Now, Why would I want to watch this trailer if it is sad?
>> I'm with you Lorraine, I didn't watch it either. We've got enough in the
>> Icelandic horse world to worry about.
I'm all for anyone following their heart, speaking up for whatever of life's
injustices they feel obligated to fight. I think that's noble. But honestly,
there is so much to feel outrage about in this world, that if I don't focus and
pick MY battles, the ones that matter to ME, that it will all just become
overwhelming ...and then I won't be able to be effective at fighting ANY
battles.It seems that Nancy has been drawn to take children with
disabilities. I admire that, but I also have to be honest and say I couldn't
do it. I don't have the patience for whatever reason to work with people in
need - maybe that's shameful of me, but it is what it is, and I've accepted it.
I know where I'm drawn - to take in and work with rescue/rehab horses, and
homeless/throwaway dogs and cats. Now, I know I've picked some relatively easy
ones to begin with, but I'm trying to build up my skills to take on some more
challenging ones. I know others on this list have their own callings too.
Lord knows what Judy has done in the name of educating people about good
horsemanship for SO many years, what Janice has done by taking in sad horses
and turning them into positive examples... and by even turning her horrible
rabies experience into a teaching platform for owners and vet students. We
have lots of good examples on this list of people following their own callings,
however they can. But, I'm with Wanda and Lorraine...I find some of these
links to certain videos to be submitted for their shock value more than for any
motivation to really change things. Does it really help that much to simply
forward e-mail links? Maybe sometimes, but I suspect with the YouTube videos,
it often has the opposite effect. Some of the people watch the number of hits
they get on their videos, and the more hits, the more their egos are fueled,
even if the hits were made by people who didn't approve of the videos. I've
stopped looking at YouTube links people send me, unless I'm pretty sure they
are in an area that I'm actually prepared to do something, or unless I'm pretty
sure they are positive or funny/harmless examples. I don't want to take a
chance on encouraging sickos by adding to their hit counts. It's probably
obvious, but I didn't bother to look at this one.
Sometimes, I think seeing certain outrages even makes people feel smug, that
the lesser abuses in their own neighborhoods, within their own
breed/discipline/species, the ones they COULD make a difference with, aren't so
bad after all. Personally, I'm more impressed with people doing something,
whatever they can do, whatever feels right to them, whatever the level of
abuse/injustice, rather than simply "tsk-tsk-ing" about the worst outrages via
e-mail. Don't get me wrong - I DO think we can do some good by certain, focused
e-mail discussions on specific topics we can discuss in detail. But simply
forwarding video links...? I'm skeptical that does more than make many good
people feel jaded and too overwhelmed to do anything.
Karen Thomas, NC
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