PETA Freaks Target Kids!

[Jenny AU-92 0]

This was a link from a link and it was not "linked" correctly, so I can't include a link - but the article is from the Boston Herald, if you want to go there and verify. This is the entire text.

These people absolutely make me nuts. They are dangerous and psycho and need to go away. Provocative? These two women needs to be beaten for doing this to kids. Isn't this child endangement or child abuse or something?

Fur flies over flier: PETA targets ‘Nutcracker’ kids

By David Weber

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Animal rights advocates will single out small children at performances of "The Nutcracker" in the next few weeks by handing out fliers saying "Your Mommy Kills Animals" to youngsters whose mothers are wearing fur.

"Children can't look up to a mom in a battered-raccoon hat or a crushed coyote collar," said Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "Maybe when they're confronted by their own children's hurt looks, fur-wearers' cold hearts will melt."

The fliers include a color drawing of a woman plunging a large bloody knife into the belly of a terrified rabbit. The fliers urge kids to "ask your mommy how many dead animals she killed to make her fur clothes."  "And the sooner she stops wearing fur, the sooner the animals will be safe. Until then, keep your doggie or kitty friends away from mommy - she's an animal killer."

Brookline child psychologist Dr. Carolyn Newberger called the tactics "terribly dangerous to children." 

"It's using children in the worst possible way,'' she said. "If (the activists) want to legitimately work to protect animals from destruction for fashion, they have every right to. But to do so by targeting children and making them feel their mothers are murderers is absolutely unconscionable."

Lisa Franzetta, a national coordinator for PETA, said the group will launch its "fur-ocious" protest at `Nutcracker' performances in as many as 20 cities across the United States.

Franzetta, who is based in California, said yesterday she did not yet know when the protests will begin in Boston, where "The Nutcracker" is playing at the Wang Center for the Performing Arts in the Theater District.

Franzetta acknowledged the anti-fur campaign might spark a backlash. "It's definitely provocative, I will give you that," she said.

Wang Center officials could not be reached for comment about the planned protests.

[CShine 0]

I call BS on that "terribly dangerous to children" crap. Both sides are clearly being inflammatory here. I always love to watch the overwrought silliness that surrounds the animal rights brouhaha.

My little sister cried when they killed King Kong, and it didn't scar her for life.

I've known some kids that bought into the animal rights propaganda, and they don't go around hating their mommies.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

You don't see this as being terribly dangerous to children???? Being told to keep their pets away from their mommy because she will kill them? Being shown a picture of a woman stabbing a rabbit? Good grief, man!!! You just don't say things like that to kids!! Some children are very sensitive and no one can say what kind of a reaction they might get - and what aftermath the parents might have to deal with that night - nightmares, etc. Even if the kids aren't scarred for life, it could make for an unpleasant night or two - and that is just WRONG.

[CShine 0]

You don't see this as being terribly dangerous to children????

No, it's not "terribly dangerous." It's temporarily shocking at worst. "Terribly dangerous" is inflammatory nonsense.

Being told to keep their pets away from their mommy because she will kill them?

The average kid knows very well that their mommy is not going to suddenly kill the pets she has spent years caring for just cuz some stranger gave them a flier.

Being shown a picture of a woman stabbing a rabbit? Good grief, man!!!

Spare me. Kids see 10 times worse on TV every day.

You just don't say things like that to kids!! Some children are very sensitive and no one can say what kind of a reaction they might get - and what aftermath the parents might have to deal with that night - nightmares, etc. Even if the kids aren't scarred for life, it could make for an unpleasant night or two - and that is just WRONG.

Yawn. If you think we're going to change the world into a place that never, ever surprises a child you're living in a fantasy. The animal rights freaks are a self-parodying joke, but I've yet to see them do things that are actually harmful to children. Sure, no one likes to see a kid get upset. Even if it is a temporarily unpleasant experience for both parent and child, it is not some major crisis. The everyday world offers far more shocking stuff all the time. Yeah, the PETA wackos are showing their asses again, but that does not make any of this nonsense "terribly dangerous to children." As always, both sides of the animal rights hubbub here are talking in overblown and intentionally inflammatory language. Obviously, it makes for some great, splashy headlines and a few hyperbolic message board threads. Then we all go on with our lives just like before.

[Tigermike 3,692]

It is child abuse and the peckerwoods that spread this kind of BS should be jailed.

But they are liberals and will hide behind freedom of speech. You libs want to label abortion protesters as terrorists for using graphic pictures. Why shouldn't PETA be so listed as well?

Well here is a truth for you and them.

YOUR FREEDOM ENDS WHERE MY NOSE BEGINS!!

Anyone who would target children with crap like this needs a severe attitude adjustment.

Anyone who would try to rationalize and justify the actions of this campaign needs a severe attitude adjustment.

[AUloggerhead 2,514]

CShine,

I'll admit that PETA's actions do not appear to be law breaking but they are ethically challenged. It just goes to prove (once again) that the looney left gives lip service to those noble ideas of "tolerance" & "celebrating diversity" if someone doesn't act the way they want them to. Total hypocrisy.

However, I'm sure some enterprising lawyer might be able to use the "hate speech" laws or even an harassment/assault charge to rattle PETA's cages.

[CCTAU 3,533]

My 7 yr old's response to them would be, "It's good to make use of the fur after we kill and eat the little suckers. Me and daddy go hunting all the time. Wanna go"?

These PETA types always attack women and children and northerners. I have never seen one walking through the woods down south with orange on trying to scare away the deer. We would have a lot of excitable "accidents" occur.

They always terrorize those who cannot or will not fight back.

[CarolinaTiger 0]

... I have never seen one walking through the woods down south with orange on trying to scare away the deer. We would have a lot of excitable "accidents" occur....

for some reason, ned beatty comes to mind w/ this post.

squeal like a pig, anyone?

[Ranger12 53]

I thing the bottom line is that this shows how moronic that PETA is. Whether you agree or disagree how much you think it will effect children, you can't argue desired outcome that PETA is hoping for. They are hoping that it scares kids enough to be as extreme as they are. IMO, both CT and Cshine are right to a certain degree. However, I think we all can agree that this latest PETA effort has really crossed the line of what is ethical. Even though I doubt many kids would do it, but encouraging children to basically rebel against their parents is cause enough for me to want to whoop somebody's a@$ if that approached my children with that idoitic nonsense.