An Insects Right To Life

"But they are gross!" " But they are scary!" "They are annoying!" "But they don't contribute to anything!" And "Omg, they are just bugs!" Is what I hear rather often while in the midst of trying to save a critter from the unrelenting force of someone's shoe. That critter is a being, alive just like you and me. Who are we to end another beings life just because we can and there is no law against it?

"Ummm, like I said in the first sentence, they are gross."--- (Mostly I get this statement from rude girls who think looks are almost, if not everything) How are they gross? Is it their color, shape, or that they carry "diseases"? 

Insects that have vibrant colors seem to be more pleasing to people. Butterflies come in all sorts of colors and we almost never here anyone say they are gross. But that stink bug in the corner of my room is an ugly shade of brown/gray and displeasing to the eye. That's right stink bug, go cry in your corner.

A Butterflies shape resembles  faeries with their pretty pretty wings. Everybody wants pretty pretty wings. Psssht, stink bug, by the way, your wings are oddly shaped and lie flat on your back, oh yeah, and you have an ugly head! That's right stink bug, keep crying in that corner.

And then we get to diseases. Mostly flies get picked on a bunch for this. Don't let them touch your food they are filled with germs! I'd be willing to bet that there are more germs on you than a little fly, considering well, you are 2000 times bigger. Don't touch another human! Germs! Germs! Flies spread germs in small amounts, which results in, overtime, other species developing defense or immunities. Ohh and I didn't forget about you little stink bug, I'm sure a fly landed on you and now you got germs! Stop contaminating the corner of my room with your germ infested tears! Oh yeah and you still have an ugly head!

We wouldn't kill another human because of the color of their skin, eyes, or hair.. We wouldn't kill another human who has a deformity. And we wouldn't go over and stab the person who walked out of the bathroom without washing their hands, right? So why kill a critter because they are "gross?"

"They are so scary!!! >.>"  What about them is scary? Is it the scary movies they are portrayed in? They aren't cute and cuddly? Or is it because we are never sure of what they are gonna do?

We have all seen the horrors movies where a person walks into a room, there are cobwebs everywhere and then a giant spider drops down and goes "rawwwr!." This subconsciously creates a fear that spiders are out to get us or that they are just scary and we should avoid them. Where are the movies about "Attack of the Ladybugs!" or "Butterfly Vengeance!" If there were more happy movies of people dancing with spiders and inviting them to cocktail parties, I'm sure much much less people would be terrified of them.  

Awww, look at the cute bunn---OMG A SPIDER! Animals are furry, have big eyes, and they are curious and do innocent things. --Mr. Tarantula Jr: "Well what about me? I'm furry, I think I have big eyes, and I"m curious and innocent! :( ?" Yeah, well mister Tarantula, you just aren't as easily cuddlable! And you don't give very good kisses! 

Is it gonna bite me? >.> Many people are unsure of what a lot of insects do or if they pose a harm to humans. As the saying goes, "we are afraid of what we do not understand." --Mr. Tarantula Jr: "Nobody wants to understand me :(..."

We aren't afraid of all humans just because we see  evil people making pies out of us in movies. We aren't going to run away in fear because our pet is having a bad hair day and they aren't cute anymore. And we aren't going to evade someone or refuse to be around them because, ya never know, they could just decide to bite us! So why kill a critter because they are scary?

"OMG, they are annoying!" So? I am annoyed just by you opening your mouth, but I'm not going to stomp my foot on you. Insects aren't purposefully trying to be a bother. They just buzz around because that is part of their natural body function. In fact most of them keep hitting your window because they would rather not be in your room and just want to get outside. It's humans that will annoy you just for the heck of it. Like someone throwing rocks at your window who then goes to hide in the bushes. So why kill a critter because they are annoying?

"But they don't contribute to anything?" What is that supposed to mean? Of course they do. Every being contributes to the balance of life. We just don't always see it that way because we humans tend to want everything to benefit us directly. (little selfish if you ask me) Just as a quick example,without flies, wasps, and cockroaches (which are all scavenger decomposers )  there would be an abundance of carcasses lying around and then the bacteria decomposers would take much longer to break them down because the carcasses are big. So why kill a critter because "you" don't think they contribute to anything?

"Omg, they are just bugs." Well, oh my gosh, we are just humans! Quite frankly I always relate this back to history how "women" were just "women" and had their seperate spheres from men. Or how slaves were just "slaves," used to only benefit their owner. And still today animals are just "animals." to many, disregarded for their feelings and brutally mistreated by humans for pets, food, science, and entertainment.. Seems like we always just want to hold one over another species to make us feel like we are somehow more important. So why kill a critter because they are just "bugs"?

Some say that being so considerate towards critters is pointless because when you go outside you end up stepping on them anyway. The problem with this here is 'intent.' Of course we will end up stepping on many critters without us even knowing it. We can't help it, we are bigger than them. However, there is a difference between accidentally taking a life and purposefully doing so.

We can choose compassion and choose to live and let live. The next time you see a critter either nudge them gently onto your hand and take them outside. If you are still afraid, get a cup, put it over them, and slip a paper underneath. However, the only way to get over the fear of touching things unknown to you, is to take that first step and just let them crawl on your hand if you know that the critter won't hurt you. If you see a posioneous critter in your house put a cup over it immediately, and then slip a paper underneath carefully. Take it way out into the woods somewhere if you have them or just far away. Yes, you will have to sacrifice a little of your time, but it feels good afterward knowing that you didn't take a life. In certain instances, for our own safety, we may have to take a life. Use your best judgement of whether you feel like it is absolutely necessary to. Remember, a compassionate world begins with you and there is always a way to be compassionate in your actions :)