Five Minutes With:

PETA

The infamously unapologetic animal rights group talks about its controversial advertising, ways to be animal-friendly without giving up meat, and its new campaign against the biggest offender in factory farming: McDonald’s

By Cord Jefferson
October 15, 2009

PETA’s version of “tame.”

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, a month for eaters everywhere to better consider not only their diets, but also what effect their diets have on the world at large. With even omnivorous foodies like Mark Bittman extolling the virtues of vegetarianism (and veganism), now seems like an especially good time to learn more about where your meat comes from and decide whether you’d like to continue consuming it.

Spearheading the pro-vegetarian GoVeg movement is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the controversial, inescapable nonprofit based in Norfolk, Va. Synonymous with animal rights work the way Kleenex is with tissues, no other organization has done more to promote the meatless lifestyle than PETA.

To better understand vegetarianism, PETA in general, and what progressives who refuse to give up bacon can do to support animal rights, Campus Progress spoke with Ryan Huling, PETA’s College Campaign Coordinator and a 2006 Old Dominion University graduate.

Many young progressives nowadays are involved with several political movements. What does PETA have to say to feminists who support animal rights but are turned off by the organization’s perceived objectification of women (i.e. ladies being caged in bikinis or stripped nude for posters)?

Our naked demonstrators and models choose to participate in our actions because they want to do something to make people stop and pay attention. We believe that people should have the choice to use their own bodies to make social statements, and that there is nothing shameful or wrong about being naked. This tactic has been used since Lady Godiva rode naked on a horse to protest taxes on the poor in the 11th century.

So would you say one of PETA’s mottos is the famous Malcolm X quote, "By any means necessary"?

Unfortunately, getting the animal rights message to the public is not always easy and straightforward. Unlike our opposition, which is mostly composed of wealthy industries and corporations, PETA must rely on getting free “advertising” through media coverage. We often do outrageous things to get the word out about animal abuse, because sadly, the media usually does not consider the facts alone interesting enough to cover. Colorful and controversial gimmicks, on the other hand—like activists’ stripping to bare skin rather than wear skin—consistently grab headlines, thereby bringing the animal rights message to audiences around the country and, often, the world.

Oftentimes, young people looking into vegetarianism run into problems, either because their family eats a meat-heavy diet or because their college meal plan doesn’t offer healthful vegetarian options. How best to get around those impediments?

When dealing with parents, it’s often simply a matter of telling them the facts. Many parents grew up in a time when it was commonly accepted to eat large quantities of fat-laden meat, dairy, and other animal products, which is why obesity rates have risen significantly in recent years. They often don’t know that a vegetarian diet not only provides all of the nutrients a body needs, but that it’s also the best way to combat future health issues, from heart disease to cancer to diabetes.

When living in the dorms, it’s up to the students to tell the dining services department what they want. Any student paying for a meal plan has the right to demand healthy and humane vegan choices at every meal, and in fact, a survey conducted by Aramark—a leading food service provider—concluded that nearly a quarter of college students are actively seeking vegan options when they sit down to eat.

In this financially difficult time, when many fast food restaurants are offering dollar burgers, can a carnivorous young progressive truly afford to go vegetarian?

Absolutely. In fact, vegetarian staples, such as pasta, rice, tofu, and beans, are much cheaper than meat. The money that you save from not buying meat can go toward paying just a little extra for nondairy milk and other staples, like fruits and vegetables.

Even choosing the non-meat fast food options will make for a cheap meal on-the-go. Bean burritos and veggie burgers are widely available at comparable prices to meat-based dishes.

I’ve spoken to many otherwise progressive people who flat-out refuse to go vegetarian, saying that meat is just too large a part of their dietary history to give up. What, if anything, can these people do to contribute to PETA’s cause?

Even if someone isn’t interested in reducing their meat consumption, there are some very basic campaigns that I’m sure they would support. For example, we are currently campaigning against McDonald’s, asking them to adopt basic animal welfare standards to eliminate some of the worst abuses chickens face when killed for McNuggets. Many of these animals have their throats slit while they’re still fully conscious, and some are even scalded alive in feather removal tanks. Surely if someone considers themselves to be progressive, they wouldn’t want to give money to a corporation with such clear disregard for animal welfare.

One of PETA’s main issues has always been animal testing. What does PETA say to college researchers who test on animals in pursuit of a healthier human race?

I would remind them that many of the most important advances in health are attributable to human studies, including the discovery of the relationships between cholesterol and heart disease and smoking and cancer; the development of X-rays; and the isolation of the AIDS virus. Too often, reliance on animal tests has proved to be dangerous or misleading. For decades, and up to this day, animal experimenters have been testing cigarettes and their components on animals. They have forced primates, dogs, rabbits, and rats to breathe concentrated cigarette smoke to determine what its effects are. However, after all these decades of research, their results continue to be "inconclusive" because some species suffer negative effects while others do not experience any health problems.

In a world that shows few signs it will ever stop wearing fur, eating meat and wanting eggs, how best for a young vegetarian or vegan to keep hope alive?

We can take comfort in the improvements we see all around us. Even five or ten years ago, it would have been inconceivable to be able to pull into a Burger King drive-thru and order a veggie burger—but today, that’s a reality. Every major grocery chain now carries a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options, from veggie barbecue riblets to vegan pizza. Indeed, there’s never been a better time to cut animal products out of our diet, and it’s only getting easier.

Cord Jefferson is an associate editor at Campus Progress.

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