Why Must We Assign Blame in the Death of the Cincinnati Zoo Gorilla?
The nation is experiencing mixed emotions after the Cincinnati Zoo had to shoot and kill one of their gorillas after a small child made its way into an enclosure. Sadness and anger have overwhelmed people who seem to want to put the blame somewhere, but that's the wrong thing to do.
A petition has been created in an effort to hold the child's parents responsible for Harambe the gorilla's death when he was shot to protect the child in the enclosure with him from harm. Part of it reads:
This beautiful gorilla lost his life because the boy's parents did not keep a closer watch on the child. We the undersigned believe that the child would not have been able to enter the enclosure under proper parental supervision.
And it goes on to request the parents be investigated.
We the undersigned actively encourage an investigation of the child's home environment in the interests of protecting the child and his siblings from further incidents of parental negligence that may result in serious bodily harm or even death.Please sign this petition to encourage the Cincinnati Zoo, Hamilton County Child Protection Services, and Cincinnati Police Department hold the parents responsible.
I understand the passion behind the effort and the need to have justice for an animal who did no wrong, but isn't this going too far?
This was an accident. According to the In the Cincinnati Zoo's director, nothing like this has ever happened in its 140 years of existence. Accidents and tragedies happen, but I think to blame anyone for this is unfair.
What parent hasn't turned around to suddenly find their child not where they expected them? Unfortunately in this case, the child had found its way into the gorilla enclosure. I see lots of people on social media saying that this would never happen to them? How do they know? Do you think you're so much better a parent than this couple you don't even know, to make that claim?
These parents have been through enough already. They went through the frightening ordeal of seeing their young child at the mercy of a 400 pound gorilla, unsure of what it might do to their child. They have dealt with insults, berating and even death threats. If you think they need to be taught a lesson, don't you think they have? Wouldn't you have if your child had done this and was lucky enough to get out basically unharmed?
Let's stop placing blame and just accept that this was an accident. Let the death of Harambe be a lesson to us all, whether it be better supervision of our children, safety checks of zoo enclosures, or a deep look into keeping animals in captivity. Whatever lesson you take away, let's stop laying blame and instead take steps to do everything we can to make sure something like this doesn't have to happen again.