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I worked with PETA this week


robert
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PETA was on tour and had a 2-day stop in Portland, OR on June 27th and 28th.

 

PETAbodybuilder from this forum (Mike Brazell) and I have been in touch for about 3 years now. He is their demo coordinator and informed me they were on a month-long tour, and would be coming out to the West Coast. I looked forward to their visit and was pumped when they arrived.

 

They got in on Tuesday evening and I met them at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland.

 

I played host and took them out to Proper Eats (my favorite vegan restaurant in Portland) the night of the 27th. I offerred to cover the dinner (as host) but PETA has their whole tour covered, so we ate, and ate and ate and took tons of photos (once I get settled in my new place I'll post some). We closed the place down, even the owner left the restaurant before we did

 

The next day we met up around noon for our demo. Our theme was, "All Animals have the same parts." We had a near naked woman (she had little stickers over her nipples and little black undies) and she had words all over her body like, "breast, shoulder, ribs, chuck, soup bone," to show that animals have the same parts, but for some reason we eat them!

 

We had a banner that said something like, "All Animals Have The Same Parts.....Have a Heart, Go Vegetarian"

 

Amy had a sign she held up in front of her breasts that said the same thing. She sat on a little mat, while others held the banner and I passed out literature on a busy street corner downtown.

 

We received all kinds of comments, many of them supportive, others not so supportive, such as, "put some clothes on you dirty slut.......put a shirt on bitch.....I love animals and love to eat them" stuff like that.

 

Others were very supportive and at least one has already joined this forum. A bunch of people said, "I'm already vegan" when I tried to hand them literature.

 

loveliberate and his family came by and I told him we were in the wrong city, everyone in Portland is already vegan

 

The demo was only slightly longer than an hour, the media came down, and we passed out hundreds of pieces of literature.

 

After the demo, I played host again and took them to Veganopolis downtown and then to the famous Food Fight! Vegan Grocery store so they could see it and stock up on vegan treats before heading south to finish up their tour in Medford, OR and Sacramento, CA before flying back to Virginia.

 

It was great to work with the actual people from the PETA office in Norfolk, and it looks like it is something I'll be doing a lot more of in the future.

 

All in all, it was a successful demo and great to hang out with the PETA crew!

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Sounds like an interesting weekend.

 

Though why, once again, does Peta have to rely on sex appeal and half-naked women to try to get a point across? Apparently they've never read Carole Adams.

 

(The same point could have been made with a tasteful series of big photos, with side-by-side a photo of beautiful human eyes, and beautiful cow eyes, lovely horse leg muscles and lovely human leg muscles, etc. To appeal to people's emotions and intellect rather than too their groins. Maybe add a few people, of both genders, in bathing suits, with the body parts labeled, and juxtapose a slide show of animal body parts and poses by the models highlighting those areas. Just a thought, because I know Petabodybuilder likes constructive criticism rather than just criticism. )

 

I have a 'love-hate' relationship with Peta (love their goals, hate some of their tactics) and this is definitely more on the 'hate" side.

 

Two little stickers on her nipples? They certainly could have dressed her in a bikini, though I guess that wouldn't have been salacious enough.

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Slightly off topic here but Kathryn, I so agree with the human eyes and cow eyes juxtaposition - that is a GREAT idea, especially because it is hard, I would hope, to eat an animal after you have looked deeply into her eyes. And cows have **the most beautiful brown eyes*** they are such gorgeous eyes. So very eerily like big brown human eyes!

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Thanks Kathryn,

 

I'll pass along the feedback since Mike likes to hear responses and suggestions.

 

I will be the next naked person for PETA and I look forward to it. If you have specific ideas of "tactics" please let me know because I work independently as well, not always with PETA, in fact other than my TV PSA for them, this was my first time working "with" them.

 

Let me know what ideas you have and I can try other methods and report how they worked in comparrison.

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Nat,

 

I thought about you when I was working with PETA. You would have enjoyed it. It was a pretty cool experience and I'll be doing a lot more with them in the near future. Some of the PETA folks will be coming out to the Vegan Vacation too!

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I've done close to 20 various projects with PETA and other than their first stop on their college tour everything has gone great(that only went bad because I go to a southern school). Even when we have had half naked(more than most of the time) people its gone well. Really it bugs adults if it bugs anyone and kids tend to get interested...then concerned...when otherwise they would just walk away and not say anything. They aren't so perverse like one would think...and in all reality people should be more comfortable with seeing nude bodies anyway...the very nude loving continent or europe has far more compassionate than most of america. I would help with even some of the more odd things they do since it seems to get reasonable people interested...the only dissinterested people I've dealt with are people that would likely never change anyway so whenever they come to town I'm game...haven't done any of the nudish stuff yet but I think I'd probably come close...I have worn a chicken suit a couple times for them(I must admit it was much easier to get into three months ago than it was was 4 years ago)

 

***As for the trunks...I say go banana hammock yellow...its kinda a cool fruitarian metaphor in my eyes

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When I saw the thread topic I thought of asking (just to be funny, Haha) if they made you take your clothes off....

I will be the next naked person for PETA and I look forward to it.

