PETA--accuracy versus truth (WAS: adoption/nutrition)

[Guest guest]

I was criticized for critizing PETA.

 

I do agree that the animal rights movement, at least in the United

States, does owe a big debt to PETA. They have brought a lot of

visibility to animal rights issues, they have persuaded a lot

of individual people to become vegetarian or even vegan, and maybe

most importantly they have helped make animal rights issues

mainstream--not just something that only " those weirdos " way out

on the fringes of things worry about.

 

However, I cannot agree with your implication that sensationalizing

data and facts is a good LONG TERM strategy for persuading mainstream

society to change deeply ingrained habits. I think this is a strategy

that can work in the short term, but I also think it generally

blows up in your face in the long term.

 

I have personally met a number of individuals over the years who

are EXTREMELY resistant to believing ANY argument, fact, data, etc.

brought up by ANY vegetarian (especially vegans), no matter how

conservative and how well-documented, precisely because they have

heard so much dubious information from sources like PETA or books like

_Diet for a New Planet_ by John Robbins. Every time some exageration

is made, or data is sensationalized, or the results of one small, weak

study is blown all out of proportion and trumpeted to the world, there

is some expert somewhere who knows better saying, " Hey, that isn't

correct. " And once a person realizes that one piece of information

presented by a group of people is wrong, they are usually more quick

to discredit the rest. This is probably especially true if the group

in question is trying to encourage them to make changes in their daily

lives that may seem very radical and threatening.

 

I know it can be frustrating when people don't listen to things we

think are so glaringly obvious and so tremendously important. It can

be tempting to take information that is already powerful in its own

right and make it seem even more dramatic than it already is. And

maybe, with SOME individuals, in the SHORT term, it really IS

more effective. And maybe you really do win a few more battles in

the short term. But in the long run, I think this sort of strategy

can hurt because it can seriously erode the credibility of all

vegetarians, even those who are more careful with the facts.

 

I encourage you to look at the web page for Vegan Outreach at:

www.veganoutreach.org ... they have some good discussion on this

issue. Particularly relevant, I think is:

 

http://www.veganoutreach.org/advocacy/goodinfo.html

 

which discusses their philosophy on why they think it's important to

build up credibility in the long term. You might also want to look

at their _Why Vegan_ pamphlet (published on-line)--this is, I think,

a good example of a very powerful, moving, and EFFECTIVE handout that

just happens to be very carefully accurate throughout. They have

nutrition experts, for example, who double check the nutrional information,

and they try to find reliable sources for their environmental and animal

rights info. They aren't perfect, but they keep trying. They put out

a new version of their pamphlet every few months or so, and it's

usually improved in both accuracy and appeal.

 

I'm willing to look again at PETA's pages to see if they've changed since

the last time I read materials from them. (I admit the last time I looked

closely at PETA was several years ago.) I hope you, in turn, are willing to

consider another perspective. (I'll try www.peta.org to see if that works--

let me know if that's the wrong URL.)

 

Again, I don't question that PETA has done great work with great results.

Organizations like VRG and Vegan Outreach probably wouldn't be quite

as effective if not for the fact they're building on all the work PETA

has done to keep animal rights issues in the eyes of the public. And maybe

to some extent we do still need PETA for at least some tasks. But, personally,

I give my donation dollars to organizations like VRG and VO. I think

they're what we need for the long haul.

 

Peace,

Andrea

red_trek

[Guest guest]

Correction on John Robbins' book. You are either talking about Diet for a

New America or Diet for a New World. He also authored Reclaiming Our

Health. I don't believe he has a book titled _Diet for a New Planet_ as

you stated in your email.

 

Would I call this incorrect piece in your email a 'distortion of facts'.

No. The only reason I even mention it is to put a little perspective on

things. PETA, John Robbins, Vegan Outreach, etc. are all out there

actively trying to make a difference in the world. I happen to respect

them all. Even if I didn't, I believe they all have a right to be active

in the way they see fit. Free speach and all that. What is 'truth'

anyway? The 'facts' regarding environment and health are very hard to

find. We are constantly learning more about nutrition and the environment

around us and I hope we never stop learning. New data changes things,

experts can't agree how to interpret data that has been around a long time.

