Pet ownership in America is no longer outdated. More Black Americans are embracing the idea of living of living with pets and not only associating them as a food source. Does owning a pet of any sort make you a better person?
Our obsession with animals’ dates back to biblical times when African people or Black people discovered the liking of animal flesh. The human jaw works by moving in the opposite direction and it consists of mandible, maxilla, and TMJ. I will spare you the scientific details of our skeletal functionality, but one thing to note is our pounds per square inch (PSI). The average human bite force is about 160 psi. Despite demonstrating a pretty strong bite, we would only end up at the bottom of the food chain. Just in case you did not know, human beings are natural herbivores based on jaw structure.
As a forager, the only thought on your mind is survival. Food, water, and shelter are the necessities of all humans on this planet. Plant matter does consist of protein, but it may require a larger intake. For example, if you were to ask someone, would you rather eat a pound of beef versus five pounds of plant-based food? The vast majority will choose beef because of the taste, price, and or to have a full stomach. Eating healthier foods will change the way your brain interacts will all of the organs in your body.
I would say it would be quite difficult to find what animal was the first to be on a dinner plate. There are simply too many variables to factor such as location, weather, and biodiversity. For all we know it could have been a T-Rex, Wale, or one of the millions of species of animals that are now extinct. What was admirable about the adults is that they ate for survival. Before you jump to conclusion and say that we all do, I beg to differ. Eating an animal requires the use of the flesh, and skeletal structure. Before the idea of modern-day jewelry people wore animal bones. To the average African American it may seem foolish or poor, but people used animals to display wealth and worship god.
Egyptians were African people brought to the Americas for slave labor. If you think about it, Black people built prominent structures on this planet. Wouldn’t it make sense to take those people and have them build your society from the ground up. Slaves or indebted human capital must eat to find the strength to perform each day. Let us introduce the post slave diet that consisted of all of the animal remains that the master did not eat. Ancient Africans eat a variety of foods that including meats and fruits, but they understood spirituality. Does it matter whether you eat animals or thank God before you do?
For centuries, we have criticized our oppressors for the poor treatment of African Americans. Physical abuse was a horrendous part of it, but our diet was also important. Wild animals were part of our ancestors’ diet, although I am not saying that you should consume anything that is edible. We all eat what we have access too, that would explain the taboo diet. For you and me it would be primitive to eat reptiles, birds, or any other pet that can be found at your local pet store. When you look at ancient hieroglyphics, it is not difficult to find what their diet consisted of. Everyone has an opinion about food consumption, but it boils down to your mindset. Modern humans driven by profit would explain the exploitation of animals for more than just food. Did you know honeybees are responsible for one-third of food production globally? Also, honeybees held captive in labs help police by detecting narcotics.
Human beings are responsible for discovering groundbreaking technologies. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed our way of life for better or worse. We are able to analyze animal data better so that it can determine a species origin or bring them back from extinction. The problem that I have with this technology is that it can lead to a path of destruction. Animals in our eco system today are suffering from climate change, habitat loss, and pollution. AI gives humans access to vital information that will help to find natural resources.
Humans have evolved but certain habits will remain with us. We love to eat, but also enjoy hunting. Hunting is a method used to capture food, but it has also led to the domestication of animals. Humans figured out that it would be in their best interest to raise the animals that they consumed. Horses, pigs, and chickens were all wild animals before they became livestock. Think of livestock, the same way you would of a stock on wall street. The object is to grow and sell at a higher price. The intent may have been good, but now it is hard to justify what humankind has done.
Zoos are amongst the most popular places to visit, especially for children. What we fail to realize is that we have gotten use to the idea of seeing animals in cages or behind glass that we forget they should be free. The pet trade is a multibillion-dollar industry that also gave birth to the illegal underground economy that trades exotic cats, monkeys, and other animals. Humans are smuggling hundreds, if not thousands of species, from the wild illegally and selling them to various buyers from around the world. Humans are obsessed with power, and we will do anything to feel or to have it, which is why we own dangerous animals.
African Americans represent about a third of the pet ownership populations. Dogs and cats are the most popular pet of choice. I enjoy highlighting the fact that millions of people love animals and view them as family members. The humanization of pets of course is a for profit move but at least it shows that we are capable of loving other species. Animals in the wild are at war with humans. Because wealthy people motivated by self-interest; the entire animal population is facing a formidable threat. Why is an animal in our back yard instead we should ask why are we in their homes? Ultimately if we continue at this rate, only domesticated animals will exist.