Outrage😡

Yesterday I saw a story on the internet about a dog used in this new movie that supposedly experienced abusive treatment during filming. I briefly thought to myself, "Oh that is sad." But I didn't give it much more thought. A few days before that I saw multiple stories about the Barnum and Bailey circus phasing out it's famous elephant act mostly because of protests from animal activists. I again thought to myself briefly, "Those poor elephants." Then I saw and update later about the elephants. They are going to a conservatory in Florida but the PETA people are up in arms still because they will be prodded and shackled at certain times. (Side note-I did see where their blood will be used in cancer studies that might benefit children. Link about this story posted at the bottom of this page) Then this morning I was watching the news and actually saw the story and edited video clip of the "abused and mistreated" movie dog. What I saw was a dog swimming in water on a movie set with trainers all around. In my head I thought..."This dog was doing a job surrounded by trainers and probably treated like a king. How is this even a news story? And more importantly how is this an important/relevant news story." I must have actually said this out loud because Steve said to me that my thoughts would make a great blog post on how these ridiculous news stories get outrage but children dying of cancer get nothing.
I want to state that I am as big an animal lover as anyone. Anyone who personally knows me knows this. I will save any living thing that I can. We have 3 cats and I strongly advocate for rescues. I feed every stray around to my husband's dismay and our pets get treated very well and are very well cared for. They are family, but they are not human. Most people I know treat their pets very well. There are shops and boutiques and even cafe's for pets. It has gotten crazy ridiculous out there and pets have it all. Pets have sweaters and special houses and even their very own blogs and Instagram pages. But for the life of me where have people's common sense gone? People seriously don't have it anymore. I believe we as a whole care more about our pets and animals than we do about our children. We treat our pets better than our children in some cases. And I am being 100% serious. When I see news stories about children with cancer it is almost always a sweet, tender or sad story. The story usually involves a cute little bald headed child that is pitiful and sad needing your money or support or prayers. Or maybe they were granted a wish or a once in a lifetime trip.  The story is all warm and fuzzy. It touches you or maybe brings emotion and a tear to your eyes, but I am doubtful it ever brings any outrage. Where is the outrage when you are told your child has cancer but he has a 0% chance of survival because no one has researched long enough to find one?  Like the mom I sat with at lunch yesterday who lost her son to the cancer beast and he had no known real cure. Where is the outrage when you are told your child will suffer from toxic treatments and irreversible organ damage from these treatments because nothing better has been discovered in over 40 years? Where is the outrage when you are told they might very well die from these treatments because science hasn't invested the time or money into better therapies for your child?  Where is the outrage when you are told adults have 100's of trials and 100's of experimental medications for cancer treatment but your child is not offered these same opportunities for their treatment? It seriously is the one thing I can't wrap my head around because it makes no sense, absolutely none at all. As a parent when you are told these things it doesn't compute at the time. You are feeling desperate and hopeless and in shock. It is an unbelievable, overwhelming feeling of "this can't be reality," but sadly it is all VERY real. I guess people don't want to see the reality or know it so they ignore it and don't talk about it. Maybe they believe if they talk about it then it will make it a reality. Well, it IS a reality. And it IS senseless and it IS beyond outrageous. I'm done, I have said my peace but I don't feel better. I won't ever feel better because Mary is gone and it is too late for her. I hope more outrage will come and change will happen. Children should just matter. Mary mattered, they all should matter.

https://www.ringlingelephantcenter.com/cancer-research/

http://www.syracuse.com/movies/index.ssf/2017/01/a_dogs_purpose_animal_abuse_movie.html