Okay, here's a dumb question. Two, really.

[yewberry]

There are a couple of things about perceptions re: peta that I really want to understand. Can you help?

Okay, one of the things that ALWAYS comes up is throwing blood at fur-wearers. I'm not saying that this has never happened--the story obviously came from somewhere. However, what the heck kind of vegan (or vegetarian) would make use of animal blood? I guess it's paint?

So, okay, I googled "throwing blood fur" and there are lots of references to the idea. I found a report of someone throwing paint on a driveway and one about throwing tomato sauce on a runway, but not one actual incident report in the first nine pages about throwing anything (okay, there was one pie) at a person. Was this an actual campaign that peta was involved with, or is that just something that is generally accepted to be true?

Next one: "Peta is out to criminalize meat!" (I guess this one is sort of a corollary of "Peta wants to take away our pets!") There are many proponents of this bit of idiocy, but I don't see it. I know that peta has backed legislation re: meats that are inherently cruel (veal, foie gras) but has there EVER been a piece of serious legislation attempted to outlaw meat? To outlaw companion animals? I mean, come on. Really?

Waddya think?

[Critters2]

1. I can't verify the blood-throwing stuff--

though I've alwas been told it was paint. But no, there's never been legislation introduced to outlaw meat. I'd support it if it were, but it hasn't happened. Much of Congress and a good many state legislatures are in the pockets of Big Agra and Big Hog. No such legislation could possibly be introduced.

But a girl can dream!

[yewberry]

4. Maybe I should google again and include paint.

I really didn't think that there could have ever been any legislation--it's too far-reaching (and far-fatched.)

Thanks for taking the time to talk about this!

[Critters2]

2. Here's a story from PETA's website re: the use of FAKE blood

in an anti-fur protest.


http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=9241

[yewberry]

3. So, they wore bloody furs

but didn't throw anything at anyone.

Nothing objectionable there, as far as I can see.

[flvegan]

5. Two answers:

1. Fur and the throwing of blood. Throwing red paint at folks wearing fur was a tactic used by a number of "radicals" in (I believe) the 70's to early 80's. It hasn't really been done very much since then, but the anti crew likes to drag that crap around like it's luggage.

2. PETA hasn't, to my knowledge, ever mentioned campaigning to make meat (the consumption of animal flesh) illegal. To be honest, if folks want to rally against an org working towards laws abolishing the animal industry, they should look at their beloved Humane Society of the US. At any rate, "take away the right" and "criminalize" are two rallying cries, again, used by the anti crew to strike FEAAARRRRRR!!!! into the hearts of red-blooded folks everywhere. Sort of like the NRA saying that trigger locks are the beginning of the end of your right to have guns. The NRA being the fear-mongeering mirror of Consumer Freedom, etc.

[yewberry]

6. "Drag that crap around like it's luggage!"

Hee!

That's kind of why I brought it up. I'm pretty sick to death of hearing that particular story. Worse, lots of people take the story and run with it: "oh the AR people are antifeminist because they throw blood at old ladies," or "those whackos are cowards because they never try that with leather-clad bikers." You know the routine. I'm not sure, still, if there is any real reason to claim that peta ever took part in that kind of campaign.

And #2: that was the answer I was expecting. I guess I wanted someone else to confirm that it is a tactic and not rooted in reality.

Thanks for your input!

[NMMNG]

7. It's all propaganda

The sensationalist and paranoid omnis like to throw it about much like some paranoid religious people fret that atheists and secularists want to take away their Bibles and churches. It's all BS but when they shout about it long enough and loud enough people come to believe it.