 

I guess what it comes down to, for me, is what is in my heart. My heart

tells me that veganism is the best thing for me and my family. The

fighting between animal rights groups is really a waste of time (in my

opinion) and energy. I just finished reading 'Being Vegan' by Joanne

Stepaniak, M.S.Ed. I highly recommend it, I don't think I agree with her

on everything either, but she has a lot of good things to say. She

articulates what 'vegan' was intended to mean. I think a lot of people

lose sight of the original intent.

 

My bottom line: we all come from different backgrounds and beliefs, but we

have veg*nism in common. Let us try to work with the similarities instead

of bashing each other over our differences. People are moved by all sorts

of things. You never know what might increase someone's awareness in this

world.

 

Just my two cents,

 

Linda

 

At 09:18 AM 12/22/00 -0400, you wrote:

>I was criticized for critizing PETA.

>

>I do agree that the animal rights movement, at least in the United

> States, does owe a big debt to PETA. They have brought a lot of

>visibility to animal rights issues, they have persuaded a lot

>of individual people to become vegetarian or even vegan, and maybe

>most importantly they have helped make animal rights issues

>mainstream--not just something that only " those weirdos " way out

>on the fringes of things worry about.

>

>However, I cannot agree with your implication that sensationalizing

>data and facts is a good LONG TERM strategy for persuading mainstream

>society to change deeply ingrained habits. I think this is a strategy

>that can work in the short term, but I also think it generally

>blows up in your face in the long term.

>

>I have personally met a number of individuals over the years who

>are EXTREMELY resistant to believing ANY argument, fact, data, etc.

>brought up by ANY vegetarian (especially vegans), no matter how

>conservative and how well-documented, precisely because they have

>heard so much dubious information from sources like PETA or books like

>_Diet for a New Planet_ by John Robbins. Every time some exageration

>is made, or data is sensationalized, or the results of one small, weak

>study is blown all out of proportion and trumpeted to the world, there

>is some expert somewhere who knows better saying, " Hey, that isn't

>correct. " And once a person realizes that one piece of information

>presented by a group of people is wrong, they are usually more quick

>to discredit the rest. This is probably especially true if the group

>in question is trying to encourage them to make changes in their daily

>lives that may seem very radical and threatening.

>

>I know it can be frustrating when people don't listen to things we

>think are so glaringly obvious and so tremendously important. It can

>be tempting to take information that is already powerful in its own

>right and make it seem even more dramatic than it already is. And

>maybe, with SOME individuals, in the SHORT term, it really IS

>more effective. And maybe you really do win a few more battles in

>the short term. But in the long run, I think this sort of strategy

>can hurt because it can seriously erode the credibility of all

>vegetarians, even those who are more careful with the facts.

>

>I encourage you to look at the web page for Vegan Outreach at:

>www.veganoutreach.org ... they have some good discussion on this

>issue. Particularly relevant, I think is:

>

>http://www.veganoutreach.org/advocacy/goodinfo.html

>

>which discusses their philosophy on why they think it's important to

>build up credibility in the long term. You might also want to look

>at their _Why Vegan_ pamphlet (published on-line)--this is, I think,

>a good example of a very powerful, moving, and EFFECTIVE handout that

>just happens to be very carefully accurate throughout. They have

>nutrition experts, for example, who double check the nutrional information,

>and they try to find reliable sources for their environmental and animal

>rights info. They aren't perfect, but they keep trying. They put out

>a new version of their pamphlet every few months or so, and it's

>usually improved in both accuracy and appeal.

>

>I'm willing to look again at PETA's pages to see if they've changed since

>the last time I read materials from them. (I admit the last time I looked

>closely at PETA was several years ago.) I hope you, in turn, are willing to

>consider another perspective. (I'll try www.peta.org to see if that works--

>let me know if that's the wrong URL.)

>

>Again, I don't question that PETA has done great work with great results.

>Organizations like VRG and Vegan Outreach probably wouldn't be quite

>as effective if not for the fact they're building on all the work PETA

>has done to keep animal rights issues in the eyes of the public. And maybe

>to some extent we do still need PETA for at least some tasks. But,

personally,

>I give my donation dollars to organizations like VRG and VO. I think

>they're what we need for the long haul.

>

>Peace,

>Andrea

>red_trek

>

>

>

>For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.

>

>