“My dog loves cats … medium rare! It’s a dog thang!” read a T-shirt I came across at a recent pet industry trade show. When the sales rep at the booth asked if I needed any help, I immediately identified myself and informed him that one of my main goals is to elevate the status of cats in the media.

I didn’t enjoy seeing this man grow defensive and start talking about first-amendment rights. He didn’t write the slogan, after all; he was just selling products for the company exhibiting at this booth. I saw him turn from defensive to guilty as he introduced me to his wife, who quickly moved the T-shirt with the offensive slogan behind another T-shirt and then showed me pictures of the four cats they recently adopted.

In all fairness, I’m sure these were very nice people. And, let’s face it, we all have to make a living, and I would be a hypocrite if I said I never made money in any way that violated my conscience. I once worked for an advertising agency where I had to write press releases for a gun manufacturer, and I hate guns. Needless to say, that job didn’t last very long, which turned out to be a blessing, because now I’m lucky to have a job I can perform with passion and a clear conscience.

That said, I’d like to say to the person who originated this slogan that, although I believe in freedom of speech, I believe it is an abuse of that freedom to publicly belittle others. The words we use are powerful. They can sway public perception, sneak into our psyches, impact our conscience and devalue life. In modern history, all genocidal persecutions began with disparaging words and messages about the targeted ethnic group.

Cats are victims of abuse and torture, and knowing they have been used as bait in dog fights makes this slogan especially offensive to me and others who value living creatures. There is enough suffering in our world without adding violence to it with words that hurt, maim and malign. If we want to have a better world with dignity for all, we need to start by speaking words of kindness and respect.