One Human Is More Important Than A Million Gorillas. And We All Know It.

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Matt Walsh:

On Monday I wrote a column explaining my revolutionary position that human beings are more important than apes. I felt it necessary to write a piece elaborating on this provocative concept after witnessing theNational Outrage over the gorilla that was killed at the Cincinnati Zoo.

For those who didn’t hear about this historic tragedy, a quick recap: A child fell into an enclosure occupied by a 450 pound gorilla named Harambe. Zoo officials quickly determined that the gorilla needed to be shot in order to save the boy. This logical and humane decision sparked anger all across the country, with people holding vigils, staging protests, signing petitions, and venting on social media that the ape should not have been killed just to spare the human child. “Justice for Harambe” became the marching slogan, as thousands of lost souls turned a dead ape into a saint and a hero.

My opinion, as I explained it, is that people are more important than apes, so we should feel more relief than anger at the result of this situation. Indeed, I believe a person is more valuable than two apes, or three apes, or 14 apes or all of the apes. I believe there is no exchange rate between people and apes. A person doesn’t equal one ape, and he doesn’t equal 7 apes, or even 800 apes. A person is infinitely more valuable.

I can justify this fantastic position on two levels. First, practically, human beings do things that animals cannot do, think things that animals cannot think, and perform wondrous feats than animals cannot perform. Even the most advanced ape or intelligent dolphin will never cure a disease, or make great art, or ponder the questions of the universe, or strive to be moral, or build civilizations, or love with the depth that a human can love, or, yes, hate with the fury that a human can hate. Many species have occupied the Earth, but only one has flown to space, constructed skyscrapers, developed complex languages and written novels and poetry, and given birth to philosophers, doctors, engineers and humanitarians. Animals are inferior in every sense, and that fact is among the most obvious facts in existence.

Second, spiritually, humans have rational and eternal souls. Animals do not. Christ came and died for the salvation of man, not the salvation of cockroaches. And he was incarnate as a human, not a squirrel. This alone makes a human’s worth eternally greater than that of a beast. And eternally means that no ratio will change the equation. If a human is infinitely superior to one ape, he is infinitely superior to a thousand.

On that point, I am somewhat surprised by the number of people who would agree that a human is superior to an ape but not necessarily to a thousand. If you’re taking that position than you must believe that there’s some specific number that can be reached where suddenly the value of the apes exceeds the human. But what would that number be? One ape is not more important than your child, but a dozen may be? Two dozen? And how does this translate to other animals? A human is equal to 24 apes, 47 dogs, or 1,908,958,109 earth worms? Do you see how absurd this becomes? Either humans are infinitely more valuable than any and all animals, or we are equal to them. You really cannot settle on anything in between.

In any case, one might understand why apes would take exception to this opinion, if they could understand it, which they can’t because they are lower creatures. But my position that humans are valuable has proven to be one of my most controversial to date even among my human audience, garnering hundreds of furious comments, tweets, and emails in just the past 24 hours.

If you’re curious for a sample, you can check my Twitter page. But if you don’t want to be exposed to a sudden tidal wave of raw sewage, allow me to summarize: A lot of people think I’m an idiot, a piece of sh*t, vile scum, human garbage, and so forth. Many of those same people suggested that I be killed by whatever means necessary. One person proposed that I be run over by a bus along with my children. Others stayed on theme and fantasized about a group of apes beating me to death. Every once in a while these death wishes seemed to verge close to death threats, with a few people saying they would like to do the honors themselves.

Because I drew comparisons between the outrage over the ape death and the lack of outrage over the atrocity of abortion, many people assured me that it’s good unborn babies are killed because there are too many people already. One woman said my article made her want to mix a hundred dead babies in a blender and drink it. Another said the child at the zoo deserved to die for being “reckless.”

A great many people proclaimed with confidence that people are not more important than apes. Some think apes might actually be superior, considering humans are “viruses” and “plagues” destroying the goddess Mother Earth. Naturally, from the perspective of these readers, no human is as much a disease as yours truly. And on and on. You get the idea. And these are mostly the public comments. As you can imagine, the private messages were even more… colorful.

So it’s clear – and it was already clear long before this week – that many humans are incredibly, even viciously, hostile to the notion that human life is sacred. The next question, then, is why. Why would a human being actually place human life on the same rung as, or on a lower rung than, animal life? In our narcissistic age, this is surprising because it seems almost like an extreme and misguided form of humility. But when you look deeper, you see that it is precisely narcissism and cowardice that drives it.

