I am sure many of us have heard about the incident with Harambe, the gorilla in Cincinnati, and the young boy.
Everybody had an opinion on it. The vegetarians blasted those who mourned the death of Harambe. They said that nobody mourns the death of cows or pigs when they eat them.
I saw someone on Facebook reply to a vegetarian, saying: “People mourning de gorilla because dem doan taste good!”.
Animal rights activists condemned Harambe’s killing as many believed that his life was just as important as the boy’s.
Many parents were horrified at the entire incident, which was captured on a viral video. Some identified with the mother’s screams as the gorilla held the child’s hand and dragged it throughout the enclosure.
Others called for immediate investigation of the boy’s family and expressed intolerance at what they deemed to be gross negligence on the mother’s part.
This entire situation reminded me of life.
When situations occur, everyone has an opinion. None of the critics was at the zoo with Harambe, the boy, his mother nor the zoo keepers.
Neither did the video show all of what happened. Nonetheless, everyone has an opinion and a strong one at that.
The animal rights activists, the children’s rights activists, the vegetarians, the black rights activists (some people even claimed that the boy would have been rescued earlier had he been white) all believe that their conviction is the right one without being at the zoo or seeing all that occurred.
The zoo keepers killed Harambe to much approval by some and great disapproval from others. That is life.
In my view the zoo keepers made the right decision. This, in itself, reminded me of another aspect of life.
It is something my mother constantly drills in my head and I strive to live by.
What is right does not always feel right. Imagine the emotions of the zoo keepers who cared for Harambe, for 17 years when they had to kill him. Ideally, would they have wanted to kill the endangered silverback gorilla? Of course not!
However, a decision had to be made. The right decision.
Harambe is dead today but his life was not in vain. I hope that our readers can use the incident to understand two things.
No matter what you do, everyone has an opinion. I am sure if the dog in your yard could talk, he would have an opinion as well. Secondly, you cannot please everyone when making the right decision. Some will be happy, some will be angry.
Always remember that it is better to displease man than to upset God.
It is better to face human fire than eternal fire.
Toni Thorne is a young entrepreneur and World Economic Forum Global Shaper who loves global youth culture, a great debate and living in paradise. email: [email protected]
