The Global Times, a state-owned newspaper, published an op-ed lamenting the spread of “animal protectionism” in China in response to Hongkongers’ fury over the incident in which a stray dog was hit and killed by an MTR train in late August.
The oh-so-patronizing piece explains that it’s perfectly “understandable” that Hong Kong people were upset by the incident since the concept of “animal protectionism” came from the West. And since the city was under British rule for so long, it’s only natural that our brainwashed selves would feel pity for a dog needlessly killed by a train.
The author says many media outlets have quoted Gandhi in light of the incident: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. But whether or not this is the case, they say, is not so simple.
They argue that animal protectionism introduces a highly complicated element into society, as it is difficult to define animal cruelty (is it though?), and that human rights should develop in a society before animal rights do.
The piece hence decries the growing “animal protectionist” sentiment in mainland China, and explains that because the mainland is not as developed as Hong Kong, it cannot tolerate “pupulism” as well as Hong Kong can. (Thanks to the Bad Canto blog for their apt translation of the author’s original Chinese term, a play on “dog” and “populism”.) If “pupulism” continues to spread, it “will cost [Chinese] society dearly”.
Who knew that the end of Chinese civilization would be brought on by a love for puppies?
Photo: Flowers, flyers, and signatures for the stray dog killed by the MTR on August 24 (Mable Ng via Facebook)
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