Before we get there, it’s important to note that, despite how the preceding paragraphs make it seem, very few human actually do put animals above people. At least not completely, and rarely in practice. Despite what they say, none of the people who got angry at my column would react the same to a dead human body on the side of the road as they would to a dead raccoon. None of them would feel the same anger over seeing a cow chained up in a barn as they would to an slave chained up in a shed. None of them feel the same about a guy who hunts deer for fun on the weekend and a man who hunts people.

Hardly any of them would hesitate to use mouse traps or roach spray in their homes if they had an infestation, yet I’m guessing they’ve never shooed away an irritating house guest by spraying a bottle of Raid in his face. I’m willing to bet that a lot of these folks aren’t even vegetarians. And if they are vegetarians, they simply do not feel the same about Outback Steakhouse as they would if I opened a shop down the street selling roasted human flesh harvested from people I kidnapped and slaughtered in the basement. Only a true lunatic would view the two as absolute equivalents, and these people are not lunatics, no matter how they present themselves.

Further, if any one of these animal rights proponents found themselves in that gorilla enclosure, you can bet they wouldn’t be willing to risk a brutal death in order to preserve the raging beast’s life. You know a cause is phony when it has almost no martyrs.

Yet, in theory, they react with indignation at the idea that humans are greater than animals. In theory they treat humans like consumer goods that lose value when supply exceeds demand, but in practice hardly any of them would actually celebrate over a genocide in a third world country, as they should if they wish to put their theories into practice.

Why?

Well, the reason is partly that “progressive” ideas are inherently irrational and cannot be consistently followed without quickly leading to insanity. It’s almost impossible to actually live by the belief that humans are equal to animals. It would require, among things, that you to collapse into a puddle of tears every time you see a dead gnat floating in a cup of juice or a bunch of murdered flies stuck to a piece of flypaper. I have never seen anyone do that, yet I have heard many people posit the theory that the gnat and the fly are equal to humans in every sense that matters.

It seems that many in our culture cling – if incompletely and abstractly – to the notion that human life is not sacred because, while they lack the lunacy to fully put the idea into practice, they also lack the moral courage to fully accept the opposite position.

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Does every Post have to be about Trump? 😉

One Human Is More Important Than A Million Gorillas. And We All Know It.

One gorilla is definitely more important than a million empty-headed, shallow, exploitive articles such as this one.

As for humans, I’ll have to disagree on that point as well. Who the hell is Matt Walsh to proclaim the relative worth of human beings and gorillas? Generally speaking, gorillas are gentler and more noble creatures than millions of their “more highly evolved” primate cousins, which are fallen creatures entirely capable of conscious, willful, and often pointless acts of evil—not only against other species, but toward their own kind as well. You won’t find the twisted natures among gorillas that are so common among human beings.

You’re bad, LOL. 😉

@Greg: You’re anthropomorphizing gorillas.
https://www.visualnews.com/2016/05/28/artist-creates-beautiful-black-white-anthropomorphic-illustrations/

That said, I wonder if the writer feels this same way about those 3″ minnows in Northern California?

Actually, I don’t believe I am. I recognize gorillas as evolved beings that are very different from human primates. That doesn’t mean they’re any less aware of themselves, or of the world that surrounds them. I don’t believe they’re any less important. Their individual importance is certainly elevated, because they have become so few. They’re something we can’t replace.

@Greg: Well said Greg
” The greatness of a nation and it’s moral progress can be judged by the ways it’s animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi
Zoos are simply animal prisons—we don’t need to have them simply for our selfish reasons.

Kitt#1 lol

@Richard Wheeler: The captive breeding program for the gorillas is very important, they are no longer safe in their natural habitat, cant please some people, dont capture them from the wild, dont breed them out of near extinction in captivity. They tried for many years to get the gorillas to breed in captivity I remember reading about the big male at the Milwaukee zoo being shown gorilla porn as he had no interest in the desired activity, it did not work. It is all about their environment which costs megabucks to create and zoo visitors with the admission fees help create and maintain that. Perhaps a bit of research on the mission of most larger zoos would help ease your guilt of the “prisons” we keep some highly endangered creatures in its all about being selfish.

@Richard Wheeler:

Zoos are simply animal prisons—we don’t need to have them simply for our selfish reasons.

