Milk, Misinformation and Memorial Day

Sometimes you overhear comments that just make you shake your head.  I heard something a couple of days ago that lodged in my mind simply because it was intended to be a condemnation of specific behavior.  It bugged me because it was such a meaningless statement but, meant to be definitive.  The comment was intended to condemn the drinking of milk by adults.  It was, "Man is the only animal that drinks milk after weaning."

I opened my mouth to retort back, but then closed it again because I knew the conversation from that point would not be a good one.  If I had done so, this might be what I would have said:

That isn't technically correct.  I have observed grown cattle nursing other cows.  It isn't common, but they are opportunistic, just like every other animal.  But, it really doesn't matter, because many grown ups drink milk, just like they behave in other ways that no other animal behaves.  Some examples are:  1)  Humans also cook their food.  I don't know of any other animal that does that.  2)  Humans also take multiple food stuffs, mix them together through the "magic" of chemistry and change them into fabulous dishes like pancakes, sauces, casseroles, or other delicious things.  I don't think any other animals do that.  3)  Only around 2% of humans in the United States raise and harvest the food consumed by 100% of the population.  Ants and a few other insects also utilize a division of labor in the collection (notice that I said collection) of food and its transport, but most animals do not raise their own food -- in fact I don't know of any that do.  4)  There are a few animals that utilize tools of some fashion, but man is the only animal that uses tools to make even more complex tools that increase their power to accomplish work.  Some examples would be automobiles, tractors, airplanes, computers, etc.  Should I go on?

The groups that are opposed to the use of animals for food in any fashion constantly seed society with misleading phrases like the one above.  The trouble is that people don't stop and think about them, they just latch on to the ones that resonate personally and propagate them in ways that are negative.  In this case, the person saying it may be lactose intolerant, or simply doesn't like milk.  It doesn't really matter, it is the negativity that grates on me.

What makes me sad though, is that mankind, the creative animal that is both opportunistic and yet foresighted enough to conserve resources in a sustainable fashion, is also gullible enough to fall for deception.  It is confirmation there is a God out there that keeps us from destroying ourselves, and that God certainly isn't man himself.

Okay, I'm done with my rant.  Enjoy your Memorial Day, but keep in mind why we have this holiday on which we honor those who gave the supreme sacrifice that we might enjoy the freedom we have -- even if that freedom means some will use it to promulgate propaganda.