PeTA

PETA. When I hear the term, read the name, or think about this group, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, I generally do not have a huge issue with them. Yet after watching "I Am an Animal" and hearing the opinions of my fellow classmates, I can't help but be more intrigued with PETA, its ethics, and how animal rights activists are portrayed because of PETA.

To be honest, I am torn between my advocacy for PETA. Sometimes, I think that they do such ridiculous, crazy stunts that I lose respect. Dressing up as dead fish coiled up on the street, throwing fake blood at fur, showing graphic commercials on TV that exploit women... But then I think about what they are trying to do, what they are trying to show: that animals suffer. Animals suffer every moment of every day at the expense of humans, and this is cruel. If I knew that by smearing fake blood on the display case of a store that sells fur could save 100s or even 1,000s of animals lives, why wouldn't I? Wouldn't it be unethical to not do something so outlandish if it could save a being's life? Sure, people do think that these PETA freaks are insane and maybe even violent. But aren't the ones slaughtering animals, injecting poison into monkeys, and beating elephants the real "lunatics" that we should actually be angry about?

PETA has managed to practically turn the tables around, making the animal rights activists look like the "bad guys" in the animal liberation movement. This should not be the case. How I see it is that Malcolm X is to Martin Luther King as Ingrid Newkirk is to the non existent peace figure at the head of animal rights. But until that mainstream Martin Luther King comes around, Newkirk's company PETA is the major fighting force in animal rights! Their means can be ridiculous, rude, volatile, and maybe even insane, but they get stuff done. Not much press would be released if Newkirk sent letters to companies to not use fur, or if she tabled outside of McDonalds, or she held a vegan bake sale for a farm sanctuary. Because of this press, Newkirk creates change that is ethical and justified. It is unfortunate that she and her co-workers must go to such lengths to get heard, but if that is what it takes to save the life of even one animal, than power to them!