Not All Soldiers Choose to Fight

Photo Credit: Tim Mossholder

This year, as on all years since Memorial Day became an official holiday, we honor all veterans of wars fought in the name of freedom.

We recognize, though, that not all people make it to the military via the same route, and that military recruiting practices differ based on a community’s socioeconomic and racial composition. We also recognize that once people enlist, a number of factors can profoundly impact the treatment they receive while serving, with race and gender among the most influential factors.

We tend to forget, however, that the military’s prejudicial and hypocritical practices continue even beyond our own species. Horses have been used in battle for more than 3,000 years, although we can be absolutely certain that no horse ever enlisted voluntarily. Similarly, dogs have been used in warfare, despite—like horses—being unable to enlist of their own volition. If horses and dogs are unable to confirm that they freely choose to participate in wars begun and perpetuated by humans, why do we deny them the freedom for which we ourselves are willing to die?

Next Memorial Day, may the freedom that is the birth right of us all—humans, horses, dogs, and all other species alike—be well and truly protected. May no member of any species be forced into war. And may each of us humans practice the Principle of Equal Consideration of Interests (PEC) and protect the right of every member of every species to be free and to live freely. May speciesism be in our rear view, and may we ALL enjoy the freedom for which soldiers have sacrificed their lives since the beginning of time.