Oh gosh...do I even reply, I ask myself? This thread seems it could get as heated as a thread on abortion. It really has that same feel to me. So, I'd just ask folks to take a breath, keep minds and hearts open. That's really it. Some of my thoughts, and I'm not looking to start an arguement about any of it:
**keep in mind that really the ONLY reason that live animals are no longer being used in automobile crash tests is because of PETA
**keep in mind that vivisection was brought to light and into the world's collective consciousness by PETA (and pretty much PETA alone) (if you have never seen a picture of LIVE dissection of an animal during medical testing, I assure you - it is beyond words) (I doubt any of us would even know what "vivisection" is if it weren't for PETA)
**keep in mind that the actual EVENT of people engaging in anti-animal-testing (for medical or cosmetics etc) was again brought into the consciousness by PETA
I'm just using a few examples (though there are many more) here to show that while YES, PETA gets annoyingly radical and marginalizes themselves - they have done good work toward elevating the rights of animals. Also, they enabled the "birth" of many other animal rights organizations who may perhaps be less marginalizing for people....and more directly "helpful" toward the animals, rather than animal legislation or publicity. Without peta, many of these other organizations never would have...well..."organized".
As for the animals who were euthanized - of course I'm devastated, appalled and sickened. However, keep in mind that often the animals that PETA takes in are either unadoptable (using the same 3-tiered scale that all Humane Assns use) or, so ill as to be beyond medical help. If they are indeed adoptable or able to be rehabilitated, then that is greatly saddening. Many poor creatures, even at Humane Assns, are not.
I'm not, btw, some ardent PETA supporter; I do support them, but only in certain ways. Bill Maher, an ardent PETA supporter was quoted as saying (I quote loosely here) "PETA does cross the line, perhaps. But if no one ever crosses the line about anything....then how do we know where the line is?" - and that's where my support feels a voice. That's where I "get" PETA. Although they alienate most folks, offend some, and marginalize themselves - I do feel that there is some benefit to their sometimes radical approach - and then this benefit trickles down to many of the "less-radical", less offensive and direct-care animal groups.
Lastly, I want to say that I respect each and every one of you! If we didn't have opposing opinions and good, healthy arguments, and left and right - how ever would we find a good middle?