Really a ill thought out knee jerk reaction.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2013/aug/15/mammals-surviving-zoos-top-10-in-pictures
I found one with pictures for the slower liberals.
Fees to enter the zoo, a pleasurable afternoon doing something educational with the kids, fund the expensive habitats needed for the programs to be successful.
a 10*10 bar cage just is not PC anymore even with conservatives.

@kitt: Not knee jerk reaction–I feel the same way about circuses–electrically prodding the animals??–bullshit
Sea World-wales in a bathtub.
Compassion for all sentient beings—who made us God?

Don’t go all dark side liberal on me Rich, should we just pray to God that other countries will stop slaughter of rare and endangered animal in the wild? Or can we be wise stewards and have captive breeding programs and save a few of them and hope someday to release a few to repopulate their natural habitat. The Parks and Zoos even Sea-World are educational centers that we can bring our children to and teach them important lessons.
Or shall we just release them all to the wild most have never had to hunt for food or run from a predator.
Try to see the greater good of Zoos and aquariums.
Without the awareness they cause we would never had https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/esa_wild_success/pdfs/A_

@kitt: Zoos and circuses–Greater good for humans-maybe some–not for the confined and tortured animals. There are many animal sanctuaries nationwide where kids can visit and learn.

@Richard Wheeler: yet you have no problem with liberals killing 3000 babies a day. most animals in cages have a much better life than animals ‘not in cages’. I’m sure you wouldn’t slap a mosquito when he bites you, if you did I’m sure you would break down in tears and have a proper ceremony and burial for him.

It’s sad the gorilla had to die, maybe a tranquilizer would have worked, but had it not, and the child died, then it would have been a huge mistake.

I’m going to bet that most of those that are crying for the gorilla are liberals that never shed a tear for the 3000 babies a day that they have no problem throwing into a trash can.

@Richard Wheeler:

Zoos and circuses–Greater good for humans-maybe some–not for the confined and tortured animals.

you really think these zoos allow their animals to be mistreated? How many dollars do you suppose that habitat for that one gorilla cost? You think he’s not well fed?

@Richard Wheeler:

Sea World-wales in a bathtub

what’s a wales? Isn’t that the country over there by Scotland?

@Richard Wheeler: You say the zoos are torturing the animals? seriously can you link to a major zoo that was cited by any sane animal protection group for torture?

@Redteam: Yada yada with your “3000 babies” a day-into trash cans– not true. Is that one of your right wing talking points? I oppose abortion–how bout you?
Animals in cages better life-ridiculous

Kitt and RT IMO Killing that gorilla–ultimate cruelty.
Torture of animals is rampant in the circus–electrical prodding of the elephants–can that be condoned

The great country of Wales would of course be capitalized—vs. Sea World whales.

@Richard Wheeler: I am a horrible person I confine both my dogs, So selfish I dont want them running in front of cars or fighting with other dogs. They cannot freely roam the countryside like wolves.I never mentioned circuses I asked for zoo torture and no examples from you and they cant let their lions tigers gorillas roam about either but they are very well taken care of. Whales ya, they freed Willy and he died. Used to being fed and he had social interaction even if it was just with the other poor captives. sad sad end for a movie star http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3700297/ns/world_news/t/keiko-killer-whale-dies/

@Richard Wheeler:

with your “3000 babies” a day-into trash cans– not true.

I actually think that number has been reduced somewhat with the science that has developed on fetal growth. But yes, RW, those dead, and mutilated babies are thrown into trash cans as well as being thrown into medical waste bags and incinerated or even, as in the case of Dr. Gosnell, shoved down a garbage disposal and dumped into a city’s waste system.

Kitt and RT IMO Killing that gorilla–ultimate cruelty.

Would you have preferred the child died and not the gorilla? No obfuscating, RW, as simple yes or no will suffice.

@retire05: No—but this outcome was preventable

@Richard Wheeler:

Yada yada with your “3000 babies” a day-into trash cans– not true.

actually the number is quite a bit higher for the world, 17,550000 ytd which is about 116,000 per day. The 3000 was just for the US.
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/live-world-death-totals

Kitt and RT IMO Killing that gorilla–ultimate cruelty.

how would it rank compared to if the gorilla had killed the child? would that be ‘less’ ultimate?

The great country of Wales would of course be capitalized—vs. Sea World whales.

you can always blame your spell checker.

No—but this outcome was preventable

you propose killing the parents for letting that happen?

