I don't have a huge issue with the view that humans are animals, just so long as it's universal (i.e. either ALL humans are animals or NONE of them are.) I see the problems arising when trying to pick and choose which humans are humans and which are animals. This was something I had to struggle with being raised Jewish, a specific group of people being G-d's chosen didn't make sense to me. Either all people are 'the chosen' or none of them in my mind.

I can agree to generalizing it out to Life is Life...and life deserves respect. It does broaden the argument and it'd probably have taken the rant into a slight different direction. I can try that one in a future rant type post, lol.

I can buy in that the ideal is life without conflict, but I do have to recognize the need to deal with those who are aggressors. I don't like the idea of fighting, but I can't deny the potential need of defense. Not every conflict involves malice either, so many have started more due to miscommunication and misunderstanding...often viewing each other as the aggressors.

While I don't have easy answers for removing conflict across the world, many are over what are seen as limited resources. Simply starting with the mindset that others also have a right to survive can bring things a long way.