It took many years to shake that off and I still believe it's good advice when an aunt gives you an ugly sweater for Christmas; or you are eating a not-so-tasty dinner at the neighbors. But I don't think that it applies to our work as animal advocates. We would still be wallowing in the mire of the status quo if it hadn't been for the courage of those who have led the No Kill movement. Those few who bravely spoke out about atrocities and mis-management at animal shelters when nobody else was doing it.
Thanks to their efforts, shelter deaths have been reduced from about 17 million in the 1970's to where it stands today; estimated to be somewhere between 3 and 4 million. That being said, I personally draw the line at character assassination. Not my style, and I'm not sure it is helpful.
Nowadays, I've come to believe that a better rule to live by is one that my friend's husband suggests. He says: "Don't point out a problem, unless you can also offer a solution." And solutions are eveywhere! There are now 27 No Kill communities in the United States that are serving as a blueprint to stop the killing. There are more seminars, webinars, articles, and conferences, than ever before; and with a click of a button, we can share the information where it is needed.
When more people speak out, more progress is made. We can reduce the number of shelter deaths to zero. Please, get involved, speak up when you see something wrong, and offer the solutions that can help end the needless killing of shelter animals.
Sorry Mom, I've broken Thumper's rule a few times!
To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do?
Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask? - Jim Rohn
Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask? - Jim Rohn
"Don't point out a problem, unless you can also offer a solution."
ReplyDeleteKathy, I respectfully disagree. I'm a journalist. So are you. If we see injustice, cruelty, deceit, embezzlement, fraud... it's not our job to figure out how to fix the problem. It's our job to blow the whistle.
I can't know how to fix a broken medical insurance system, but I can point out when it betrays the people it purports to serve.
I don't know how to fix my car, but I know when I pay a mechanic to fix and it's still broken that I need to complain and leave a bad review on Yelp.
And while in this case we do have solutions to offer along with our criticism, even if we didn't, pointing out that killing animals simply for being homeless is immoral and obscene is our duty as journalists/bloggers, and as human beings.