@kitt: animals live longer in captivity than they do in the wild. Bengal tigers, for example live 8-12 in the wild, 12-17 in captivity. I saw a dead dog on the street the other day, looked rather young. Had he been inside a fenced yard, he would likely still be alive. So RW’s argument about how cruel it is to keep animals safe rather than subject to the horrors of nature doesn’t make sense. Also saw a dead snake on the road yesterday. Too bad he didn’t spend the night in someones snake cage, he might still be crawling today.

@Redteam: And the wild animals are so much happier, dodging predators or looking for food, no medical care no climate controlled enclosures. What a horrid life they live under torturous human care.

abortions in US is averaging 3315 per day.

@Redteam: I blame the parents if they would just be more careful….

@kitt: yeah, good example at my house. We have one finicky male cat that will turn up his nose if the food isn’t seasoned just right, or is the wrong flavor, he is even selective as to which flavor Meow Mix is. He will not eat anything he doesn’t like. But just outside, under a building behind my house lives two wild cats. If they are hungry, they will c ome to my back door and ‘cry’ for me to bring them some food out. No matter what I take out for them, they jump on it and devour it. I don’t think they even think about what ‘flavor’ it is. Then they get to sleep under that buiilding no matter what the temperature is while my cat is snoozing away on his huge padded bed in cool air conditioning. But if I were to listen to RW, I would put my cat out and make him fend for his own survival according to the whims of mother nature. Which reminds me. I told RW about this not so many months ago and he recommended, as best I recall, that I take those two cats to the local ‘no kill’ humane shelter. Seems he is no longer for captivity, so I guess he’s no longer recommending humane shelters.

I keep forgetting that many conservatives believe all women should be forced to continue unwanted pregnancies until they give birth to unwanted children, which will then be classified as parasites if their mother’s require any sort of public assistance to help care for them.

@Redteam: His argument is weak which is why I asked him not to go to the dark side of liberalism. There is much common ground we can find with political opponents if they stay away from pointless “I feel therefore it is ” arguments. There are tons of stories where animals show much more compassion than humans, dogs saving babies and children ect. I despise those that are cruel to animals, most of us are. Saying all keepers of exotics are being cruel is not true, saying all are treated kindly and with great care is also not true.
I was at a zoo where they brought out a young monkey for the children to see close up, it jumped on my son in laws shoulder and bit my grand daughter on the cheek, left a small red mark. Grandma has a hard time forgiving the handler and the monkey.

@Richard Wheeler: you have to ask?

@Redteam: Would you prefer to live till 90 in prison or 85 in freedom?
Obviously I’m for no kill shelters looking for foster/adoptive placements.

Kttt Parents are being investigated

@Greg:

I keep forgetting that many conservatives believe all women should be forced to continue unwanted pregnancies until they give birth to unwanted children,

yeah, that’s a habit you have “keep forgetting’. Has it occurred to you that the decision on what to do with a pregnancy should be made prior to the person getting pregnant? can accidents happen? sure. can the mother’s health take a turn for the worse, sure. but 3000 times a day? It’s evident that the nations schools are run by liberals that don’t understand the basics of how women get pregnant and think that it is the governments fault and responsibility.

which will then be classified as parasites if their mother’s require any sort of public assistance

ahhh, that liberal think. It’s the government’s fault they got pregnant, it’s the government responsibility to assist them. Nothing is the fault of the two involved. What me worry?

@Greg:

I keep forgetting that many conservatives believe all women should be forced to continue unwanted pregnancies until they give birth to unwanted children, which will then be classified as parasites if their mother’s require any sort of public assistance to help care for them.

And one must remember that Progressives do not believe in personal responsibility. Or do you think that when a woman consents to having sex, with pregnancy being the result of that sex, she was more capable of supporting a child then than she is in the first or second trimester of the pregnancy?

@Richard Wheeler:

Would you prefer to live till 90 in prison or 85 in freedom?

Considering that most prisoners on death row continue to appeal the death sentence in spite of knowing the option is life without the possibility of parole, I think the answer to that question is obvious.

@Richard Wheeler:

Would you prefer to live till 90 in prison or 85 in freedom?

