Zoë Siegel - Week 4 Response

A Manifesto for Earthlings

• We as humans recognize that we are not necessarily smart because we are smart. We renounce our connection with the earth. We burn coal. We are warpigs. We slaughter pigscowschickensturkeysfishmiscellaneous. We are war. We burn the forests. We raze mountains for highways. We burn the tent cities and erect malls and plazas. We burn it all. We commit genocide. Dolphins commit genocide. It is always the “intelligent” species that commit genocide, and destroy. We recognize that humans leave a trail of debris, where most other species leave only footprints.

• MOOOO MOOO mooo mooooo MOOOO my child MOO has been taken MOOO my boy for veal MOOO my girl to be like me. MOOO they cannot drink from me so the pale arms can have more. My udders hurt. There is pus. There is blood. The two arms plunge themselves inside me against my will and impregnate me again. MOOOOOO I am pregnant. My child is gone. My milk is pumped until my udders swell with pus and blood. I am raped. I am pregnant. My child is gone. My milk is pumped until my udders swell with pus and blood. I am raped. I am pregnant. My child is gone. My milk is pumped until my udders swell with pus and blood. I am raped. I am pregnant. My child is gone. My milk is pumped until my udders swell with pus and blood. I exist for five hellish years, for this is no life. I stop producing milk. I am slaughtered. One last MOOO. Part of this complete breakfast. We as cows recognize that we are not necessarily smart.

• ScratchthewallthewallthewallyourfeathersmyfeatherswheredoIendwheredoyoubegin??? Where? Scratchthefloorfloorfloorthecagethecagethebarsarecoldtheyaresocold. MybeakyourbeakmybeakonyourfeathersisrippingthemrippingthemSQUAWKwhere isthedoorwhereisthelightwhereismybeak? Mybeakhasbeentakenbythetwoarmsthey arecomingforyourbeaksoyoucantbitemyfeathersmyfeathers.Thetwoarmsarmsthey comewiththeredflowersohot. Itissohotandmybeakisnowshortandwearestillbleeding. Weaschickenrecognizethatwe arenotnecessarilysmart.

• We as Earthlings, recognize that we are all connected. We feel love for our kin, and we feel loss for those we love. Pain and love are the two common tongues of us all. We as Earthlings, strive to do the least amount of harm. We as Earthlings, no longer set ourselves apart as human. We no longer renounce our connection with the Earth, and this is why we set ourselves together with all creatures. No longer will we dehumanize those of our species and no longer will we de-dignify those of other species. No longer will we deanimalize ourselves. No longer will we think to be less human is to be less.

• We as Earthlings “Imagine the worth of the whole net as a new net worth.” See that blue and green spinning planet? That’s the World Bank. That is where the assets are. See those green plants poking from the ground and trees? That is your currency. That is where your health is.

• We as Earthlings reclaim our connection with the Earth. We burn nothing. We will no longer slaughter anycreature. We will be peace. We will replant the forest. We will climb mountains to stare into the infinite blue dome above. We will pitch more tents and erect more International Parks. We will burn nothing. We will not commit genocide. We recognize it is the intelligent Earthling who does not commit genocide, who does not destroy. We recognize that Earthlings include all beings who leave only footprints. We as humans have decided we would like to leave footprints. We as humans have decided we would like to be Earthlings.