Hanoi to ban dog and cat meat!

[Catherine]

Quote: When will we hear of a government deciding to do something just because of compassion or kindness? No other reason.

Probably never, but I don't think that matters. I am just glad they are doing the right thing.

This is an issue I have thought about a lot. Does it matter why people do things? Yes and no, but maybe more no.
A person who is doing something very bad, but has good motives, is still doing something very bad. I don't think any good motivation can justify something like torturing a dog to death. 

You will probably recognize the quote by T. S. Eliot: The last temptation is the [b]greatest treason: to do the right[/b] deed for the [b]wrong reason[/b].

After many years of reflection on the issue, I don't agree with T.S. Eliot. I don't think a clean motive fixes a bad action and I don't think a bad motive negates a good action. 

Cruelty done in the name of goodness is still cruelty. Cruelty done in the name of tradition is still cruelty.
Mercy to animals done with the motive of modernizing a country, is still mercy to animals. Sure I wish they would wake up and see that the dog meat industry is cruel and reject it for that reason alone. If they are willing to reject it for other reasons, that is good enough and the dog's lives are still saved.