avoid being another's lunch. Am I not compassionate? Have I no mercy?

Of course it would make a difference to me.  I would rather die suddenly
than in agony. And like you, I would fight back. But let's not give my
killers the honor of using words like "kind, merciful and compassionate" in
describing their actions.  How about "hungry"?

Mark