Secrets of the City

ALERT—-PETA’s goal has nothing to do with animal rights. It has everything to do with $$$$. The organization has a multi-million dollar waterfront headquarters, endorses tactics used by terrorists, and their leader gives speeches reminiscent of Hitler. Animal rights people are out of their mind. A prime example of this happened a few years ago when a bunch of lunatics “rescued” a bunch of domestic rats from the U and “set them free” in a weed-infested wetland in Woodbury, where they promplty died. Brilliant!

We should all feel sorry for those ridiculous phuques (PETA).

Let’s be careful with rhetoric here — throwing around Hitler references… makes you look like Hitler.

The New Yorker had a good profile of Ingrid Newkirk (PETA’s president) a couple years ago. It nicely illustrates some of the potential ethical duplicities of PETA.

…They so desperately want to have power over something

(Sort of like – do I dare say??? – the pro choice crowd)

I’m ducking now–here comes the shrapnel!!!

you would think they’d care more about the safety of their human performers. remember when the lovely Desi España plummeted to her death in 2004 cuz no one set her free in the wetlands of woodbury? and what about that hercules guy? they drive a monster truck over his chest and also shoot a cannon ball straight at his stomach!

I’ve seen up close how rodeo animals are treated. PETA would have genuine legitimate complaints to make.

I don’t know about circus animals.

I suppose the people who attend circuses are probably more receptive to listening to their spiel than those that attend rodeoes though.

I wonder which is scarier, a circus clown or a rodeo clown?

I love a good cheeseburger, rare. But no way will I do circuses with animals. I’m totally against using wild animals simply for human entertainment, especially when they have to transport them in what must be small cages. Zoos are a middle zone, since they invest so heavily in animal husbandry, perpetuation of the species, and wild habitat conservation.

(Jean, the letter starts off with cases where humans — not animals — were hurt.)

(I don’t know anything about circuses.)

I’m a practicing quasi-vegetarian (I eat fish consciously, and probably a million other meat products unconsciously), but I guess you might say I have mixed feelings about PETA’s methods. However, when it comes down to it, using media and celebrity culture against itself (which is what PETA does best) is something I support.

i did see the biting chimpanzee item. i only know about desi and hercules because i LOVE the circus. ever since i was a kid, all i ever wanted was to see those girls on the trapeze, or like Desi, on the silk ropes. i love those russian guys riding upside down on the stallions, plus also the clown who fits an entire ream of pinfeed paper into his shorts.

still have my blue elephant cup from 2004.

I’d never seen that New Yorker article. It’s pretty good. Newkirk doesn’t seem that crazy. She’s just really, really devoted to her cause and completely focused on it.

Whether PETA (or other activist groups, for that matter) does or does not walk an ethical fine line — even if they cross it — is a red herring. If you support the abuse of sentient beings, fine. If you don’t support it, even better. But PETA’s practices are no excuse to condone mistreatment of anyone, bi-pedal, quadrupedal or whatever.

Here here Jean!! Simply go to the circus, take your kids, let them fall in love with the animals, see people doing amazing things they’ve worked long and hard to accomplish, and go away with a great family memory. I realy doubt the animals are treated poorly. I think that their handlers, if someone actually talked to them (I doubt PETA ever has) love them as much as any family member.

If we think much harder about everything and try to be so politically correct we’ll find problems with everything and all we’ll end up doing is staying in our houses, stop intereacting as fallable humans, not do anything except watch TV and pretend to have real-life experiences. The world and people are not perfect. Go out and live!

Hey Rex, somehow I don’t think Simon Wiesenthal would’ve agreed with your comment.

If you want to get some info about these activist groups, here’s a good site http://www.activistcash.com/index.cfm

wow kate, I hope you’re not raising kids with an attitude like that. Going over an ethical line usually is illegal, not a red herring. sounds like you’ve swallowed the peta mantra…

Paul, my point was that PETA’s practices are no excuse to condone abuse. I’m pro-choice, but I don’t lump all pro-lifers in with the clinic bomber fringe. Since when do what is ethically acceptable and what is legal necessarily correlate? I wouldn’t raise my kids to club baby seals, even though it’s legal.

kate, of course peta’s practices are no excuse to condone abuse. But peta sure seems to think that suspected abuse is an excuse to condone breaking the law. peta may also say they don’t encourage unlawful acts, but they appear to say with a wink wink. their tacit encouragement to “save” animals by any means makes their cause illegitimate. Of course you’re pro-choice. Here’s one quesiton for you: Why are there laws that children have to be put in car seats?

I don’t know exactly why legislators would have chosen to vote for the mandatory use of child safety seats. I could guess, but I’m not going to. I do think that the use of animals in circuses is wrong for a number of reasons. As far as I know, it is not illegal to write a letter to Target saying so, and that is all that has been established that PETA has done (in this thread).

As for ActivistCash.com, see this: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Consumer_Freedom

Here’s someone who doesn’t have a fond memory of going to the circus (and not due to creepy clowns!). I still remember feeling sorry for the young elephant that was being forced to make a 360 degree turn on some narrow piece of wood.
PETA has brought several sucessful lawsuits against many circuses due to their blatant mistreatment of animals-esp. elephants. Don’t think so? check their website which will link you to the court documents.

Love those lawsuits!

PETA=People Eating Tasty Animals