.... Man no offense but I have to give PETA the two thumbs down. I say that as someone who wishes that people just walked around naked and stuff. Still PETA is just ridiculous. I wonder if their organization has been infiltrated by some deep undercover meat industry agent....

 

Sorry for those unpositive words. I'm about done wasting my time even voicing my opinion on the issue. PETA has made it clear they have no interest in engaging all the people who feel this way.

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PETA does alot of grassroots demos around the country...many focused purely on nutritional benefits or just simple leafletting for general AR issues. Actually they do more of that than anything...you only see the way out there things because that's what the media reports. They engage people of all types...you've just gotta be caught at the right time. Those "BIG" demos that make it out into the national news are only a tiny fraction of what they do and trust me most of the things they do are extremely mild.

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PETA does alot of grassroots demos around the country...many focused purely on nutritional benefits or just simple leafletting for general AR issues. Actually they do more of that than anything...you only see the way out there things because that's what the media reports. They engage people of all types...you've just gotta be caught at the right time. Those "BIG" demos that make it out into the national news are only a tiny fraction of what they do and trust me most of the things they do are extremely mild.

Yep, but next time I see a women representing PETA, I'm going to say, "Hey you're from PETA? Cool! Let's see your tits! Come on baby! Oh, look at that ass! Come on now. Strip baby! Let's see what you've got...." Maybe that will at least eventually get some kind of response from PETA. Mabye they'll at least write an article or something online attempting to address all the criticism they are getting from vegans.... Something other than just ignoring or saying, thanks for your thoughts... and nothing else.

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One thing to remember is that its not PETAs job/goal to address vegans...they are addressing non-vegans to try to get them to become vegans. If the stuff they did never worked I agree its a waste but out of all the demos they do the "radical" ones seem to get the most on the spot converts...I've done all kinds of demos with them and the quiet ones work too but not as well and surely the more wild ones get more people pissed off but they are either never gonna be vegan or in your case already are vegan. I wish I had someone to throw a bunch of crap in my face to force me to see what goes on but I didn't and I didn't even know what PETA was until I was vegan for a couple weeks so personally I don't think they were out there enough as is. Also it is obvious that the majority of doners want this...otherwise they wouldn't donate...would you donate to an organization if they never did anything you wanted them to in order to promote your agenda...don't think so. Why would PETA stop if this is what their doners want??? Honestly I would never want PETA to waste time with Vegans other than hiring them(in most cases thats just preaching to the choir)...it wastes resources and its time that could be better spent.

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I'm talking a single article attempting to respond to all the criticism they are getting concerning assertions that they are sexist. I don't think they've done even that. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong! I really don't think it's asking much at all. And I think people donate because they are the most visible. I'm sure they could get more donations without the sexist stuff. They could still be just as visible without it. I'm fine with comparing meat eating to the Jewish Holocaust, slavery, etc... It was said that "Sex sells". Who becomes a vegan because sex sells? For notoriety there is plenty they can do other than show tits and ass that along with not being sexist would actually be relevant.

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For those of you who are concerned about our tactics, I will be happy to address those for you. I am availible anytime to do so. As I have said many times before, we are always here to discuss your concerns or to give you or stance or perspectives on issues and to help you understand why we do what we do. I am usually more active on the forum, but have been on the road for about a month now, and will be hitting it again here very soon. You can address me via this fourm, or at [email protected].

 

Thanks for all that each of you do for the animals...

 

Mike B.

 

PETA

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For those of you who are concerned about our tactics, I will be happy to address those for you. I am availible anytime to do so. As I have said many times before, we are always here to discuss your concerns or to give you or stance or perspectives on issues and to help you understand why we do what we do. I am usually more active on the forum, but have been on the road for about a month now, and will be hitting it again here very soon. You can address me via this fourm, or at [email protected].

 

Thanks for all that each of you do for the animals...

 

Mike B.

 

PETA

OK so.... did you want me to say anything else in order for you to actually begin addressing?

 

Can you point to anything from the "higher ups", some article online addressing these concerns already? If not, why have they not written something already considering how widespread this criticism (sexism) is of them? Is it not considered widespread to them? Do they never have anything to do with discussion boards? Do you personally see the relevance of me coming up to some lady who works for PETA and asking her to show me her tits? When the majority of campaigns (that some have seen) include naked ladies do you see why someone might come to the conclusion that the PETA lady just might be there to show me her tits? Do you see what's wrong with me asking a lady to show me her tits? Do you have any pictures of Ingrid naked? Would she be OK with appearing naked?

 

I'm sorry if this comes across as confrontational. It's the nature of discussion boards where discussion would take forever if I cautiously proceeded a single question at a time. Perhaps a single link already exists where all my concerns are already addressed by PETA. If so, great. Link it and disregard my questions.

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OK so.... did you want me to say anything else in order for you to actually begin addressing?

