You have to hand it to PETA for their consistency, but trying to work up sympathy for cockroaches of all things (what's next? Chastizing people for killing the mosquito that just bit them, and not realizing they "have their place in the world"?) doesn't sound like an effective tactic. They should concentrate on the cute and cuddly.
So, what would a PETA member do if their home became infested with cockroaches? I can understand certain moral beliefs when it comes to animals (Some of PETA's methods, however, are a different story) But Christ, choose your battles people. We're talking about one of the filthiest, creepiest, most pestulant species on the planet.
They are clearly on the lunatic fringe, but their hypocrisy is what does them in. They send activists out to pester city animal shelters for euthanizing animals, yet they euthanize animals themselves. They support the "liberation" of laboratory animals, yet Peta VP Mary Beth Sweetland is alive because she takes pork-based insulin (emphasis definitely mine).
Sorry. If they were really about protecting animals, they would not euthanize them, and Mary beth would nobly give up her own life for the protection of those pigs that supply her insulin.
What's next, are they going to dress up as death in the dairy section to protest the "yogrt holocaust"?
"How many lactobacillus bulgaricus must die for you to enjoy your fruit-on-the-bottom goodness? AAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!!!!!"
Yeah, this would be just as nuts as if they tried to get us to stop driving cars because of all the bug deaths on our windshield. :rolleyesYeah, it's sad that a lot of their CRAZY/INSANE tactics have overshadowed their real purpose. Animal Rights activists will get nowhere if they come across as complete nut jobs.
Speaking of bug deaths...as WillG alluded to, I wonder how PETA members feel about driving cars and the related bug splats?
How is a roach-eating contest any different than a hot dog eating contest? I don't remember them protesting the latter too much.
Our local radio talk host had a PETA member on after Steve Irwin's death, & the person could barely hide her delight at what at happened to Irwin, as if it were especially great that he had been killed by an animal.
But what would you expect from people who oppose things like having a cat (or anything) as a pet and guide dogs for the blind?
I was at an animal rights conference with my wife a few weeks ago and that was pretty much the main message of the keynote speech. Groups like the HSUS are clearly embarrassed by PETA but unfortunately a lot of the attendees at the convention were clearly having trouble understanding the message.
Down here in Louisiana, well we are the Sportsmen's Paradise....................
Back when I was real big into fishing PETA made a real showing for a couple of weeks and was passing out questionnares to fishermen at the Baton Rouge city lakes and other places, but they had questions on them like how would you feel if someone hooked you in the mouth, do you think fish feel pain, etc..... There was a good bit of talk about the questionnares over more than one fish fry
I would like to see PETA members, out in the wild, staging protests amongst packs of wolves or prides of lions, for the "cruelty" those "vicious, mindless bastards" are inflicting on their herbivorous "victims."
I'm still laughing at one story I have heard, of a couple of overzealous animal rights activists who took it upon themselves to open the gates to free pigs scheduled for slaughter only to end up being trampled to death by the horde of pigs escaping from the slaughterhouse. I don't know if it's true, but it is downright poetic.