From 'headshops' to the illegal trade in endangered animal products: the knee-jerk reaction is always to try and hit the supply.
We should be more concerned about the demand. The suppliers will always be there as along as there is a demand.
So, maybe it is time to be less sympathetic to those who fuel the suppliers.
I find it hard to understand why people smoke, sniff or whatever it is they do with their 'bathsalts' or 'plantfood' - it is their own bodies that suffer the consequences. And of course, when they go nuts, then we the public have to put up with them and find excuses for their behavior. After all, its the 'pc' thing to do in a world where deviant behavior is celebrated.
It has been some time since I last posted about a subject more dear to my heart. The demand and supply of trading in endangered species. Not because I stopped caring but because I am feeling so helpless and angry that the I just don't know what to say anymore.
Of course my concern is not only about one species. The list of endangered species is too long to mention. For example, according Tigers in Crisis to we are losing the battle to save tigers in the wild.
Tigers, elephants, cheetahs, polar bears, pandas, rhinos, gorillas... the list is endless.
So, I will repeat an earlier article I wrote about the subject of ivory trade:
I need to get this off my chest. I have been upset and angry for some time now and perhaps I just need to write this down and hope that it will help alleviate these feelings. So, please forgive me while I vent and rant about a subject that clouds my mind with passion and pain.
It is no big secret that I absolutely love animals. Doing a wildlife painting, no matter how long it takes, is my way of trying to show that passion. I am smouldering about what is happening in our world where we so easily decide the fate of other species - for no other reason than politics and greed.
Elephants! Magnificent, majestic, powerful and absolutely vulnerable once again. I am not going to list pages of facts about elephants, their family ties, communication, etc. Instead, I will list links at the end of the post about what is happening to these animals and what we humans do so easily to satisfy our greed.
Before I place the links, please take a look at these photographs.
Beautiful, eh? Useful and ingenious ways to improve the quality of our lives. Ivory.
How can we live without these stunning examples of skill and beauty?
How much does it cost to possess such beauty?Who are the people who desire these objects of art and beauty?
I wonder if they think of the cost when they run their fingers along the smooth surface and admire the skill and genius of the carver.
Somehow, I don't think the cost is of any concern to them.
It cannot be that they are ignorant of the cost. They just don't care, do they? And, if they don't care about the cost, what is next on their list of items they must have? Demand and supply.
While certain members of the Useless Nimcompoops rub their hands in anticipation of great riches, us poor peasants must appreciate that at least we will still have photographs and paintings to remind us of beautiful beasts that shared this world with us.
We can run our fingers along the smooth surface of the photograph or feel the texture on a painting and wonder at the beauty and glory of elephants, rhino, tigers, cheetahs and an endless list of species we once had.
Unless we make our voices heard.
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