I can't tell ...,,,...

[whyalloveragain]

Is PETA bad? I hear that they go to far, but I think you need to, to get your point across.
I always thought PETA was fighting in a good way.
What do you think?

Comments

[vgnwtch]

I'm sure they have the best of intentions, and they do provide some good information and support. Some of their campaigns are creative and clever.

On the other hand, most of what I have seen of PETA's campaigns are either ineffective or downright offensive. A lot of the information they provide is misleading. And the way they go about campaigning is often deeply embarrassing and causes a hell of a backlash. Every non-vegan I know who has ever had a negative idea about vegans cites PETA as the source of their ideas.

I do believe that we need many voices, many approaches, from the radical, in your face to the non-threatening, calm and reasonable. I believe that PETA's missionary zeal is genuine, but I believe that they often choose campaigns that are deeply misguided: petitioning a town called Burger to change its name to Veggieburger because Burger is insulting - even though it was named after a prominent citizen, not a food - got a lot of publicity, none of it good; the campaign flyers for 'Your Mommy Kills Pets' were insanity personified, and I was beyond disgusted at the way they were going about the whole operation. I think that sometimes the "good idea" gets out of proportion and distorts their view of what would be actually effective and why. Overall, I'm not a fan, and I find myself having to combat the stereotypes people come away with from them.

[faerycake]

I find myself having to combat the stereotypes people come away with from them.

Yeah...a lot of the time I'm in the same position. I just try to be as non confrontational about it as possible and usually that makes people ask me questions and listen to what I've got to say, which I don't think would happen if I dictated to people what they should do.

I also make lots of vegan cake for people, that usually makes a good impression too :P

[rocktits]

YES! the Burger thing was ridiculous. All they were doing was wasting resources and time that could have been better suited to trying to change situations that actually MATTERED. Thanks for mentioning that.