Comments on: Revisiting PETA

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:48:29 +0000

PETA does more harm than it does good. In my experience PETA members are usually college students, out of work and just looking for something to protest. Like whales are out of season?
I sold fur at Saks 5th Ave for 5 years. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, PETA would show up to protest Saks selling fur. They picked that day for the most impact since it is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year. They would crawl inside a dog cage on the sidewalk and hold signs that read “Saks sells Fur” and “Fur is Dead”. Occasionally they would get into the store and start yelling, only to be quickly ushered out since it was private property.
The irony of PETA’s annual Thanksgiving protest was that they helped us sell MORE coats. Without fail women and couples would peek their head in looking around and sheepishly say “I didn’t know you sold fur!”.
Without realizing it, PETA efforts to hinder fur sales had the complete opposite effect. I always told myself if they ever stopped protesting, I would hire some college kids for a mock protest to continue adding fur sales.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:19:16 +0000

I completely agree with Alicia. Well stated.

By: Cool Springs Tennessee

Cool Springs Tennessee — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:54:20 +0000

By: Vegan Sugar

Vegan Sugar — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:40:45 +0000

I completely agree with Alicia. Well stated.

By: Nashveggie

Nashveggie — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:26:23 +0000

Getting the word out is always a good thing, but I think there’s better ways of getting the job done. I asked Dan Mathews about the in-your-face once and he said it’s all about getting the attention needed. People will ignore a placard but if the placard is on a chained, half-naked woman people pay attention.

Bianca, post-feminism feminist? What exactly does that entail?

Indie, in part, veganism isn’t attractive to the average person simply because they think they will have to give up everything they enjoy. People have been brainwashed from childhood into believing eating animal products is the only way to live.

By: Indie

Indie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:18:19 +0000

I like the philosophy of Vegan Outreach better. They seem to have the philosophy that every step that one takes toward using fewer animal products results in good. They have the potential to affect people who wouldn’t support the abuse that goes on if they knew, but still aren’t sold on being vegetarian or vegan. They accept the fact that its impossible to completely avoid animal products in our society (animal products are even used in such things as the vulcanization of rubber), but every step helps. With PETA its seems that unless you are hardcore and perfect you don’t belong. That’s not attractive to your average person.

By: Bianca- Vegan Crunk

Bianca- Vegan Crunk — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:32:31 +0000

I like PETA. I know they do some crazy things, and sometimes they’re antics simply turn people off. But they certainly know how to get media attention, and that gets the word out to the masses. As a member of the Memphis media, I know how hard it can be to get our attention. Lots of people try (calling with news tips, requests for coverage), but few succeed. PETA always brings the news crews out when they come to town.

And I don’t mind the naked women angle. I consider myself a feminist but a very post-feminisim feminist (if that even exists). I believe the female body is beautiful, and if we can use it to draw attention to an important cause, so be it. That’s power.

By: Alicia

Alicia — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:32:37 +0000

I like that PETA tries to get the word out. What I don’t like about PETA is the fact that they use scantilly clad women to get their word out. It also seems to me that they are selective about what they want to protest about. Its usually the cute furry animals or the circus animals that get recognised as something to protest for.