Common Decency

This is something I am fiercely passionate about and a subject that MUST and will be fought for if humanity is to stand a chance of any kind of redemption for what we are becoming.

How do we do things differently to make it effective? I have actively spent years writing to both local and national ministers about the misguided badger cull. Hearings have taken place, votes won, court battles have come and gone and the needless slaughter continues. What can we do in the next 49 days that will make a difference?

What about cruelty to others in general? Just a couple of days ago a man leapt to his death while a crowd of onlookers were apparently cheering him on to jump, taking videos and taking pictures. A human life apparently means nothing anymore and death has just become "entertainment" that people enjoy watching? Seemingly there is enjoyment to be had from bathing in other people's misery and relive it over and over going back to the recording?

Also, on a slightly different but in my mind not unrelated matter: aiding someone who wants to die and has got no quality of life is basically considered murder, but taunting and jeering and egging someone on to kill themselves and videoing it is not punishable in any way shape or form? Why did the police do nothing to remove these people? It's a messed up system in a world with messed up people who haven't got a clue what common decency even is.

I have profound respect for God/Higher Power/The Creator. Humans have a moral responsibility to be benevolent caretakers and stewards of our fellow creatures and creation. The hellish culling of badgers and the vile hunting of foxes, hares, stags, birds and other wildlife is an abomination. These are crimes against nature and an affront to the Creator. Humans and animals emanate from the same Creator. We must respect all of our fellow sentient beings and God's creatures. All animal species have innate value. We should live in peaceful coexistence with them. A universal kinship is needed.

The funding of public bodies, animal welfare scientists, businesses and all parties concerned in the badger cull saga should be made public and easily accessible to everyone. Then it would be easy to see whose opinion is biased and expose other agendas behind the pro-cull 'experts'. Objectively, it is obvious that the badger cull is not working, regardless if a person believes the badgers feel pain or not (I know, I can't fathom these people either) and if the facts and figures of funding were exposed, then people may sit up, think and conclude that these pro-cull people's opinions aren't credible and then may vote accordingly for change.

I agree entirely. We need to start appreciating and relishing our wildlife, not culling it for fun and against scientific proof.
We also need to better protect all animals from humans who think they are superior and have the right to abuse them. Dog fighting needs stopping; puppy breeding needs stopping and the self regulating greyhound racing industry needs stopping. These are just a few examples of the cruelty that goes on every single day and is ignored by those who are supposed to govern us and to care.

Your animal cruelty policies are highly commendable however, I would like to see them extended to include all animals including farm animals, laboratory animals, horse/greyhound racing etc.

Totally agree with zero tolerance of cruelty to animals. In all forms. The other pillars, very vague and highly unlikely to work in practice, in my opinion. Things aren't that simple or easy to change, even if I agreed with all of them. I wish you kept to the animal welfare issues and didn't get involved in the NHS etc, because that's an unsolvable problem without huge changes and very deep understanding. People will always be unhappy about it in one way or the other.

Enfin des personnes qui s'intéressent vraiment à la cruauté envers les animaux que les 'êtres humains' infligent tous les jours et de plus en plus aux animaux, chasses, abandons, expérimentations, c'est un sujet qui m'a toujours intéressé, et une cause à laquelle j'adhère totalement, lorsque je vois ce que l'homme est capable de faire subir , aussi bien sur terre, dans les mers, à toutes les espèces animalière, moi-même il y a 1 an et demi alors que je travaillais dans un hypermarché, j'ai trouvé dans un entrepôt, une petite chatte de 2 semaines collée de la tête jusqu'à la queue dans un piège artisanal pour rat, c'est à dire un bout de carton de 40 centimètres de long sur 20 de large enduit de glue, et c'est comme ça que la pauvre bête qui reste collée dessus , meurt de faim, et se décompose tout doucement, ce petit chaton était prisonnier de ce piège depuis 1 ou 2 jours, et en plus si je n'étais pas parti avec elle de l'entrepôt, ils voulaient la tuer, comment? la broyer dans le broyeur à carton, l'assommer contre un mur, bref, je ne leurs ai pas laissé le temps d'y penser davantage, je suis parti de mon travail directement chez mon vétérinaire, elle a eu beaucoup de mal à lui enlever la colle qui avait imprégné tous son pelage, et l'odeur de produit chimique est restée pendant presque 3 semaines, mais aujourd'hui je l'ai depuis 1 an et demi, pour en rire un peu la vétérinaire l'a surnommé 'scotch', c'est une chatte qui est très très peureuse car même toute petite, n'a pas oublié ce qui lui est arrivée, elle ne me quitte jamais plus de 1 mètres, la vétérinaire à pris des photos pour dénoncer cette pratique qui est strictement interdite aussi bien pour les animaux que pour le personnel qui travaille au dessus d'animaux en décomposition, bonjour les microbes, bactéries et autres, et donc ceci a été dénoncé à la SPA, bref, voilà ce qu'un supermarché peut faire alors qu'ils vendent des pièges à rats réglementaire, mais sont tellement radins qu'ils ne veulent pas dépenser 1€, donc merci à tout ceux qui défendront et protégeront tous les animaux quels qu'ils soient. BRAVO;

