Re: The Devil’s Advocate: “Should activist groups rely on the use of graphic images to convey their message?”
Dear Editor,
It was interesting to read Iglesias’ and Paiz’s thoughts on this important issue. Some are quick to criticize PETA’s tactics but fail to acknowledge the victories that have been won for animals as a result. In PETA’s nearly 30 years, we have stopped car companies like General Motors from using live animals in crash tests, convinced retailers from Tommy Hilfiger to Forever 21 to ban fur from their lines, and achieved countless other successes that have spared millions of animals from a lifetime of abuse.
PETA’s purpose is to stop animal suffering, and we use all available opportunities to reach millions of people with powerful messages. We have found that people pay more attention to our more outlandish actions, and we consider the public’s attention to be extremely important. Part of our job is to grab people’s attention and initiate discussion, debate, questioning of the status quo, and of course, action. The situation is critical for billions of animals, and our goal is to make the public think about the issues.
We often use stunts and controversial ad campaigns to get the word out about animal abuse, because sadly, the media usually do not consider the facts alone “interesting” enough to cover. Colorful and controversial gimmicks, on the other hand, consistently grab headlines, bringing the animal rights message to audiences around the country and, often, the world.
Thankfully, as a result of efforts by compassionate people around the world, it’s never been easier to cut cruelty out of our lives.
Sincerely,
Ryan Huling
College Campaign Coordinator, peta2.com
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