While taping an interview with CNBC, President Obama swatted and killed a fly. The video is available on the Toronto Star website.
The video probably wouldn't be so upsetting if it weren't for the laughs and cheers from the crew, and the approving "Nice!" from the interviewer. Obama's repsonse: "Impressive wasn't it? I got the sucker." Obama then kicks the dead fly away and encourages the camera operator to zoom in on the dead fly on the carpet.
I've certainly seen people swat flies, and used to do it myself as a child. But it's even more disappointing to see someone delight in the act, while surrounded by approving cheers. I know that many people believe that insects do not feel pain or pleasure, but I would disagree with them. A study published last year showed that fruit flies respond to peer pressure. I suspect that there are many ways in which flies and other insects are more complex, intelligent and sensitive than most people believe.
The saying, "I wouldn't hurt a fly" is supposed to mean that the speaker is unusually kind and considerate of others, including flies and other animals. I guess Obama is not one of those people, figuratively or literally.
Most people don't think of insects when they think of animal rights, but vegans do avoid honey and silk because of concerns about bees and silkworms. Some try to discredit animal rights activists by claiming that we care only about the "cute" animals, like panda bears, kittens and baby seals. But those are the same people who mock us if we care about "non-cute" animals (I put "cute" and "non-cute" in quotes because cuteness is highly subjective) like chickens, fish or flies. But it is society at large, not animal rights activists, that cares only about the "cute" animals.
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Insects have rights but not plants that have evolved specifically to entice particular insects?????
I’m not too keen on certain insects myself but I do not go out of my way to kill them,in fact at my job when I find a beetle,spider etc I always pick it up gently with a piece of paper then take it outside,I am one of those that would not “Hurt a fly”
As a parent, I find that teaching humane treatment of insects and spiders (and in our neck of the woods, toads, snakes, turtles, etc) is a great opportunity for enhancing empathy in children. Kids are naturally curious about these kinds of creatures and will find a way to interact with them one way or another. I love finding toads on our property and bringing my daughter out to watch them as they make their way around. It’s not just a matter of live and let live — by peacefully sharing our space with them, we learn so much about them.
C’mon people. Who haven’t killed an insect in their life time. I myself sometimes just shoo them away or bump them off me not killing them. Other time I swat them. So I guess that makes me a Insect serial killer….wow. I really don’t think this whole subject would be a big deal if it was someone else who did it and not President Obama. Once someone becomes President everything they do gets put under a microscope no matter how small the issue is. The average person can only imagine how many issues and concerns are on the President’s plate at any given time. We should be more supportive of whoever the President is. WE are not going to agree with everything he says or does BUT he is the “President of the United States”. We should always remain Loyal. Given there are more respectable and efficient ways of getting your views across that will do more than just put a person on BLAST. What’s the sense in this…it gets nothing accomplish. I’m not saying I agree with EVERYTHING he does but I have been supportive of the Presidents. That goes for Clinton, both Bushes, and today’s President Obama. They deserve that much. “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”
I talked with an insecticide company today and a fly is not an animal but an insect. I honestly think that animal right groups have lost all since of common sense. Our country is in big trouble when all the major net works may such a big issue of the President of the US swatting a fly. God help us!!!!
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and mine, as an animal rights supporter, is not to go around killing insects intentionally. It’s my ethical position, and it is disappointing to realize that the president doesn’t share it. I don’t understand why that lacks common sense.
By the way, the media coverage isn’t because killing flies offends animal lovers, it’s because it was a Karate Kid-esque moment that would make most people go “wow! he’s a zen master!”
JJ, I don’t believe plants are sentient, but if they were, they would have the same rights as lions who have to eat meat to survive.
Nancy, I can assure you that not only are insects animals, but they make up the bulk of the animal kingdom, with over one million different species. There may be legal definitions of the word “animal” for the purposes of animal cruelty statutes that exclude insects. For example, the definition of “animal” for the purposes of the Animal Welfare Act applies only to certain warm-blooded animals, so insects and many other animals are exlcuded from the AWA. But in lay terms, and in biological terms, an insect is an animal.
I have to say that I’m heartened to see the number of people who oppose automatically killing every insect who comes into your home!
Vegans eat live plants!!! How cruel is that?
Doris, there’s plenty of scientific research that shows plants are sentient. Just this week: Self-recognition affects plant communication and defense (Press release)
Hi, JJ,
Thanks for your comment. I was able to open the link to the sagebrush story, but got an error message from the first link.
The study that shows that plants are able to “communicate” by releasing volatile chemicals does not necessarily mean that plants are sentient – capable of suffering and feeling pain. Plants have been known to respond to stimuli for centuries, but sentience is a different question.
But even assuming they were sentient, where does that leave us? No one is saying we should go around randomly killing plants for no reason. Not hurting a fly doesn’t mean that we want to cut down trees instead. And no one is saying we should kill carnivorous plants in an effort to save flies. But millions of people are supporting clearcutting forests by buying and eating meat.
