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Has PETA gone too far? Word is that last week the animal rights activists showed up unannounced and uninvited at a Hempstead elementary school, chosen for its proximity to the Nassau Coliseum, where Ringling Bros. Circus sets up shop starting tomorrow. Their plan was to school the children in circus cruelty, handing out stickers and coloring books that declared, "Circuses are no fun for animals." While this may be true, many are criticizing the organization for their tactics, saying their method is inappropriate—a psychologist noted that the children "might go home and be very anxious" because they "are less mature in their cognitive process."
One PETA member was dressed as an elephant with its arm in a sling, handing out the coloring book that included a cartoon that read: "Elephants are trained or punished with sharp pointed hooks or whips. These giant creatures have sensitive skin and feel great pain from this treatment." What's next, telling them that Santa's reindeer are being mistreated? However, at least one 9-year-old girl decided she would "not want to see any animal beaten for not doing the right thing."
Meanwhile, Ringling Bros. reps maintain that their animals are "healthy and well cared for by a team of full-time veterinarians and an animal care staff that works to ensure that the animals have an enriching and safe environment." Read president of the HSUS's blog addressing a recent lawsuit with charges made against Ringling for their routine handling practices of elephants that include the use of bullhooks, chaining, and confinement that violates the Endangered Species Act.
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PETA's behavior is so bizarre it makes me wonder if they've been infiltrated by agents of the National Beef Council seeking to make them implode. If so, well played, farmers.
Stupid, but less stupid than sea kittens.
This was a stupid tactic (like usual) but they have a good point. And the difference with Santa's reindeer (last I checked) is that they're imaginary.
wait... what?
You can't compare the treatment of circus animals to the treatment of Santa's reindeer (mentioned in the article), because one is a real thing, and the other isn't.
Animals used in circuses are trained through fear and pain. That is how they get them to perform completely unnatural tricks. They are not meant to live that type of life, and we should stop looking at these intelligent beings as toys to use for our enjoyment.
Still, targeting kids coming out of school is not a good method for PETA to use. It should be up to parents to teach their children respect for animals.
From the sea kittens to klan outfits to scaring children, it must be nice to work for PETA, spending your days thinking of ways to piss people off about being against animal cruelty.
PETA is like a cult. What seems like nutjob behavior to people on the outside seems perfectly reasonable to the brainwashed worker drones.
I had a PETA activists as a co-worker who had her desk and office filled with PETA propaganda and she was among the most miserable persons I have ever met.
Rule of Thumb: PETA transfers normal love of humans over to animals, and mistreats humans since they have no love for their own species.
A simplified generalization but all their actions lead to that conclusion.
thefacts, I hope you were drunk when you posted your fairy tales.
http://petamyths.awardspace.info/
The sea kitten campaign is the same marketing scheme that the meat and dairy products used to sell meat and dairy. They label pig as pork, cow as beef etc and the dairy farms have happy cows ranging free in their ads. Have you seen a real dairy farms. Plus dairy contains pus and blood and is unhealthy. At least Peta ads are true and not misleading as the meat/dairy industry.
The facts always makes the same lame remarks that caring for animals means that you don't care for humans. Most serial killers were animal abusers.
It's up to parents to teach kids about this; not PETA to talk right to the kids.
I don't see the difference between what PETA is doing and what ad companies do to sell soft drinks. PETA is finding creative ways to get their message out. Circuses shouldn't be as accepted as they are in this society. Kids should know that abusing animals so that they perform tricks for them isn't the ethical thing to do.
PETA has no business bothering children at their schools. At least this time they have a point, though. Ringling's better than some, but there's a reason circus elephants tend to go insane.
The fact is, animals do not naturally ride bicycles, stand on their heads, balance on balls, or jump through rings of fire. To force them to perform these confusing and physically uncomfortable tricks, trainers use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other painful tools of the trade.
I watched them march those poor elephants across 35th street from my dorm room 4 years ago, and will never feel sorrier for any animals. I agree that PETA often goes too far, but Ringling must be stopped. Its a sick and cruel form of lamens entertainment and I know we're better than that - even that little girl got the picture! Whats wrong here?!?!
The kiddos only see a talking elephant.
They will be too excited to see a talking elephant to give so much as one thought to what kind of garbage is comming out of his mouth. He might as well be speaking total babble.
Hahaha well said.
I can't keep from laughing imagining the dinner conversation later that night.
"Mommy! Mommy, today I saw a talking elephant outside our school. I went and gave it a hug! .. but, I think it had a broken arm or something!!"
"Oh sweetie, I'm sure it'll be OK.."
"Mommy, mommy!! I want to go see the elephants at the circus tomorrow!!"
PETA = Epic Fail
PETA is another thing that will hopefully go away when the depression really gets going. People don't have time for stupid crap when they have problems feeding themselves.
STupid crap? peta is saving the planet from global warming as more people turn vegans.
Has PETA gone too far?
Um, that bridge was quite thoroughly crossed when they announced that George Clooney thing last week.
They are out of their bloody minds at PETA.