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I think everyone has an issue that they feel very strongly about. My issue is animal rights. I do a lot of volunteer work at the Humane Society, donate money to the ASPCA and have adopted several rescue dogs.
I support the humane society and the ASPCA because they focus on problem areas like pet neglect and puppy mills. I was talking to some other volunteers at the humane society and we all agreed that we all hate PETA. They are so radical and vocal that it has tarnished the names of all animal rights activist (I would never refer to myself as that because of them). I hate when I see these movie stars talking about how great PETA is and asking people to donate money. Those celebs are millionaires they could afford to donate a lot more then 99.9% of the country. I am not aware of anything PETA has ever achieved. I think its because they don't know or care about what they are doing. For example if a PETA member sincerly believed that meat is murder and we should outlaw it (which many PETA Supporters believe) they would have to realize that it would take decades of social engineering to get people to stop eating meat. Not some celeb going on Television and screaming or posing naked on some billboard. The ASPCA and Humane Society has done so much for animals. Most recently they showed us how horrible the puppy mills are. I really think that a lot of PETA's supporters are not sincere and they really just want attention. I could go on and on about all the problems that the organization has.
I own a gun but I'm not worried about the government taking it away from me and I favor reasonable gun control. I have not really given must thought about gun control and I know a lot of people have. To be honest I don't know much about the NRA but they seam kind of radical. My question is do most gun activist support the NRA? Does anyone think it has hurt the gun right movement like PETA has hurt the animal rights movement by being too radical?
Not sure why you posed unrelated questions about PETA and the NRA in the same post, but ok...
PETA is a PITA. It's a useless organization that exists only to line the pockets of those who run it, and to make people feel good about themselves. They don't "do" anything to further animal "rights."
The NRA used to be a good group. Now they're nothing more than another lobbying group that's far more interested in collecting donations and increasing their membership than they are about protecting gun rights. If you want to support a group that's still interested in preserving the 2nd Amendment, join GOA.
I agree with you, and I think the two organizations are pretty comparable. When PETA uses the inflammatory rhetoric it uses or when the NRA refers to the duly constituted law enforcement officers of our country as "jack-booted thugs" they alienate millions who would otherwise be receptive to their arguments.
They do seem to be doing it for different reasons, though. PETA seems to think they need to do it to draw attention to their cause. The NRA, which really doesn't have to use these tactics because it's a very wealthy lobbying organization, seems to be doing it not to draw mainstream attention to their cause but to keep the most rabid elements of their base fired up.
They've gone through some phases where they've alienated people and gone overboard but those are more exceptions than the rule.
Additionally the NRA, like them or not, is EXTREMELY powerful and effective. If you do not believe me....ask Tom Daschle.
PETA does raise *some* awareness....kinda like the whale wars guys....but both of those groups are such incompetantly run goofballs that I wonder if they do any good?
Best combo group for guns AND animals? Ducks Unlimited. Tremendous organization IMO.
I think everyone has an issue that they feel very strongly about. My issue is animal rights. I do a lot of volunteer work at the Humane Society, donate money to the ASPCA and have adopted several rescue dogs.
I support the humane society and the ASPCA because they focus on problem areas like pet neglect and puppy mills. I was talking to some other volunteers at the humane society and we all agreed that we all hate PETA. They are so radical and vocal that it has tarnished the names of all animal rights activist (I would never refer to myself as that because of them). I hate when I see these movie stars talking about how great PETA is and asking people to donate money. Those celebs are millionaires they could afford to donate a lot more then 99.9% of the country. I am not aware of anything PETA has ever achieved. I think its because they don't know or care about what they are doing. For example if a PETA member sincerly believed that meat is murder and we should outlaw it (which many PETA Supporters believe) they would have to realize that it would take decades of social engineering to get people to stop eating meat. Not some celeb going on Television and screaming or posing naked on some billboard. The ASPCA and Humane Society has done so much for animals. Most recently they showed us how horrible the puppy mills are. I really think that a lot of PETA's supporters are not sincere and they really just want attention. I could go on and on about all the problems that the organization has.
I own a gun but I'm not worried about the government taking it away from me and I favor reasonable gun control. I have not really given must thought about gun control and I know a lot of people have. To be honest I don't know much about the NRA but they seam kind of radical. My question is do most gun activist support the NRA? Does anyone think it has hurt the gun right movement like PETA has hurt the animal rights movement by being too radical?
I pretty much am on line with the animal issue with you.
As far as the NRA, I agree with them in principle. Maybe in some areas I think their views are to far but not to the point of considering them radical. They are protecting a Constitutional right as far as I am concerned.
My question to you is, why do they seem radical to you? If you answer I will tell you whether I agree with you or not regarding the NRA, take care.
I too think the difference is that the NRA has been made a target of the liberal agenda for deacdes now and the way to fight a politcal battle is to become politcally invlved.Bascially when attcked people will respond by like means. I do agree tho that people have choice in who they support in animal treatment.PTA is just a radical oragnization that actually sees all animals the same as human which IMO is not the case really.
I would like to at least state that the NRA is excellent at being issues oriented and not wed to a particular political party, which makes they quite effective.
PETA doesn't seem to be completely that way, but still pretty issues focused, or perhaps I'm wrong?
I think there is a high correlation between an organizations effectiveness and their being issues oriented and not party aligned. Once you politicize you alienate potential members from the other party but more importantly the party you affiliate with will take you more for granted and thus pay you more lip-service.
I'm a vegetarian and an animal lover, I volunteer for animals, and support adoption of shelter animals. I love animals so much that I just cannot fathom eating them without a thought. (Not that I am going to tell people not to eat meat, that's their business, not mine!)
That said, PETA is a horrible organization that exploits women, mocks people of different religions, etc, and actually run shelters that ruthlessly kills more animals than most inner-city shelters do. Why anyone claiming to truly love animals would ever support such a terrible group of people is beyond me- my assumption is that they're misguided people with good intentions.
PETA is bad bad bad, it funds domestic terrorist groups, and has many people within the organization hoping to abolish any form of human-animal interaction at all whatsoever, including companion animal 'ownership'. I think that is extremely absurd, because it is my belief that a life spent with animals can foster understanding and compassion of others.
They also have destroyed the reputation of vegetarianism, imo. I cannot bring up my dietary restrictions with my friends without prefacing it with a spiel about how I am fine with them eating meat, etc etc. And even then, they still get fussy because they think I support PETA (lol)
NRA probably has done the same, too...for gun owners.
Sorry for the boring rant. I hate PETA so much.
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