So, on september 2012 my friends and I were in Oxford, doing a speech competition and the good news is, we won second place. SMAN 6 Jakarta sent 4 students to compete in speech competition and 4 students to compete in debate competition.
I was in the speech team. Each of us had one script that we made by ourselves.
Here's my speech script.
SHOULD
THERE BE A BAN ON USING ANIMALS FOR TESTING CHEMICALS AND DRUGS?
Hello, I’m Nadhira Fidelia speaking for
Oxford Youth Elite’s Speech Competition 2012, for all listeners and also for
all generations after us. I am one of many participants who are concerned about
animal testing for chemicals and drugs that have been carried out since a
really long time.
I am here to speak about some awful
news and facts that I know from the news, and live from some places and people.
Standing here, in front of you all, I want to tell the bad things that have been
happening to the animals that suffer just for our kind’s goods.
I am here to speak for the countless
animals dying just to give some good things for human’s sake. Knowing that,
what makes us humans anyway?
Animal testing is basically making use
of animals in experiments carried out for the betterment of human lives. These
animal experiments are carried out by universities, pharmaceutical companies
and even by students and researchers at medical schools. Animal testing helps
in finding ways to help save lives of animals and humans by testing lifesaving
drugs and processes.
I am against animal testing because
animals can’t speak. They cannot tell us to stop hurting them while we are
doing things that we know it’s hurting them. Animal testing should be banned.
I am sad to know that those animals
help save lives of millions of humans, but in turn, thousands of these animals
lose their lives.
Animal discomfort and death,
species-extrapolation problems, and excessive time and expense. While we use
all the things that were made by their suffering.
I am eager to say that animals do have
rights. They are powerless, so they look to us for support. Some believe
animals shouldn’t have rights because they don’t live like the way we live, because
they can’t think like the way we think. They’re like babies, animals don’t have
our abilities as the best living thing on Earth, so we should take more care of
them. They cannot fend for themselves so we need to fend for them. I just don’t
think it is fair to test on someone that has no say.
For all the ladies, have you ever
realized that the mascara you use, the perfume you use or the lotion that you
use everyday, were made after some rabbits’ death? Those rabbits died because
of your perfumes before being enhanced. And for all the gentlemen, have you
ever realized that the shampoo you use, the tissue you use or the muscle milk
you often consume have killed the countless innocent chimpanzees? What would
you think if you were that chimpanzee who suffered just for humans’ sake? Would
you hate humans?
About 5 percent of all animal deaths by human
beings result from animal testing, however, the number killed which is around
500 million is not inconsiderable. You must agree that 500 million animal
deaths a year from animal testing is ridiculous. With all the alternative
methods there is no reason why so many animals should die each year. Many
believe that it is for a good cause because some of the tests benefit human
beings. I disagree; a lot of the tests, which are done on animals, can be done
on computers or on lower organisms such as bacteria.
I’ve known these alternative methods to
use besides making animals as testing. There are in-vitro methods, which are in
an artificial environment outside the living organism. Computer simulation of
experiments is also a reliable source. Another alternative to animal testing is
building databases of tests to avoid duplication. And also the Three-R’s which
are: Replacement, Refinement and Reduction. Alternative methods are more cost
effective, better predictors of human injury, produce far quicker results, and
do not involve animal cruelty.
I know I’m no one but seeing those all,
hearing those all, knowing those all, and using some of the things that have
killed many innocent animals just make me sick. I know I’m no one but I really
want the people that have no heart of killing those creatures realize what
they’re doing yet there are alternative ways to do beside making them being
tested. I know I’m just a 16 year-old girl yet I’m not afraid to tell the world
about how I feel.
Another reason why people seem to agree
with animal testing is because a majority of the tests are done on rats and
mice. It is true that a large percentage of animal testing is done on rats and
mice, however they are still animals. Their purpose in this world isn’t to be
tested on; it is to be a member of the food chain and to breed. I don’t think
it is fair to judge one animal’s level on the food chain as an acceptance to be
tested on.
Have you ever imagined, 5,000
animals are used for each chemical being tested, with 12,000 needed to test pesticides?
And without anesthesia or the injection that leads to unconsciousness. Imagine
how hurt that could feel? And usually after that, they’ll be euthanized or
being injected that leads to death.
If we keep experimenting animals,
finally one day it will extinct and if that happens, a huge part of our nature
will go. Animals are living things that deserve to live a life given to it.
Just because we want a cream that tans our skin or milk that makes bigger
muscle we CANNOT kill a living thing that is part of our world.
What would you feel if you were those
animals? Being tested without mercy, being a specimen, being stabbed, sliced,
injected, locked up and even being raised to be killed. It’s like living
without happiness, living with no purpose. Do you want to live like that?
You can decide for yourself, whether
you are against it or just a mute spectator to animal testing. Every door has
two sides, so does animal testing. It is now up to each one of us to decide,
which side do we choose.
Thank you for listening.
