SWA #11

Conservatives Should Care Too

If Scully's argument that conservatives need to care about animal rights too is not an appeal to his audience's pathos, then I am not sure what is. Through out his essay, he continuously appeals to his audience's compassion and emotions. He argues that animal rights do in fact need to concern conservative politicians. It is not a matter of focusing political efforts in the right places, it is a matter of being ethical, moral human beings. He centers his argument not so much on the politics of animal rights, but rather on how it is morally and ethically wrong to treat any subject the way factory farmers treat the animals of their industry. Not only is it harmful to the animals, he argues, but it is also harmful to ourselves. He includes graphic examples to engage sympathy, and also makes several biblical references, which may in fact be a personal stab at conservative politicians, many of whom are religious. He presents animal rights in a different way, as an obligation to treat animals correctly. He explains how this is different then "an entitlement" of animals to proper treatment, which is the belief of several radical groups such as the PETA that conservatives do not look too fondly upon. He also demonstrates how this type of treatment in factory farming brings down ourselves as a race. He presents as cruel and sick if we continue this type of support. Scully's argument for animal rights differs from the past typical angry essays conservatives are so familiar with, which is why this particular one has captured his attention.