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October 11, 2005
Naked Humans, Equal Rights, and Bill Maher
I’m looking at a photograph from the Associated Press of an Australian woman holding a sign behind her back – and above her behind – that says “Australia: Stop Torturing Sheep.” She’s fully clothed, except for her butt, which is pained faux blood-drippy red.
Of course, it’s a PeTA demonstration. Lately PeTA has been using a great deal of nudity and body paint to draw attention to their cause. They’ve done this in demonstrations all over the world, with the exception of the United States of America. C’mon, PeTA; I know we’re a bunch of prudes here, but political proselytizing does require both commitment and courage. C’mon, show a li’l tit for the cause.
My web browser shows me the most viewed photographs of the moment, and whenever Reuters or the AP covers one of these demi-nekked rallies, those pix always makes the top five list. And I’m always struck by two thoughts.
Taken as a group, PeTA-people aren’t as ugly as I would have guessed. Well, at least the non-USA members. Oh, don’t get pissy on me, Lovely PeTA, PeTA-people. If you didn’t want to be seen as a sex object, you wouldn’t have gone naked in public.
This really doesn’t have a lot to do with your point. Fake blood on real butts and breasts. We get it. You think there’s no difference between animals and grandma. Fine. After a while, it’s just performance art.
Whereas I agree with some of PeTA’s agenda – for example, I don’t like testing cosmetics on bunny rabbits, and I also believe Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo shouldn’t be allowed to own elephants until Marlon Perkins comes back to work. But we differ on many critical issues.
In theory, I don’t have the same problem with animal testing of medicines as I do with testing cosmetics. If it’s necessary, you can chop up every bunny rabbit in Washington State if it’ll save grandma. PeTA says it’s not necessary and that there are alternatives involving computers and science and stuff.
The problem is, PeTA’s facts often tend to be a little fuzzy. They keep on saying a lot of stuff that reputable scientists say ain’t so. That doesn’t mean everything they say is bullshit, but it’s hard to tell. This isn’t a global warming thing where you can point to the melting ice caps and the changing conditions in Barrow, Alaska to support your thesis. Personally, I feel a whole lot better if the super-soldier serum my doctor’s hit me up with has been shot into a couple of monkeys first.
PeTA strongly gives the impression that they think that people and animals should enjoy the same basic rights. Sorry; that’s wacky to me. I eat animal meat. I don’t eat human meat. Admittedly, I haven’t been under conditions that might provoke that choice, but I don’t think the animal rights people are advocating cannibalism as an equal rights position.
I actually heard a PeTA spokesperson respond to the question “If you were driving down the road and you couldn’t stop in time and you had to chose between hitting a deer or a baby, which would you hit?” She responded “The baby.” The interviewer, who I thought was an asshole until that very moment, said “Look. I’m going to repeat the question. I don’t want anybody to think this was a trick.” She giggled a bit and said “Yeah, I know, you’re being straight and so am I. I would hit the baby.” The interviewer said “Ummm… One more time…” The response didn’t change.
That's simply wrong.
But then there’s Bill Maher. I respect Maher’s craft, I share a great many of his opinions – particularly when it comes to organized religion – and I absolutely love his show. He’s a member of PeTA’s board of directors, even though he eats meat. That seems like a conflict to me. But I kid Bill Maher. Then again, Maher is one of the nation’s most visible advocates for the legalization of marijuana, which he courageously admits to smoking frequently. I don’t get it.
This doesn’t have anything to do with his PeTA directorship, but, hey, any segue in a storm. I’ve got to ask this question.
How can a guy who does that much weed be so fucking skinny? Damn!
Posted by Mike Gold at October 11, 2005 05:08 PM
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Comments
IMHO, the Democrats and "liberals" could learn a lesson from PETA: Demand much more than you ever hope to achieve, in the most strident and self-righteous tones possible. Then you might actually achieve something resembling your real goals. It's been working for the Republicans for years now.
Posted by: Rick Oliver at October 11, 2005 08:12 PM
I didn't know Bill Maher eats meat...he talks a lot about how we are filling our bodies with crap, so I assumed that he was a vegetarian.
Posted by: Cory!!Strode at October 12, 2005 11:31 AM
There was a great episode of the Showtime program "Penn & Teller's Bulls**t!" that focused on P.E.T.A. (the program has unabashed skeptics Penn & Teller debunk and expose people and practices that attempt to deceive or inveigle the public--folks who can talk to the dead, "alternative medicine" peddlers, etc.) Some info on the P.E.T.A. episode is on the Showtime website at http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/topics.do?topic=peta so you can get a sense of their approach.
It's an eye-opening episode to be sure. As with all P&T stuff, the show is done with an antic irreverence that will amuse those who agree with them and infuriate those who don't; be forewarned if they ever turn their sights to a topic close to your heart.
Anyway, it's a good show to look out for if you have Showtime. And if you don't, I think the first season or two are avaialble on DVD.
Posted by: Tommy Raiko at October 13, 2005 08:11 AM
"I actually heard a PeTA spokesperson respond to the question “If you were driving down the road and you couldn’t stop in time and you had to chose between hitting a deer or a baby, which would you hit?” She responded “The baby.” The interviewer, who I thought was an asshole until that very moment, said “Look. I’m going to repeat the question. I don’t want anybody to think this was a trick.” She giggled a bit and said “Yeah, I know, you’re being straight and so am I. I would hit the baby.” The interviewer said “Ummm… One more time…” The response didn’t change."
I wonder what the response would be if the interviewer changed the question? "I'm driving down the road and I can't stop in time. I have to choose between hitting a deer or your child. Which should I choose?"
Posted by: eclark1849 at October 14, 2005 09:57 PM
More PeTA troubles: http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=93730&ran=57036
Posted by: eclark1849 at October 16, 2005 05:00 PM
In related news:
"Group Condemns Chicken Choking Toy"
Posted by: Rick Oliver at October 18, 2005 05:31 PM
And this one:
"130-Pound Buck Runs Amok in Supermarket"
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1227075
And here's the best part:
"Two game officers and four Exeter police barricaded the deer with shopping carts, and shot it with tranquilizer darts. Weis officials reopened the store Monday night.
Pennsylvania Game Commission Supervisor Jack Lincoln said the deer would be euthanized because of the chemicals used to tranquilize it.
'We can't take the chance of a hunter harvesting and eating that meat,' he said."
Posted by: Rick Oliver at October 18, 2005 05:35 PM
I live at 34033 Commonwealth in Seattle. Been up here before?
Posted by: Mike Flacklestein at July 24, 2006 02:08 PM