If you do believe that plants are sentient, the best thing you can do to protect plants is to go vegan. Humans need to eat to survive. It takes several pounds of plant food to produce a single pound of meat. Estimates vary, but the most common figure I see is 16 pounds of grain for every pound of beef. Animal agriculture is incredibly inefficient, and the rainforests are being destroyed to support animal agriculture.
That’s why we say that veganism is better for the animals, for human health, and for the environment.
Flies are not animals. They are insects. As are moths, ants, ladybugs, etc. Good on the man for not holding back just because there’s a camera pointed at him. I’d do the same thing.
Heck, there’s still some bug-splatter on my landing walls where I keep the window open and regret it later.
I agree that some animals need protecting, but for goodness sake it’s getting pathetic.
People argue that animal and even insect cruelty is intolerable due to these creatures being able to feel pain. So why did the PETA cheer because the slaughter of “Downed” cows was banned? Now these cows need to endure the sickness that has gripped them for years to come.
It’s irony. I say quit revelling in stupid matters that won’t change the world, like swatting stupid flies, and focus on species that really DO need the attention.
-_-
Sometimes the smallest things can help to change the world and becoming a big enough person to treat with respect even the smallest creatures on earth could be a good start.
Bex, I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you. What it all boils down to is a respect for all life, and understanding the intricate balance of nature. Mankind has become so aggressively speciesist we’ve forgotten our role as an ecological placeholder. I fear it will be our ultimate undoing.
Oh my… No freaking way. Maybe you should start to fight for the rights of bacteria we kill by washing ourselves too.
I really could care less if our president swats a fly. My friend hunts, does that mean he should be put in jail for animal cruelty because he is cutting an animals life short? No. Animal rights is out of line, they care about insects now?
What about bacteria and viruses? Animal rights will never succeed because is an inborn part of human nature. I don’t see animal rights protecting humans (we’re animals too). Animal rights has now become a cow for money, it will stay alive as long as there is money involved, the day they don’t make a profit or have some donation, they’ll quit. This is sickening, “OMG, he killed a fly!! The camera man applauded him! Oh my God! He is such a horrid person!”
Animals were put on Earth by God for humans to use as a source of food and now there’s people fighting that. Oh wait I just imposed religion on people I’m a horrid person too! What a joke. I feel pity and disgust for the human race if this is what we are coming too.
Does animal rights protest war? War that kills people, people that are animals too? No. They are hypocrites, they say save animals (and insects) yet go home and eat a meal with meat in it and step on countless insects every day.
If nature has such an “intricate balance”, then why are there tornadoes floods and other natural disasters that kill countless animals? Do we protest that? No.
Example of hypocrisy
Banning the slaughter of downed cattle, so we just increased their suffering for an unknown amount of time, it could be 1 day or 10 years, but we didn’t slaughter them and kill them fast! Congat-u-censoring-lations you just turned yourself into a hypocrite and are proud of it.
Now I’m going to be mercilessly assaulted and criticized for voicing my opinion that contradicts everyone’s opinion.
I personally think that this is rather ridiculous. Insects will inevitably be killed in daily life and humans do have a right to destroy any animal that poses a direct discomfort to them, provided that they do not disrupt the ecosystem or do it cruelly.
I read the whole bio on the author of this topic and the related topic of a “humane” method of trapping and removing from the home of fruit flies. I did not see (and unexpectedly so) any reference to her support of Pro (Human) Life / Rights organizations or activities. I find that most of the animal rights (that in of itself being a good thing) ilk tend to also support Pro (Death) Choice positions when it comes to questions of “Save the Baby Humans.”
While I don’t advocate the wholesale (ecologically untenable) wiping out of annoying insects via insecticides, et al, but I find that especially true when stances become excessive to the point of concern for every swatted fly. While I support our 1st amendment rights, I have little respect for those who have a relatively inconsistent ethic of life and rights in that they like to try to remove the human animal from the whole ecological chain of command.
Conservative Exile in Canada
A President must spare the life of an annoying, disease-ridden and repulsive fly because “animal rights” wierdos so will it? Have you loons considered consulting competent psychiatrists?
this is ridiculous!
I just don’t get it. So many people act like that the lives of insects don’t matter and they can just do whatever they want to them. Just because you are able to doesn’t mean you can just kill some one for no apparent reason! If someone says that an animal’s life doesn’t matter, well that is no different from saying racist or other prejudice things about humans. No one can control whether they are born a human, a dog, a chicken, a fly, or any other animal, so they shouldn’t be judged by this.
Thank you Doris Lin for writing this article and showing empathy towards animals. The world really needs more of that.
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(I also don’t think there is a such thing as a “non-cute” animal. They’re all so adorable, but that’s just my opinion.)
Flies are animals and they do matter
The people who come on these boards to judge, childishly taunt and put down others for being environmentally conscious, are often very uneducated about ecology. If they just took the time and studied the Earth that they live on and its inhabitants, they’d be more understanding and less ignorant. Watch some documentaries, there are lots of really cool ones out there! Most people are too caught up with their own selfish desires and day to day shuffle, that they lose touch with the amazing miracles that occur every second in the natural world. We’re so tiny in the grand scheme of things, but are capable of so much! Disover our Earth, and take care of Her!