Rabid animal rights activist here! I've always been a bit out spoken on these issues, but I'd like to think that regardless of how I've always stated my opinion I've at least a been a bit polite and tolerable. Even if only because I've enforced an obligatory oath on my self. And well, today I'm not too sure if I can keep that. Because where as I'm usually an outspoken person, fur is the one issue that really, really pisses me off. The way Yagami Light views crime, I view people who wear fur. So, given that this is the one issue that really gets me angry and want to skin someone alive, I guess it's certainly going to be interesting to see whether or not I get my self banned from the escapist through my complete bat shit insanity.
Firstly, I'm going to go ahead and give everyone some numbers. 30 million animals are killed every year for fur. To clarify; this is some where's around how many people have died of aids since it's discovery. To make a single fur coat, it can take quite a few animals. Now, I'm no taxidermist so I wouldn't happen to know exactly how many it takes, but from what I understand depending on what animal is being killed, it can take up to twenty of them.
Now lets actually get into the things that piss me off.
Firstly, let me complain about the fur industry its self. You can never trust a business with ethics, but the fur industry hits a new low that even the meat industry hasn't reached. Besides a lot of corporations saying 'that we take care of the animals' (P.S - they fucking don't.)some places even skin the animals alive. And it gets even better. In the past there have been issues where China has been selling fur as faux - fur. So, basically, they don't just skin animals alive, they're also being completely dishonest about it. They don't care about decency or honesty, they just don't. And with ethics like this, it simply cannot be argued that they don't deserve anyone defending them. There is no moral gray area, absolutely none. The fur industry is vile and it needs to end. And once we end it; I can assure you the world will be a better place. The cure to cancer won't be found and your life will still be meaningless; but at least you can rest your head in knowing that fox plushie you bought for your daughter that loves animals isn't made of those precious animals.
Now we get to the arguments that defend this awful industry. I'll start with the stupid ones first and ease my ways into intelligent ones. First, lets start with this little abomination - 'We need fur to keep warm!'
Oh, you do? You need to buy a two thousand dollar coat to keep warm in a world with winter jackets that can cost not even a quarter of that price? Guys, you remember that part about 'dishonesty'? Yeah, it seems it's not just the industry that loves wanking off that word.
'You're just against fur because he's black!'
Yup. I actually heard this somewhere.
'They're just animals who cares?'
You're just an animal too. If you don't want to suffer then maybe you shouldn't be expectant of any other animals to do so. This argument is the epitome of being selfish and apathetic. These aren't good traits, my dear.
'Leather is the same thing!'
No it's not. There's a little thing called context. Last time I checked, a lot of people eat cows, not foxes. Leather also plays an actual part in our daily lives. It's our wallets, our shoes, our coats, and our coaches. I'm not too particularly fond of leather, but I understand that it's relevant to our society. There will come a time when it'll be obsolete just like fur, but we're not quite there yet. You see, the core difference between the two is that fur is nothing but a status symbol where as leather is actually practical. We don't need fur for anything at all.
'There's too many animals, this is a good way in keeping their population in check'
There's 7.7 billion people. And a single one of us causes far greater harm to this planet than any animal. The argument is hypocritical and ironic. But not just that, but it's also wrong too. Actually, fur farms are the worst things for controlling populations. it takes quite a few animals to make a fur coat, so naturally you're going to want them fucking each other as much as possible. To further prove my point, I remember once reading an article on how these Foxes broke out of a fur farm and were killing birds like crazy. You see, throwing a bunch of animals in a prison and having them do nothing else but fuck isn't going to help the population. And if they ever get out (like in that incident) then there's going to be a problem.
Now that I'm done I guess it's time to make a point out of all this rambling. The reason why fur is such a horrible thing isn't just because of the cruelty involved alone, but because of two other factors. The first of them being that we leave ethics in the hands of business (which is NEVER a good idea) and the second one being that fur is an anachronism. Fur is wrong because it serves absolutely no purpose. I'm not the most fond of animal testing, but that serves a purpose. I'm not the most fond of factory farms, but that serves a purpose. Fur has no reason to exist. Absolutely none. Some people argue that people should do whatever they want with their money, but I think a line needs to be drawn on bringing needless suffering. Killing an animal just because you're bored and have a lot of money just isn't a good enough reason. Even more so if that animal is being skinned alive and it takes twenty of them to make a coat.
Fur is wrong. No Exceptions.
. Vegetarianism threads particularly irk me, because they never say anything new. The people creating them often act like they are presenting some new profound argument, but it always boils down to "animals are living creates, and you are killing them for your own greedy desires". 
