Hey there, folks. PETA thread I started.

[flvegan]

Not looking to run to the vvar forum for support, just thought it would be a good read or something to enjoy, in case it was missed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1823943

You know, sometimes the black sheep of the family does something really great that deserves respect or at least big ups.

[laheina]

1. Thanks for the link.

I'm in late, but I find these threads interesting to read.

Maybe I'm a masochist. :P

[Omaha Steve]

2. Since when are you a black sheep?

I don't know why anybody would not think highly of you.

[flvegan]

4. I meant PETA

as they're often viewed as the "black sheep" of the AR groups.

Thanks for the compliment, though!

[LeftyMom]

3. Oh god, the whole freakin' dumbass peta thread hit parade's there

I must admit the "PETA supports the war and they're racist" thing is new. Stupid, but new.

Other than that the usual right wing talking points are all there in all thier overplayed boring glory. Yay.

[laheina]

5. Yes!

And what I can't understand is that some people can grasp the idea that PETA (or any other group) will be painted this way because they are going *against* the grain.

The whole "against the war or for the war" thing was baffling to me. Not only is is a *huge* twister of a logical fallacy, but what the hell is an AR group gonna do about the war? Why should they even state a viewpoint one way or the other? It is counter to their aims.

Obviously preaching to the choir, but...<end rant.>

[Robeson]

6. Yep, the usual cast of characters who can't resist bashing a...

...a PETA thread. Seems like they are attracted to PETA threads, like metal to a magnet.

[flvegan]

7. Yes, but...

it's still being discussed. Whatever the spin, whatever the reason, it's still being discussed.

Matter of fact, and I hope Elad doesn't mind me saying this, but I think that DU is largely based on this. It's not one-sided, it's a forum. Tear it up, rip it down...discuss it and come up with your own theory, your own thoughts, your own opinion.

I take that back. DU isn't largely based on this. That was a stupid thing to say. However, a meeting of the minds, a virtual discussion between people is, and I think that DU fits in there. It's not about being so completely one-sided. That is the point I was trying to make.

Sorry Elad if it looks like I'm using DU to make a point, as I'm not.

[ThomCat]

8. Oy. Time to put on the hip boots on that thread.

The PETA bashing never seems to get old.

[Branjor]

9. I heard that PETA

actually kills most of the animals it gets in to rescue. Is that a lie? Anyway, one day I was worried about a tiger sanctuary in a neighboring town (Tigers Only, run by Joan Byron Marasek)that the authorities were going to close and I was worried about what would happen to the tigers, so I called PETA about it. I was told by the woman answering the phone that she would rather see the tigers put down! That is not the answer I wanted! (Happily, the tigers were eventually relocated to another sanctuary).

[flvegan]

10. "Nobody wants most of the animals that we touch."

That's a quote from Ingrid Newkirk in regards to the animals PETA takes in. It's a humane alternative to what would otherwise occur with the vast majority of these animals. PETA assists a number of very rural "shelters" that use fairly obscene methods to euthanize. In many ways, PETAs efforts with animal rescue is simply the outsourcing of euthanasia by the "shelter" the animal comes from.

Many view this as hypocritical of PETA, however, I disagree completely. As a vegan and one that runs an animal rescue (very limited intake), I've personally taken a lot of heat from folks that shake their fist at PETA (or any other open intake or "kill" shelter) yet have no answer to a very simple question: What do you do with the unadoptable animals? There is not a home to take them. You can build shelters until they outnumber nursing homes...they'll fill immediately. PETA runs an aggressive spay/neuter campaign, an aggressive anti-petstore campaign and aggressively spreads the word about adoption. IMO, PETA is hacking at the roots of the problem here, while still having to do some of the dirty work.

I'll close with a quote from an official response from PETA in regards to their role in euthanasia:
"PETA takes in the animals nobody wants--the feral cat colonies descended from abandoned, unaltered house cats who are now thin and wild and often infected with deadly, ravaging diseases like Feline AIDS and leukemia. The stray dogs so disfigured by mange they are almost no longer recognizable as canines. The litters of parvo-infected puppies, wracked with diarrhea and vomiting--literally dehydrating to death. The backyard dogs who have known only chains, beatings, and neglect, and who have gone mad because of it. Some of the animals PETA takes in are eventually reunited with their families. We have caught and reunited some of the most elusive animals who other agencies have given up on. Some animals are fostered until homes can be found for them (PETA does not operate a shelter; we use veterinary boarding kennels and foster homes, including our own staffers' houses, and space is extremely limited). Other healthy and adoptable animals are taken directly to local shelters. Tragically, the only relief for the rest lies in oblivion."

[Critters2]

11. All the usual memes

"Plants have feelings, too" continues to be my favorite.

:eyes: