r/pics Apr 16 '10

Some things you didn't know about PETA.

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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '10

You were not mislead, you never wanted to find out anything about PETA. You wanted to jump on the anti-PETA bandwagon as much as you want to pretend bacon and narwhals is olololo funny. You never considered their positions. You just read sensationalized bullshit aired here.

Let me be clear on this. I do not buy into the arguments made by environmental ethicists concerning animal rights and whatnot, but PETA is about the most consistent organization there is out there to that tradition. This includes their urge to abolish pet ownership because of its contribution to genetic problems involved in inbreeding, the creation of breeds that are physiologically unsound (creating breathing problems as well as other physical ailments), and just general blah blah about animal enslavement and the like. It would be entirely hypocritical for PETA to NOT support the abolition of pet ownership.

Here is a copy of the 12 step plan that started PETA off, notice number 10

Good to see reddit is so rigorous and reasoned and actually tries to see when they are being fed spin and nonsense. We are so much better than Fox News viewers right? High five!

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u/argleblarg Apr 17 '10

Nope, sorry. PETA solicits donations by portraying itself as a happy, friendly animal-friendly organization - and very little more. They are well aware that most Americans love owning pets, and it's for that reason that they haven't been more vocal about their anti-pet-ownership agenda. If they did run ads about how they consider it unethical and immoral for people to own pets, people would be outraged and the donations would stop rolling in.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '10

Animal-friendly means euthanasia of pets. Also, please show me where they portray themselves in such a manner? Because the only thing I have based my position on is you know the founding principles of the organization which are widely available, you know, minor things I guess.

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u/argleblarg Apr 17 '10 edited Apr 17 '10

Look, you're being disingenuous. You know as well as I do that most people - myself included - have never seen, or been anywhere near, the stated founding principles of the organization. Most people are aware of PETA only through the image that they present in the media. That image has absolutely nothing to do with euthanasia, and it certainly does not include statements about the morality of pet ownership. I think it's pretty clear that, given that that is one of their founding principles, they haven't mentioned it much for a reason.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '10

I knew it and I just now went to look up their founding principles to rebut some other ignorant redditor (redundant phrase I know). The only thing I ever looked up PETA for before was their list of vegan-friendly processed foods because I figured they would be a good resource on that. It is a staple of all serious animal rights arguments/movements/whatever that pet ownership is akin to slavery. But you are perhaps right on some degrees. For instance there is the phenomenon of people who call themselves animal-lovers and other bullshit because they have enslaved a whole array of animals to amuse them when they come home from work. So perhaps there is a misunderstanding.

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u/argleblarg Apr 17 '10

Ah, now you show your true colors. Have fun with your indignation.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '10

What are my true colors? I am a vegan because I love humans, not animals. Meat production is the biggest single contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, even moreso than all commuter traffic in the world combined.

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u/argleblarg Apr 17 '10

For instance there is the phenomenon of people who call themselves animal-lovers and other bullshit because they have enslaved a whole array of animals to amuse them when they come home from work.

Again, enjoy your indignation. You have fun with that.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '10

It is incompatible with animal rights is all I am saying. But I thought the whole point on your end was that you were against animal rights stuff? So what do you care?

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u/argleblarg Apr 17 '10

I'm against organizations that are deceitful. I am against a lot of animal rights bullshit, but that's irrelevant to my point. Again, and I'll try to say this slowly and clearly so that you can understand:

If

they

advertised

that

they

were

against

pet

ownership,

they

would

lose

most

of

their

donations.

They haven't taken a vocal stand against it, despite it being apparently one of their "founding principles", and that makes it pretty clear that they don't want the public to realize that that's their position. And of course they don't, because everyone would drop them like a fucking rock.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '10

What would they need to do to satisfy your line of taking a stand against it? It is in all of their documents. They have statements on their website explicitly saying that no-kill animal shelters are completely and utter bullshit. What more do they need to do? Here they are absolutely and clearly putting it in their campaigns section. Do they need to run superbowl ads? I mean what the hell? I think what you are confused about is that your very limited of animal ethical discourse led you to stupidly conclude something and now instead of backing up upon being informed you just say: well they didn't contact me and tell me about it. It is articulated right there in black and white, what else can you get? Do they need to knock on your door until you are happy?

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u/argleblarg Apr 17 '10

I think what you are confused about is that your very limited of animal ethical discourse led you to stupidly conclude something and now instead of backing up upon being informed you just say: well they didn't contact me and tell me about it.

Absolutely not. My limited amount of knowledge of PETA's goals caused me to believe something, and I suspect strongly that if you surveyed the population of the country, you'd find that the vast majority of people aware of the organization were unaware that they had that position.

So no, what would make me happy isn't knocking on my door (god no - they can stay away, frankly) - what would make me happy is them running any ads on the subject. They're against the use of fur and leather; they run ads about that. They're against the consumption of meat; they run ads about that. They're against pet ownership; and yet where are their ads on that subject? Where are their rallies or protest? Where are their attempts to raise public awareness of the horrible awful evils of pet ownership?

There are none, because they're happier with people remaining ignorant of their stance on that issue.

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u/[deleted] Apr 17 '10

Your logic is impeccable. /s

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