You were wrong!

I attended a two day animal rights conference in San Francisco this past weekend. "Helping Animals 101" sponsored by PETA, attracted activist from all over the country.
I''ve mentioned my conversion to vegetarianism in some of my recent postings.I was appalled by so many hostile reactions toward PETA. Apparently this organization has inspired the hatred of many ATS members. I always thought this site attracted people of a higher mind set. Silly me!
After all the mud slinging, I was a little apprehensive about attending the conference. But now that I have, I'm going to set the record straight. I've never met more dedicated, compassionate, self sacrificing individuals in my entire life. The judgmental attitudes I feared didn't exist on any level.

My friend and I tried to make sense of this unwarranted hatred and came to the same conclusion. This hostility can only be the result of intimidation.
You are terrified by their strength of character, resolve and depth of theiremotion. You hate them because they make you look bad. These people spend their lives fighting to make the world a better place, not only for animals and the environment but for you as well.

So go ahead and chow down those "poop" burgers, chomp into those hormone ridden drumsticks and feel free to suck the antibiotic filled marrow, right out of those pork ribs! You deserve it!


[edit on 2/7/2005 by dollmonster]

Originally posted by dollmonster
So go ahead and chow down those "poop" burgers, chomp into those hormone ridden drumsticks and feel free to suck the antibiotic filled marrow, right out of those pork ribs! You deserve it!
[edit on 2/7/2005 by dollmonster]

This would be why so many people are quick to judge PETA. Once you decide to cross that line and become, what many can consider, extreme all bets are off. I have never had a problem with PETA as I'm glad there is an orginization that helps protect animals. They just need to realize though, as most probably do, that thier tatics are in-your-face so thier responses are most likely going to be the same way.

Anti-PETA messaging is originated and promulgated by the same kind of people that deny the link between smoking and lung cancer, ie industry interest groups.

Your post just increased my hate for PETA by about 25% (never thought I'd say that). Now, I will go out of my way to eat meat and any food made from an animal. I never really liked fur coats, but after reading that, I may as well give them a shot.

It's because of statements like the ones you made that people look down on PETA. A lot of people that I've come in contact with seem to think simply that they're right, and I'm wrong. They don't want let me live my life, and they look down on me for eating meat and stuff. Have your opinions and ideologies, but don't try to force them on me.

Riddle me this then o wise PETA Master:

What does the organization think of those who raise their own livestock for food (or hunt for it) and live without USDA processed meat, milk, etc? I really want to hear this, its gotta be a real hoot.

* edited for spelling *

[edit on 7-2-2005 by alternateheaven]

Peta promotes vegetarianism as a means to pressure agribusiness. When enough people protest the extreme cruelty of the factory farms by not buying their meat, they will be persuaded to make humane changes.

Don't be offended by their aggressive outreach, as no change occurs without it.

Originally posted by dollmonster
Don't be offended by their aggressive outreach, as no change occurs without it.

You tell people not to be offended by PETA's aggressive "outreach" yet are angered by the responses of the general population? Perhaps if the aggressive "outreaches" were toned down into a civil discourse then you wouldn't face such responses.

Now I have always wonderd this, PETA hates it when people eat animals so what does PETA think when animals eat other animals?

Thanks! You just reminded me that I have to go home and butcher something cute and fluffy for dinner.

Now I have always wonderd this, PETA hates it when people eat animals so what does PETA think when animals eat other animals?

I would LOVE to hear the argument on that one. Some of the idiots wandering the planet, declaring all us omnivores to be murderers... dont seem to realize that animals, all animals, are food! Animals, people, bugs, presidents, and even their precious genetically engineered intelligent plants with laser cannons... yup... food. Everything is food. To deny ones self food is to wish to die.

The biggest problem I have with PETA is that they're the "class clown" of the animal rights movement. They do some good work, but they also aren't always the best at thinking of the consequences of their actions. At least here in Iowa, the chapters are known more for "Throw-paint-at-pedestrians" actions than for actual education. In that, PETA hurts the animal rights movement at least as much as it helps it.

