Have you ever noticed how if you agree with anything a certain group does, be it the republican's or democrats the animal rights 'activists' or breeders, then you are automatically tarred and feathered with the same brush by that groups opponents? In talking to different people and watching email lists and various websites I've been amazed at how completely enslaved we've become by 'stereotypes'. For example, if you express any sympathy for a 'rescue' or a sanctuary then your automatically an animal rights fanatic that wants to come storming into homes taking away everyone's right to have companion animals and their right to eat meat. I'm sure I received the same lecture from my grandmother about 'Your friends say a lot about who you are Elizabeth Ann' but there is such a thing as taking that too far. Just because someone truly believes in something that is diametrically opposed to your view point, well that doesn't mean that they are all wrong and you are all right.
You see everything is subjective. Even though we might all inhabit the same physical realm on this planet in reality we are all planet's in our own right. With our own sets of experiences that shape and strengthen our perceptions, or our reality. For instance, my mother is a nurse and has been since I was three years old. She has worked in the Emergency room of a large city hospital, the infirmary of the county jail, a childbirth floor, and as a childbirth educator (teaching couples Lamaze). Each of those experiences shaped her perceptions of the world around her. Because stereotypes do have some roots in objective reasoning patterns (i.e. We wouldn't have them if they weren't based, in part, on reality). Nothing, however, in this world is ever black and white. Which is where the problems arise.
Mom's experiences in the emergency room were that lower income people were stupid, uncaring, careless, and even downright abusive to their children. It easily became habit to scan a chart prior to bringing the 'patient' back and see what medical insurance they had. The minute she would see 'Medicaid' as the primary insurance her attitude and behavior would completely change. “Oh great, another of the mindless mob of ignorant, lowlifes that feed off of welfare.” Of course a good majority of the time it was some fourth or fifth generation welfare mom that had no clue or desire to get off of it AND had only brought her child in because it was 'aggravating' her some. This of course reinforced Mom's perception that 'only' lowlife, multi generational welfare junkies were on Medicaid. But what about the times that she called the patients name and the people that stood up were well dressed, well mannered, productive members of society that had brought in the FOSTER child they had accepted into their homes to love and care for? The child that they had a valid medical need to have seen ASAP in an emergency room environment? Eventually this happened enough that she began to question her prejudices (or perceptions as you will) which is to her credit as a member of the thinking minority of this planet. Once this happened she was able to even look at the 'lowlifes' as INDIVIDUALS that were as much victims of THEIR perceptions as we all are. Not that that excuses some peoples unwillingness to let go and reach outside their comfort zone but it does make it more explainable.
Experiences shape all of us, who we are, what we think, where we live, the people we marry, because they shape our perceptions which are how we define our individual realities. Another good example of this everyday phenomena, that leads to everything from break downs in communication to outright war between nations, is an e-mail list that I am on regarding parrots. It is an 'open', 'unmoderated' list that has everyone from large rescues, smaller do-it-yourself type rescues, to people in the middle and then breeders. I'm not sure if there is a more opinionated group of people anywhere. I do know that there is much we could all be learning from one another if we took the phenomena of perception into account.
For instance there are those whose experiences have shaped their perceptions in such a way that they truly believe anyone breeding a parrot is _______ ( I'm leaving that blank because I've heard so many accusations it would be impossible to fill it in, but some examples would be 'asinine', 'abusive', sect.). They have seen parrots that were kept in horrific conditions that no living creature should have to endure. Parrots that have been tortured, burned by cigarette lighters, thrown into walls, ignored for years after being shoved into basements and garages, parrots who have had their beaks surgically split to keep them from biting people. Once again, the list of abuses seen by some people are too long to enumerate here. Their experiences have taught them that most people are not cut out to handle living with parrots, and that most people that buy parrots will abuse them. Their experiences also say that only a small percentage of people that have parrots care for them in an appropriate manner and that there are not enough 'good' (perception again folks) homes out there to accommodate all the parrots that need good homes. So therefor anyone who breeds more of them is being irresponsible, there already aren't enough places for them to go. Is this perception correct? Well to the people to whom it belongs it is very correct. If, however, they told their perceptions to take a hike for a moment and took an honest look at the good parrot homes that are out there some perceptions might change.
On the other side of the fence are those people that breed. The most common argument I hear from that side is that most of these birds are facing extinction in the wild and that aviculture is what is going to save the parrots in the end. The other commonly held belief seems to be that it's not as dire a situation as the rescues and sanctuaries make it out to be. That most birds don't need 'rescuing' they simply need 're homing. Someone to find them a more stable life environment since their previous care givers can no longer provide for them. Or even someone to go into the parrots current home and work with the current care givers on how to live, successfully, with a happy parrot and a none shredded human. Breeders experience's with rescues, and there are some very bad rescues out there just as there are bad breeders, tell them that most of the birds are being 'warehoused' and condemned to a lonely life in a parrot 'homeless' shelter. Their perceptions have conditioned them to automatically deny a need for parrot 'rescue'. In other words the very same gripe that 'rescuers' have with breeders is duplicated in terms of how 'breeders' feel about 'rescuers'. Both groups appear to have the best interests of parrots at heart.
So who's right? How about this, looking at it from an objective point of view, both are right and both are wrong. There are probably a number of birds sitting in rescues as I type that would love to be in a private home being loved and spoiled and being part of a FAMILY. These are flock animals that develop extremely strong bonds with human beings that care for and love them. In all probability if the 'rescuers' weren't so scared of what might befall these animals that they so dearly love, in private homes, they might be more willing to search for families for them. They are held prisoner's of their perceptions.
Yet on the other hand there are some parrots that have been so severely abused / neglected and have so many behavioral problems that finding them good homes might not be possible, probable, or wise. The breeders don't want to acknowledge this. Are there really birds out there that need homes? Yes. Are there birds out there that really need the facilities and care a 'specialist' or rescue can provide? Yes.
Both groups of people seem to partially be victims of their collective experiences shaping their perceptions and partially victims of a guilt they do not want to admit too. Are rescues doing enough to educate current care givers and try to maintain and improve the current living conditions of parrots they get calls regarding? Or do they simply sigh, and tell the caller when to drop off another 'unwanted' misunderstood parrot? Are the breeders taking an objective look at the numbers of parrots that are listed on Internet classifieds, newspaper ads, and in rescues, that honestly did and do need rescuing?
If the breeding and the rescue / sanctuary communities would simply put their perceptions on hold for a few minutes and listen, then ask questions about WHY each feels the way they do, a common consensus on the best way to manage parrot welfare could be reached. Do any of us want these birds to be abused? NO!!! Do any of us want to see any of these magnificent creatures die out due to extinction? NO!!!!
If any of the people involved in either of these two communities truly care for the well being of parrots both captive and wild they will tell their 'perceptions' to take a hike and take an honest look at the current state of affairs. There are some truly frightening obstacles facing both sets of parrots, wild and captive, that will only be addressed by the collective ROAR of both sets of voices.
E.A. Henson & Dini (G2)
Friday, November 19, 2004
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