Because Calves Apparently Aren't as Cute or Worthy as Seals

As I was walking with my dog friends this morning, just after publishing the morning's post on Governor General Jean, her public gnawing on a seal heart, and her remarks on eating veal calves and lambs, my line of thinking started going in another direction. And it started with this: Well, at least she's consistent in her view of animals. And that's more than I can say for a number of the people who oppose the annual seal hunt.

Michaelle Jean made a food choice and remarks regarding seals that sparked outrage. But for her latest remarks, there will be no widespread outrage. The general public will not care that Jean casually eats the bodies of calves and lambs or that she casually remarked on it--even though the dairy/veal industry is every bit as cruel and unnecessary as Canada's annual seal hunt, even though the number of domesticated, confined animals being killed barbarically far outnumbers the seals being killed, even though dairy/veal calves and other animals (including the mother dairy cows, animals raised primarily for flesh, and egg-laying hens) suffer as much as, or in many cases fare more than, the seals. And again, all this is as unnecessary as the seal hunt. People don't need the flesh and skin of calves and lambs to survive anymore than they need the flesh and skin of seals.

There have undoubtedly been people expressing fury and disgust over Michaelle Jean's actions and statements in the last week while absentmindedly snacking on cheese and flesh and eggs imbued with far more cruelty than even the eating of a seal's heart. Likely few of them will pause when they read her new remarks on calves and lambs or would pause if they saw her putting a piece of bloody calf (or piece of cheese for which that calf was killed) in her mouth. I hope at least some of them will stop and consider the irony.