I have previously criticized the nonprofit People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for its over-the-top commercials. While (as many here know) I am a big animal rights advocate, PETA often goes for sensational and shocking publicity that undermines the cause, in my view. One such example is the latest message from PETA to mothers that “eating chicken can make your kid’s dick small.” The video ends with, “Worried about the size of your kid’s pecker, moms-to-be? Don’t eat chicken!” Given the currently debate over the size of Donald Trump, PETA appears to be pitching the same basis for refusing to eat poultry.
The basis for the size-matters pitch is a 2008 study on the impact of phthalates, chemicals used for plastic and personal products. However, the study does not refer to chicken or poultry and the suggestion is that phthalates (which are more commonly used in such as detergents, hair sprays and raincoats) can contaminate poultry through the chicken feed or its packaging.
I understand how these pitches bring notoriety to PETA, which seems entirely driven by a desire for controversy. However, while it may attract donors from the extremes, it paints the entire animal rights movement as wing nuts and wackos. It is a sad legacy of the PETA leadership that they have reduced this organization to virtual graffiti level and trash talking discourse. That says much more about the people running PETA then the animals that needed to be protected.
Yes. Another hilarious story about how over the edge, off the rails and into the ditch PETA is.
Meanwhile, back in reality, there is ample evidence that in countries where hormone use in animal feed is even less regulated than it is here (where it is barely regulated at all), early onset puberty in girls is a real problem. It’s not just about the onset of puberty at 6 or 7 which is common, but also the lifelong risks of cancer and other diseases.
But let’s yuck it up, because, you know, PETA!!!
and for those of you looking for proof, here’s a link to the subject on google scholar:
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=chicken+consumption+and+early+onset+puberty&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQ89KNmITMAhUDOBoKHbUtBCkQgQMIGzAA
Vegetarian–It is an Indian word for “lousy hunter.”
–Andy Rooney.
If vegans got their wish, and the whole world became vegan, what are the chances that we would continue to raise cattle and poultry and fish, just to feed our carnivorous pets? If vegans ruled the world, it would be the end of pet cats, dogs, and ferrets.
PETA has destroyed its reputation over the years, sadly. They have no credibility that they care about animals, since they routinely kill pets at their shelters. How many? One of their facilities in Norfolk, VA euthanized 88% of the pets in their care. 84% were killed within 24 hours of receipt .
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/11/peta-virginia-shelter-killed-88-of-rescued-pets-l/
Vegans have to really know what they are doing to stay healthy, as their diet is naturally low in vitamins like B12, amino acids, and Omega 6s, since they don’t eat fish. They can do it, but they need to be highly educated on nutrition. In addition, a conventional meat based diet is different than one in which the meat is lean and grass fed, which creates a healthy Omega 3/6 ratio. And of course if we hadn’t polluted the oceans of the entire world with mercury, fish would be a very healthy protein.
Over the past 8 years, we as a nation have amplified discontent. We find new reasons to despise each other. Black against white racism appears to be encouraged, especially on college campuses. (Kudos to Bill Clinton for standing up to Black Lives Matter hecklers. He pointed out that he increased sentences for gang offenses because he thought the lives of the black kids they were killing mattered.) Free speech is sharply curtailed on those campuses. Vegans and vegetarians despise omnivores. Animal activists oppose horseback riding and driving horses, and perpetuate the vegan/omnivore divide. Then there are the political divides, atheists against Christians…the list goes on. I even saw a general message sent out on Facebook that anyone who said “Happy Turkey Day” on Thanksgiving would be unfriended because it celebrates the slaughter of turkeys and is offensive to vegans.
A mere 3.2% of the population is vegetarian, and a tiny fraction of those are vegan. If they can’t get along with the rest of the 96.8% of the world, then I seriously doubt we can achieve World Peace.
From an evolutionary standpoint, ultra-specialized feeders fare poorly during environmental crisis. For example, the polar bear evolved when brown bear ancestors became geographically isolated about 600,000 years ago during periods of global cooling. Now, in order to survive, they starve half the year on good years, while the ice is melted. The only time they can eat is when the ice extends towards land, and they have a single prey species – seal. If the ice is too thick, or too thin, no seals, and zero other options. Since they evolved during global cooling, global warming may be the end of polar bears outside of zoos. We are already seeing polar bear/grizzly hybrids, called pizzlies, on Canadian islands. So perhaps some of their genes will get folded back into the grizzly population. I wonder what the result will be, since polar bears are more aggressive towards humans than grizzlies (probably because they starve half the year).
Scientists are alarmed at all the hybrids being produced, but that is merely evolution. Evolution is how species react to pressure and time. At one point, Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos were alien invasive species. But they settled and thrived and diverged. You cannot artificially freeze the world and all the species in it, and not allow any change. That would prevent evolution from continuing.
