... to allow a family of ducks to cross safely or to help a snapping turtle (like 100 pounders) get to the other side without a fucking SUV using it as a speed bump for fun.

I hope as mankind approaches the truth about ourselves, we will reach out to humans in ways that show they have no need to defend themselves from those of us who cherish the lives on this planet. Bringing them to the light that has been hidden within or they are distracted from allowing to shine, is the answer.

As Thoreau said:

I saw deep in the eyes of the animals the human soul look out upon me. I saw where it was born deep down under feathers and fur, or condemned for a while to roam four-footed among the brambles I caught the clinging mute glance of the prisoner and swore that I would be faithful.

Sometimes, it takes only one brief moment in time and space, to open the eyes of a human being to our kinship with all the beasts. It is in that second of realization we are all one on this planet, that all life, no matter how it expresses itself, is truly sacred, including the one who has done wrong to his fellow creatures on Earth, to peacefully change one human being's life and the lives of millions of animals on this planet forever.

I'm unable to post the picture but it's on kpete's thread and here where I quote what the bullfighter said, as he collapsed from realizing in one moment, what he was doing... in other words he achieved enlightment from the innocent eyes of the bull questioning his actions in the middle of bullfight. It was the bull being nonviolent despite his agony and the insanity and the bloodlust that surrounded him:

“And suddenly, I looked at the bull. He had this innocence that all animals have in their eyes, and he looked at me with this pleading. It was like a cry for justice, deep down inside of me. I describe it as being like a prayer - because if one confesses, it is hoped, that one is forgiven. I felt like the worst shit on earth.”

...This photo shows the collapse of Torrero Alvaro Munera, as he realized in the middle of the his last fight… the injustice to the animal. From that day forward he became an opponent of bullfights.

http://padbury.tumblr.com/post/18825767326/and-suddenly-i-looked-at-the-bull-he-had-this

Kpete had the picture on her thread if you want to go there:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002390179

The one (main) thing that eludes me on the issue of animal rights is how we can be the only species that excuses ourselves from the natural order. We are heterotrophs, among thousands and thousands of other heterotrophic species. What, other than irrational emotional doo-gooderism, is the reasoning behind this proposed idea that we should remove ourselves from the established natural order of life feeding on life? I understand the concerns about cruel treatment in factory farms, the environmental degradation of excessive beef production causing slash-and-burn expansion of grazing lands into the rainforests, the overconsumption of meat/dairy in western diets, etc, etc...but does any of this really necessitate the complete abstinence of all animal products? Why are humans the only species bound to respect imagined "rights" of other animals? What other apex predator considers the inherent right to life of it's prey? There are tons of reasons to consume sustainable meta/dairy...but none, at least to me, to support the all-out abstinence of animal products.

Can OP explain this, plz?

So, ego or nutrition. Choose one to answer your first question.

And let me know when you're really an apex predator outside of the supermarket or when you're shooting animals from a blind soaked in urine, and then and only then let me know the "tons of reasons to consume meta/dairy"

I fucking look forward to this one.

Right now, I'm looking forward to the response to the "natural order of life feeding on life" supported by a NatGeo video of an actual apex predator taking prey to live. Something we don't do.

So, have at it.