Law School Personal Statement
I remember it clearly: a restaurant dinner with my family when I was eight years old. Gazing down at my soup, I asked what kind of meat was in the red broth. My parents grinned knowingly and told me it was probably beef. As a meat-lover, I happily took a big bite. Then my mom looked at me with a wry smile. “Do you know what this meat really is?” she asked, motioning to my bowl. “It’s dog.” I immediately burst into tears. The adults around me laughed; this was a common way to trick children into trying dog meat in Korea. I ran out of the restaurant in tears, overwhelmed by the shock of my discovery. I could not help but think of Heemi, my friend’s Maltese. Needless to say, that was the first and last time I ate dog meat.
Now, I am not inherently against the Korean tradition of eating dog meat, a practice that has been part of our culture for hundreds of years. However, as I grew older, I learned about the abuse they are subject to, the unsanitary environment they are raised in, and the horrific deaths they face. Images revealing human cruelty towards these living creatures with emotional depth and unique personalities disgusted me. I decided I would not[sacrifice my beliefs—my love of dogs—for my carnivorous diet.][Meaning unclear]
Still, my feelings arecomplicated. A number of animalsare raised for their meat. And although those of us living in cities rarely see these animals alive, we see them at the supermarket or on our plates almost every day. But is that right? We may think twice before eating dog meat, but few of us hesitate before scarfing down roast chicken or a burger. Yet, we usually do not know, or even care, how such animals have been treated.
Is it wrong to eat animals? Humans are traditionally omnivorous, but when I read the detailed depiction of the slaughtered animals in Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian,” I became aware of just how many people feel unsettled when they truly consider the implications of eating meat. In consideration of this ethical dilemma, I have tried making several conscientious efforts including reducing my personal consumption of meat as well as purchasing from cruelty-free brands and selective farms pursuing sustainable agriculture, as opposed to factory farms. However, I have found these measures unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons. Althoughconsumingless meat may reduce the number of livestock, it still does not address fundamentally the treatment such animals are subject to. Further, animal-friendly labels such as ‘cruelty-free’, ‘organic’ or ‘free-range’ do not give sufficient comfort as the meaning of and standards for receiving such designations are ambiguous and most often unregulated.
These problems cannot be resolved without broader social reform, encompassing increasing social awareness as well as directing and incentivizing people in the society through laws and policies. How we determine and establish the ethical values we as a society wish to promote, and then how we actually implement this through the laws and regulations we have in the society arguably have a more profound impact on such issues than do the actions we can take on an individual level. Through deliberation with fellow students as well as guidance from professors and studies of relevant literature, I hope to gain a better understanding and acquire a fresh perspective in analyzing and addressing the issues that permeate throughout the society. It is with this goal that I have decided to apply to law school. [Description re: Georgetown’s diverse course offerings and faculty?]I anticipate this journey tobe intellectually challenging, but I believe through this journey I will be able to acquire a more diverse perspective which will allow me to gain a more balanced and deeperunderstanding of these issues and become the basis for critical and creative answers I would have otherwise not been able to think of.