I agree with James' comment. You can't single out some groups of animals whilst leaving others having the most terrible treatment inflicted on them. There's lots of work to do with how farm animals are treated, the horrific things done to lab animals, rooting out and getting rid of puppy farms, for example. It's a huge task and I understand we have to start somewhere but I believe the basis should be that all lives are equal whether a badger, a lion or a mouse - in the same way as all human life is equal.

I agree with the statement about "any kind of killing animals for pleasure". It is an unavoidable fact that eating animals, or even animal products, is killing them for pleasure. It is straightforward to thrive on a plant based diet, and there is no doubt when done well is a much healthier way to live. Whilst this is unlikely to help garner support for this great initiative it is the only position with integrity.

David Cameron has once again threatened a free vote on hunting with hounds if the Tories win the election. I understand there were 26 blue fox Tories elected in 2010 who will vote no if re-elected.I was tempted to vote Conservative because of the state of the economy but voted Lib Dem
instead. It was easy last time, our Tory candidate made her feelings very clear. This time the Tory candidate is not letting on. What is needed is a list of which Tory candidates will vote no if elected with the assumption being no answer means they will vote yes.80% of us want to keep the ban.Under no circumstances must the hunting ban be lifted under the cover of our genuine concerns about the perilous state of our economy.

Read this dismaying article in today's Independent

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/prominent-fox-hunting-supporters-step-up-tory-support--and-expect-repeal-of-ban-in-return-10154990.html

You are again in danger of spoiling a good idea. No right thinking Brit tolerates the cynical abuse and mistreatment of animals. But there has to be an acceptance that some people's judgement can become emotionally unsound because a badger is obviously more cuddly than a rat.

Remember: a squirrel is fundamentally a rat with decent PR.

It is difficult to be quite as dogmatic as you seem to want to be - without being marginalised as fanatics.

Unless we give total protection to the most vulnerable in our society; animals, children and disabled people, we are not fit to call ourselves civilised! Look at what the Tories have allowed to happen in our society: the bankers and corrupt politicans let off the hook, poor people and disabled people forced in to hopeless situations regarding work, food and rents. Our communities paying the price for the rich elite at the top to maintain their decadent ways of life. Animals used and abused by rich gentry. Our badgers used as scapegoats for bad conditions in milk farming and on and on and on. The Tories use and abuse people and animals for their own ends.

King Ashoka's constitutional Law is the most updated and realistic presence for today! 250BC! How come we moved so far away from a perfect legalised system and reinstated barbaric cruelties? The past shows us the madness and futility of such base practices. We think we are better as a human breed when the non-human breeds are becoming more and more frustrated. There will be repercussions except non-human animals are more patient.

I feel passionately about the welfare of all the sentient beings that we are responsible for, that we should show kindness and compassion to , but of course we dont.They are treated as a commodity , from puppy farms to racing animals be it horses to greyhounds.When theyhave served their purpose they are discarded to some terrible fate which awaits them .Badgers are culledwhen vaccines have proved effective , but money rears its ugly head again.Lab animals are tortured in the name of science when alternatives are available but again cost more but are no doubt more reliable.Dog fighting becoming more prevalent and all the atrocities associated with it , stolen pets used as bait and just general cruelty by animal abusers .What punishment is metered out when caught, very little.We must take responsibility to protect and care for these vulnerable beings they deserve that and maybe then I would not be ashamed to call myself a human being

There are those who think the planet & our animal neighbours were put there for us to exploit & those of us who think we have the potential to be benign caretakers of the planet. Sadly, for animals who have the hubris to differentiate ourselves from the herd by claiming 'intelligence', we can be incredibly stupid !! Badger cull, great example - Culling DOES NOT WORK, as science & empirical evidence shows. Wales proves vaccination works. Yet we continue killing badgers. How thick is that? I know how vile TB is but it has loads of wild & domestic animal vectors. We can & should do much better.

We agree that no one should be subjected to cruelty, please refer to your local candidate to see what there policies are. You must post them onto the candidates page on the website https://www.commondecency.org.uk/may-7th-2015/2015-candidates-2. Thank you for your comments.

I agree completely and passionately with this. Someone has to listen to the voices of those standing up for the silent ones.