I recall in vivid detail the manner in which many people and organizations responded to former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick’s admission of running a dog-fighting ring. People were upset and voiced their dissonance with his actions, in particular a right-wing extremist group called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA. Now where I come from, Pita is an acronym for Pain In The A– or a kind of flat bread of Mediterranean origin that is used to eat small pieces of roasted meat.
Over the years, PETA has developed an image of being the champion for the humane treatment of animals. From its anti-fur campaigns to protest against animal experimentation, it has proven to define the word zealot in extraordinary terms.
The organization even claims that animals are not ours to eat and that animals on farms are treated like meat, er, last time we checked, animals were meat. They even have a campaign against Kentucky Fried Chicken that uses the slogan “we do chickens wrong.” They even suggested that if KFC did the same thing to dogs or cats, it would be illegal while conveniently forgetting that Americans don’t eat dogs or cats.
PETA, which has a federal nonprofit, tax-exempt status, claimed more than $34 Million in revenues in its 2009 financial statements.
Now this organization gets in people’s faces when it deals with individuals, especially celebrities. However, they have been completely silent with respect to the Gulf oil spill. I find this strange given that they can find the time to advocate for folks not to eat meat or fish, when I suspect they know other animals eat meat and fish and that the teeth of humans are designed to shred meat. Are they scared, or is their something else, like the possibility that BP may be one of their large corporate sponsors?
PETA has stated repeatedly that their goal is “total animal liberation.” This means no pets, no meat, no milk, no zoos, no circuses, no fishing, no leather, and no animal testing for lifesaving medicines and no cruelty toward animals at all.
Does PETA not find or see the sea turtles, sea gulls, hermit crabs or brown pelicans as being worthy of their time? I cannot answer that, but I can say if there was ever a time to stand by their credo and become proactive, that time is now. They need to say out of the bodies and lives of other people and stop vandalizing the property of others and finally stand for what is right now since BP has given them the chance. Maybe the Gulf Coast is as attractive to them as a black NFL quarterback. –torrance stephens, ph.d.
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