For example, a few years ago they released several thousand mink from a "fur farm," which resulted in a number of neighbors dealing with the vicious, stupid creatures. Mink are aggressive and territorial, and it created quite a problem for neighbors who had children nearby. The PETA chapter who assisted in the release, however, didn't think of that, only that they were preventing the cruelty to the animals[1]. Even when presented with the issues, the group refused to back down or apologize for their actions.

There's one group here in Iowa, losely affiliated with PETA, who advocate the relase of pigs and cattle back into the wild. I'm not sure if you're familiar with agriculture or not, but that is a horrible idea. Cows are...well, pretty dumb. It's not their fault, people have bred them to be that way over thousands of years, but because of it they're pretty much walking car-accidents were they to be released to the "wilds" of the midwest. It's bad enough when you hit a 150 pound deer, now imagine hitting a 500 pound cow.
Pigs present an even greater danger. Again, this is the result of human breeding programs, but the fact remains. Hogs are large, and aggressive when they feel threatened. Whether it's a sow or a boar, they can seriously injure and even kill an adult human.
Were the local groups pushing for a reduction in the breeding of livestock to safe levels for reintroduction into the wild, were they showing some understanding that actions have consequences, I'd be more willing to support them.

In the end, I feel there are a lot of good animal rights groups out there, but PETA is not one of them.


[1] Don't get me wrong, I understand that "fur farms" are often horrible places, and the process of fur harvesting on non-edible animals[2] is wasteful and sadistic.

[2] Obviously, I'm an omnivore, not a vegetarian

The thing I hate about peta is the fact that they wont eat meat.:shk: I mean I couldnt live without beef or ham. I think ill go have another meat sandwhich! I mean come on meat tastes great.

Oh and those fur ppl. If people didnt use fur to keep warm then no one would have survived the ice age or a bunch of winters after that.

Originally posted by dollmonster
. I always thought this site attracted people of a higher mind set.

Just going to address this point. I don't know much about PETA so I can't really say how I feel. I do, however, love my meat

To say that people who disagree with you are of a lower mindset is extremely arrogant. A lot of the Bush-haters have this mindset as well. The mentality seems to be,

"If you don't agree with me, you must be stupid because I am the most enlightened person on the planet."

This is absolutely false. If you put 10 geniuses in a room and left them with a single conversation topic, say, "the sky is blue", they would never stop arguing with one another. This higher mindset you speak of is here at ATS. The mindset is that we can think for ourselves and come to our own conclusions, who cares what people think of us because of that. The world doesn't really respect people who believe in ghosts or UFOs, but people here still believe because they feel they know it's true, despite what the media and other people tell them.

ATS definitely attracts people of this higher mindset.

I'm into the Goth-scene.

Me and my friends, we don't stay up reading Oscar Wilde and drinking vinnegar to keep our sallow complexions. Nope, we are not posers.

We are REAL vampires. Just trans-genic ones. We don't prey on the humans. Just their pets.

We consume the essence of each life-form, and gain its strength, just like the cannibal tribes of the Sarawak islands.

We revel in the gluttony of cow--we absorb her slow, plodding ability to ruminate over life's deep questions.

We absorb the tenacity of pig--it's a "root, hog or die" world, after all!

We sate ourselves upon the pluckiness and cocksure qualities of chicken, to absorb the ego of the real peckers of this world.

So dude! It's like, my alternate lifestyle. And stuff. So don't come 'roun here dissin' the meat.

Tolerance means you have to affirm my alternate lifestyle! IF we have to put up with your food-fascism, then you have to tolerate our ability to embrace people whose stomachs are welcoming of diversity also!

Yeah!

right!...im off down to mcdonalds....any one want take out?

i'll have something huge and dead, please.

with cheese.