What EXACTLY does this quote mean? (in detail)?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

It means we are no more nor are we any less important than other animals. And in the grand scheme of the universe, she is right. However, many humans feel the need to disassociate themselves from nature, and claim they are something more (i.e. intellectually and/or spiritually), but that doesn't change the fact that we live and die like every other animal.

Vegetarian

It means the writer THINKS animals are not for human consumption or pleasure but whose purpose of existence is within the animal itself.

Keep in mind however that this is opinion only and not based on any scientific nor practical fact. It also implies humans are somehow excluded from the natural order of things and ignores one basic and inescapable fact. That animals eat and exploit other animals with or without humans. It does not take into consideration the other fact that "the purpose of humans like any other species on earth. animal or plant. is to survive as a species. Therefore humans will do anything to do so up to and including exploiting and consuming other animals.

Like any other "quote" it sounds nice but the logic is debatable at best. Also remember the the author won a Pulitzer Prize for FICTION (The Color Purple) not for scientific achievement. She is also a feminist and African American so the reference and comparison to African Americans and women fits perfectly according to her own agenda.

It's arguing that we as humans do not have the right to own animals, just like we do not have the right to enslave others and men do not have the right to own women. Basically animals should be treated as equal to humans and allowed to follow their own desires/instincts. We should not domesticate them for human consumption and should not impede their growth/natural cycle.

Why can't we all just get along?

As Lisa said, she is simply saying that animals are not to be used by humans. Like human being they are here for their own purpose, not for the egocentric human race. She skillfully uses examples from past history of things that used to be acceptable, but are now not. Why is this important to the quote, b/c people may read the beginning of the quote and say, "well that is what animals are for." However, if they read on, the same sentence(with the word animal replaced with blacks, or woman) could have been said at one point in history.

It means that animals, humyns of any gender or skin tone or race are not property of anyone else. Animals are not here to serve anyone for any reason just as we found slavery wrong and sexism wrong it is the same thing here. I think if we want equality we must extend it too everyone else on this planet, humyn or not. All life is valuable and different and not anyones to control but their own.

In essence she is saying go vegan and stand up against racism and sexism and for equality.

It is actually a brilliant quote and one of my favorites

vegan because animals are not property

It means whoever wrote it doesn't know what they are talking about. Most people in the world don't have the Luxury of having a fully stocked grocery store or money to buy food from a store! They have to eat whatever they can get to survive, plant or animal matter. Try telling a family they shouldn't eat meat when they depend on wild game because they don't have the money to buy much food. Try telling that to someone that lives in a climate that's cold ALL of the time. Try telling people that live in a 3rd world country that they can't eat that night because eating meat is bad.

Animals eat animals, and humans are animals. Its just how the world works.

Logic

Um, I like the idea of the quote but there are a few issues with it that i can see. (Keep in mind that I am a vegetarian) and in a perfect world that would be a wonderful idea. However, for the time being if you want to test experimental medications on your children then ok, but i still prefer that i know it didnt kill a pig before i give it to my child. Call me selfish, I am ok with that in this instance

It means that Alice Walker mistakenly believes that humans should not be able to use animals for our own purposes.
I would bet money that Alice Walker uses animals herself, probably every day.
Most people that think they have a right to dictate morals to the rest of us are actually the least "moral" people you will ever meet.

I t means Alice Walker does not value human life for to Value all life too the n degree is to value no life.Such is the folly of utopias

It means that the woman has some nerve trying to equate human slavery to captivation of animals. I agree that humans shouldn't drink cow's breast milk, but we can eat them.

Humans are no more and no less than animals. We are not bound to feel any mercy towards them just because they are less intelligent. All is free to conquer as we please.