 

Can you point to anything from the "higher ups", some article online addressing these concerns already? If not, why have they not written something already considering how widespread this criticism (sexism) is of them? Is it not considered widespread to them? Do they never have anything to do with discussion boards? Do you personally see the relevance of me coming up to some lady who works for PETA and asking her to show me her tits? When the majority of campaigns (that some have seen) include naked ladies do you see why someone might come to the conclusion that the PETA lady just might be there to show me her tits? Do you see what's wrong with me asking a lady to show me her tits? Do you have any pictures of Ingrid naked? Would she be OK with appearing naked?

 

I'm sorry if this comes across as confrontational. It's the nature of discussion boards where discussion would take forever if I cautiously proceeded a single question at a time. Perhaps a single link already exists where all my concerns are already addressed by PETA. If so, great. Link it and disregard my questions.

 

 

Have I told you lately, you're awesome, Jay? Seriously, you give me hope.

 

Thanks for your consistency, non-hypocritical stance on this issue.

One of the biggest disappointments of my vegan journey has been this issue and how so many (at least online) vegans (the most disappointing being women) deny this even exists or, worse, dismiss it or encourage/praise it. I mean, it's so obvious. It's just like when someone first discovers veganism and they are so excited and thinks everyone will change once they learn the truth -- "once they see it, they can't deny it!" But they don't change. Same thing, isn't it?

 

My guess is you will get the "standard" pat answers. That's what I've gotten (though mostly ignored) when I have written over the years for real answers. Non of it holds water, of course: using one animal to end the using of another isn't going to change things. It's very George W.: "We have to destroy the environment to save it!" Nonsense and more nonsense. They're not going to change; plus, they're making too much money using women.

 

If vegans can deny/look away/compromise on this, they have no right to demand meat eaters/abusers not.

 

Check this out:

 

Hooters for Neuters fault line in LA

by Jason Das

June 29, 2006 10:55am

 

"There's been lots of newsiness this week about a "Hooters for Neuters" fundraiser taking place on July 13th in Los Angeles. The event was planned to raise money for Los Angeles Animal Services, but once certain city officials caught on and saw the "graphic" flyer, LA Animal Services Director Ed Bok began a long, complicated backpedal - first saying they would go ahead with this event, but "probably won't be involved in any future bikini contests," and now stating that they will not accept any money collected at the event.

 

The objectification of women in the service of animal welfare is nothing new, of course, and "Hooters for Neuters" fundraisers, aimed at the manly-man tits/beer/onion rings demographic, have gone on without a hitch in more conservative states such as Utah and Oklahoma.

 

Whatever your feelings on the issue, you can make a chaste donation to LA Animal Services online (but if you need help finding titty pictures on the interweb, you're on your own).

 

Soon the whole spay/neuter issue will be irrelevant anyway, as everybody in LA will have GenPets instead of messy cats and dogs."

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Who becomes a vegan because sex sells? For notoriety there is plenty they can do other than show tits and ass that along with not being sexist would actually be relevant.

 

I agree.

 

How many of us here became vegan because somebody flashed some human body parts in front of us? What does this type of promotion appeal to, anyway? It might get attention, but how much is that going to inform or move or change people?

 

If someone is not open to veganism/animal rights, seeing a half-naked woman or getting a gander at Pamela Anderson's fake tits isn't going to change their mind. If someone is open to veganism/animal rights, they may be more swayed by an appeal to their emotions or intellect.

 

I guess the exhibitionist tactics do get press, and if that's all PETA is looking for, maybe they are useful in that way. But I think they also add to the negative perception many people have of PETA.

 

Just my thoughts.

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Actually Ingrid has done several demos "naked", and none of our activists are fully nuded. You can google Ingrid and Bird Flu... She did a demo in TIME SQUARE, where she layed naked in a coffin, in winter (which was pretty cold)... I myself have done several events for gay pride including make out demos, leafletting, and doing it as part of our "sexy" demos... We do what we do to get people to stop and listen, and the reaction that we get is far from what you are posing... if i were to stand there and leaflet in slack and a polo, most people would just walk by... and the media would not be interested... The idea is to get the message to as many people as possible, and we do a good job as spokespeople at keeping the issues on animal rights... I always offer up the the lines of communication to what people who DON'T like what we do to offer up what they think would be effective... A lot of people do not support everthing that we do, but we are always open to suggestions to make things more effective, or even incorporating new ideas... Too often we are criticized for what we do, but no options are given that would be a comperable way of getting the message out to the masses... What do you think would be effective... I try to be as active as possible on message boards, and have been on this on, addressing individuals concerns about animal rights, and what we do here at PETA...

 

You can see my photos at: www.myspace.com/petabodybuilder

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Too often we are criticized for what we do, but no options are given that would be a comperable way of getting the message out to the masses... What do you think would be effective...

 

That's why I offered a suggestion.

 

I don't think it's just a choice between the 'sexy'/exploitive events and standing like a shlub passing out leaflets (though Vegan Outreach seems to do a good job with the latter). There are ways of capturing attention without slipping into the old 'let's put somebody in a skimpy outfit" tactic, like using video and audio and other media to attract attention (like the 'human eyes/cow eyes" image, maybe followed by an image of the human eye crying juxtaposed with an image of the eye of a dead cow--in BIG video format. Surely there are some Peta-friendly artists, media people that could help with this kind of thing?

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