I volunteered to serve as a volunteer at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary in the Congo while I was there. This topic came up recently when an Australian I was talking to said: “I love chimps,” he told me. “I want one.”
I referred him to the website jacksanctuary.org where he could adopt one. This wasn’t what he had in mind. He wanted to own one. He also loved kangaroos. He also wanted to have a kangaroo.
This is not an uncommon expression of love amongst the sapient species.
Where I love you means little less than I must have you.
Chimpanzees are very susceptible to human diseases, and despite that to hold one inevitably means that you will kill one.
This desire to express love through possession is not limited to the mammal kingdom. I love flowers so I want them in my house cut off from their life source. I love birds so I trap one and I cut its wings so it can’t fly. I love men so I want one (or two) to be mine and only mine.
How could to love mean to have? No chimpanzee wants to be a house pet (nothing wild wants to be tamed), no bird wants to be prevented from flying (even the ones that can’t).
Where did we lose sight of love? Since when does to have mean to hold?
When will we let love be love without possession?
You are not mine to own. I am not yours to tame.
otherwise 