I’m not going to be spending time in prison, i’m not a liberal. But would I rather people have constraints or ‘total freedom’? I’ll go with constraints. I shouldn’t be able to drive any speed I want to just because I want to. Speed limits are usually necessary. Should I be able to operate a motor vehicle if I’m too drunk to walk? No. but your answer would be yes. Should a batter in a baseball game get to swing until they get a hit, or should they be limited to 3 strikes? Is a deer that lives on a protected deer ranch where he is guaranteed quality food every day and no predators better off than one that lives in the wild where any number of things or people are looking to end his life?
How can you be for putting an animal into a shelter? Shouldn’t you leave it alone to fend for itself? Is he better off in the prison of a shelter or roaming outside wondering where it’s next meal is coming from. Your theory is that putting an animal into captivity is inhumane and cruel. I think it has it’s times and places. Alligators in zoo’s are protected. Alligators in the swamps of Louisiana are being hunted and killed every day. You are all for the freedom of gators. I’m for what’s best for the gator.

@kitt:

Perhaps RW should release his own dogs to the wild and not keep them in captivity.

@retire05: I said freedom not life in prison. Not talking about domesticated animals
BTW I’ve seen at least a couple of Conservatives on here–you may be one–who claim they’ve NEVER broken the law—-either led very dull lives or they’re lying–more likely lol.

Off subject Bernie may beat HRC in Cal–believe that would knock her out as super dels. switch to Bernie–gets interesting as pro-Biden forces emerge.
Do you think Kristol has someone ready to go?

@Richard Wheeler:

Not talking about domesticated animals

now you’re changing direction in mid stream. A domesticated animal is in captivity. You might think you’re nicer than that, but the animal sees that he has to live by your rules, not his.
I think everyone has broken some law at one time or the other, but mostly liberals commit the ones that send them to jail.

Do you think Kristol has someone ready to go?

Absolutely, and his name is Santa Claus.

Bernie will never knock Hillary out. The Feds might if they file criminal charges, then Biden will swoop in for his defeat.

@Redteam: Trump or HRC would love to be close to BHO’ s 52% approval numbers.
Both DT and HRC are losers It’ll be Joe or Bernie
Why is Trump so cowardly avoiding debate with Bernie?

@Richard Wheeler: Because he agrees with most all Bernie runs on so a debate might expose that.
You notice he tossed the challenge out then tucked tail when Bernie said Lets Go!

@Richard Wheeler:

Why is Trump so cowardly avoiding debate with Bernie?

Not cowardly, why should he debate the 2nd place guy? Why won’t Hillary debate him (Bernie) she knows he would make her look like an idiot(well, like herself) . The Dims should be demanding she debate bernie. A socialist liberal vs a Socialist Communist, should be a great laugh.

close to BHO’ s 52% approval numbers

chuckle, those numbers come from the same manufacturer of the 5% unemployment numbers. Oz. I have never, in the last 8 years, found one single person I know that thinks Obama is doing a good job. Have you?

@Redteam: Red I can’t account for who you hang out with in the backwoods of Loosiana—wouldn’t surprise me if you haven’t met an Obama voter.
I am surprised at the number of rednecks that support the N.Y. hustler–strange bedfellows indeed.

@Richard Wheeler:

I said freedom not life in prison.

Life in prison certainly does not provide one with freedom of any kind.

Not talking about domesticated animals

Ah, the typical liberal caveat.

BTW I’ve seen at least a couple of Conservatives on here–you may be one–who claim they’ve NEVER broken the law—-either led very dull lives or they’re lying–more likely lol.

I don’t speed while driving, don’t drink and have never broken a law to my knowledge. Yes, I have probably led a dull life but going to school and trying to earn a living for one’s children has a tendency to create what some would call a “dull” life.

@Redteam, #31:

Has it occurred to you that the decision on what to do with a pregnancy should be made prior to the person getting pregnant?

Has it occurred to you that what you describe isn’t how people in general actually behave, and never really was?

Here’s a newsflash for you: This isn’t exclusively a blue-state liberal mode of conduct.

@Greg: I wonder how many of those Red State voters have degrees from Trump University?

@Greg:

Has it occurred to you that what you describe isn’t how people in general actually behave, and never really was?

Most civilized people know that if they have sexual relations without birth control there is a likelihood that the woman could get pregnant. The man knows if he is not using birth control, the woman knows if she is not using birth control, so I’d say the odds that someone could ‘unexpectedly’ get pregnant is somewhere near zero. If they are both aware that they are not using birth control, then they both have no excuse to claim it was ‘accidental’ or ‘unexpected’.

@Richard Wheeler:

Has it occurred to you that what you describe isn’t how people in general actually behave, and never really was?

I don’t believe they gave degrees. But sounds like the education there was similar to that place you went. Have you ever filed suit for fraud? Might get a good payout.