For vegans to thrive, they need access to a global market of plants and supplements. They require a wide variety in order to get the nutrients missing from not consuming animal protein. During times of environmental upheaval, if they lose that wide variety, they become malnourished. Even after relatively short disasters, such as Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Earthquakes, supplies can be disrupted for weeks at a time, and that’s just normal environmental challenges. If we ever have another Little Ice Age, vegans are going to be in serious trouble.
It’s the omnivores who seem to have the most adaptive advantage, because they are not so severely restricted in what they can eat. I clearly recall a highly gross documentary indicating that reverting to eating insects, like our ancestors and many indigenous tribes do today, will eventually be the solution to world hunger. If our population keeps outgrowing our resources, consuming pests may be a viable option to keep bellies full. Personally, I would have to be seriously in danger of actual death, and even then I don’t know if I could keep a grasshopper down. Maybe if it was dipped in chocolate…no, wait…I just ruined chocolate for a while.
Darren, I had my gall bladder removed several years ago and have serious gall bladder envy.
PETA is a radical group akin to ISIS. The latter wants to make all people Muslim, the former all people vegetarians. Maybe the two will join forces?
While not supporting PETA you can see their angle to stimulate controversy by some of the juvenile statements in this post. Real thinkers are not affected but the knuckle draggers ………
I see PETA and the NRA as two sides of the same coin. Although I doubt that they have many members in common, each is controlled by the extremes of their respective membership and both have a high media profiles. They are the “go to” groups that news people seek out to comment about purported gun rights or animal rights. A better debate on those issues would be promoted by finding spokespersons with less “over the top” views.
I’ve heard that too many veggies makes you less of a stallion!
One of the most selfish reasons to eat vegetarian is the crap that is in the meat that does a number of your cholesterol and hormones. Beef is first on the list, but chicken isn’t far behind. The energy you get from pork is less than the energy required to digest it.
Breaking news: Pig agility class. Works for human kids too. Manners matters!
Best treatment for these folks is to laugh at them, and go eat some bacon and eggs.
I have never backed PETA. They have always seemed over the edge to me.
To be memorable , ideas must be excessive. Everyone remembers the $400 hammer, the Abu Ghraib torture, Rodney King. Ideas that seem usual, expected, reasonable, are much more easily forgotten. PETAs goal is to occupy space in the brains of those who fail to see the negatives in animal torture. It’s an enormous challenge. Better ideas are welcome and encouraged.
PETA: Penis Envy Theta Alpha. Join a frat. Don’t be a cat.
I’m a die hard PETA. People eating tasty animals.
The fact that politicians are arguing the size of body parts demonstrates how completely juvenile and base they are becoming. What’s next, gall bladders? (Just trying to cater to the single issue–gall bladder–voter I suppose)
One dimensional thinking seems to be what they are offering the public. That is, issues are either left or right, good or bad, and linear in scope. It would be less frustrating to see some actual depth and discussion on complex issues and how each candidate proposes to address the continuum of concerns under the purview of the presidency. Yet, it is the case where now communications are reduced to 140 characters using Twitter, and pertinent issues spanning more than sound bites are cast into irrelevance. They become preoccupied with shocking and awe-striking the voters rather than educating them.
On the PETA issue, they are their own worst enemy. To a lesser degree many in the environmental movement suffer the same peril. Their inflexibility, intolerance, and alienating themselves with the average person hands that person right into the arms of their opposition. The ideals they proffer to protect in the end become the victims of this approach–and those ideals have more to lose than PETA’s credibility.
REALLY?? ????
Somebody needs to go to all the farms and ranches and checkout why so many Northern “farm boys” seem to be the exception. The southern fried chicken folks in the South must have a real problem….no wonder all the magnifying glasses disappear on Friday and Saturday nights. Naaahhh… I didn’t say that….. I grew up in Montana with beef…now leave those poor ewes alone. Uhh..didn’t say that either.
Still….REALLLLLY ????
As part of National Health Week at Keystone College – I did a talk about the Health Crisis with Drinking Water – It was difficult to determine what to really say to explain the problem. I finally realized that most crisis is related to the following – the 3 Monkeys – not will to see, speak, and hear facts, but this did not explain “misguided and blatant misrepresentation from the extremes on an issue”. I then realize there were more monkeys in the room – they were speak only evil, post only evil, and see only evil, by evil I mean not fact.
Organizations like this have been reduced to fear mongers to promote change just wrong and sad and this seems to be a problem with the extremes. The extremes use these tactics to really stop open discussion and debate because the ones in the middle really do not know where the truth lies and therefore do not know how best to move forward. The goal should be to agree to disagree, find common agreement were we can, and move in a positive direction. All decisions based on facts, evidence and not a hypothesis or fear.
See if they came out and talked about commercial products that contained phthalates (is this in plastic wrap and plastic bowls I store food and microwave stuff???)- this would help to inform the public, help parents protect kids, and result to a push to more eco-friendly options – But NO. It is either about fear or putting head in sand.