Are you concerned about 'animal cruelty'?

By Madibeng Kgwete: posted on 21 September 2007

1. Introduction

Readres of the daily right-wing newspaper, The Citizen, won't let me get away with accusing them of being concerned more about cruelty to animals than cruelty to black people.

Published below is the letter I wrote to the right-wing newspaper, followed by the readers' responses -- also published by The Citizen.

2. My letter, as published by The Citizen on 10 Sept. 2007

THERE is one thing I can’t figure out among many readers of The Citizen – and I would like honest answers to this.

These readers are very concerned about cruelty to animals, but they keep silent when cruelty is unleashed against human beings – particularly when the perpetrator is white and the victim is black.

How dare you express outrage when a dog is injured and keep mum when a white farmer shoots his employee and argues that he mistook him for a dog, for example?

Is the life of a dog more important than the life of a black person in a country where the majority of the population is black?

3. Readers' responses

3.1. Animal abuse is worse

Madibeng Kgwete, there is no excuse for shooting anyone, no matter what their colour. “Mistook him for a dog” is a lot of hogwash. But anyone who mistreats animals is worse. Remember how outraged the public were with the fireworks issue, blowing dogs’ rectums to pieces? If you abuse animals you should be treated the same. A murderer should be given a death sentence. –BRIAN (Johannesburg)

3.2. And farm murders?

Your story is so typical of the worn-out, one-sided, racist mindset that black people love to display. I say how dare you express outrage at readers showing more concern about cruelty to animals than to blacks? But in turn you have remained silent on the cruel murders black perpetrators commit on white farmers each day. Maybe you feel they deserve it, and maybe the whites siding with the plight of animals feel so too. -- REALIST (Brackenhurst)