PETA Problems at Fair

[Sir William Marcus]

To me, it looks these animals were given royal treatment...

Holy double bacon cheese burger,  my arteries are hardening already!

[dspotz]

To me, it looks these animals were given royal treatment...

All Hail the Monster Burger!

[Brother Robert of Essex]

I never encountered PETA but I appreciate where they are coming from. I am not an advocate of killing animals just for fur, and I think animals can be slaughtered in a painless manner and should always be afforded that.

As a hunter I do sometimes keep fur - for example, deer hides. But pretty much everything is used from the deer. The bones, the meat, and the fur. And for someone to throw blood on the hide doesn't make sense to me and I will tell you why:

If you destroy a fur coat for example, all you do is cause that person to go out and get a replacement fur coat. You've just cost twice the amount of fur consumption than if you had left it alone or taking a different approach.

[Dayna]

I don't hunt, had a very difficult time even killing the mice that entered my house last winter (the whole neighborhood was infested once the stray cats were removed).  Yes, I eat meat, I know where it comes from, I choose to buy only where I know the animal had a good life and a quick death.

I do own a fur, it was handed down to me.  I wear it, and I don't feel guilty, however I do not see myself ever Buying a fur.  I consider leather a by-product of an animal who was killed for food, so again no problem there, I'm not causing an animal to be slaughtered just so I can have shoes or a belt.

People who buy and wear furs, fine, it's their karma and not my place to judge.

Dayna

[Lord Figaro]

PETA, like so many things was a good idea gone way bad.  I never condone the mistreatment of animals for scientific purposes. But there is a difference in mistreatment and real scientific research. I had a friend in high school how was very much becoming what I affectionately call, a PETA head. She was very active against any kind of testing or research involving animals for anything. I asked her once if she had a child, and that child became sick, and needed a drug that could save their child's life. But the drug had not been tested because of her ideals. Would she prefer her child be the "gunie pig" for it instead? She emphatically said yes. Well as time went bye she had a child and one night I reminded her of our little discussion. She then said that she understood and that she had a change of heart in that case.

What I get a kick out of is the stories of PETA people who do such stupid things for their cause. Like the story of the people who released the minks from a farm in England or somewhere. Only to discover that the mink is actually a very aggressive species and they had now introduced a non native animal that could, in all likely hood, hunt to extinction some native animals in that area. Yeah good idea there huh??

Or the activists that released pigs from a farm and were trampled to death by the very animals they just released. I wonder what they were thinking as that was going on?

I asked once during an add campaign of theirs, when they claimed that Jesus was a vegetarian. How can they make a claim like that when in truth he was raised in the jewish faith.  Well from my understanding what do they eat during passover, last I heard it was lamb?? I doubt they ate tofu for that meal.

Okay time to get off this soap box. You really shouldn't let me go on like that ya know.

[brier patch charlie]

Funny when I wrote this thread I wasn't sure if I was going to stur up a hornet's nest or walk into a minefield. But it's been nice to see all the diffrent points of view.  As for me I like fur and if I lived some were it was cool or cold, I would love to have a buffalo coat or sheepskin bomber jacket. But winter here in Arkansas just isn't cold enough for one. But you know people would be surprised if they know that most everything that from the slutherhoses are used, all the meat, and organs, the hides and even the fat. And the fat is rendered and used in most of the soaps we all use.
Some have a problem with this, that animals are killed for any use, and to them I say go of and live in the middle of know were and eat grass, and live like an animal. You will no dough die out and we will be done with you. The way I see PETA, ALF, ELF and all there of shoots, as nothing more then home grown brain washed,terrorist. And sad to say most are 15 to 25 years old, whom have never lived life or traveled around the world to see how others live. But as for me I will still hunt, and eat meat, and yes wear fur.

[Tipsy Gypsy]

Lord Figaro said it very well, PETA is "a good idea gone way bad". I think that they think they mean well, but somewhere along the way, they really lost their perspective, and passion turned to rabid fanaticism.

I don't condone mistreatment of animals, but I love leather, and I love meat. I sincerely hope that the ribeye I eat for dinner as I sit in my leather chair went without suffering.

I have a hard time imagining PETA kooks showing up at TRF; I think even they would shy from the idea of venturing into the boonies to pick a squabble with people in exotic costumes packing alcohol and pointy things!

[brier patch charlie]

I can't see a car load of them comming to TRF to stand out side the gate to protest eather, but I'm sure there are some of them in are mist inside the Faire, eather as mundanes or rennies and it's all they can do not to say what they think or believe in. And no doubt they are just sick to their stomaches seeing so many people wearing leather and fur.

[Tipsy Gypsy]

If they keep it to themselves and find a way to have a good time, cool; if it offends them and they can't bear to return, cool too. Either way, it's all good!

[Sir Martin]

I have a hard time imagining PETA kooks showing up at TRF; I think even they would shy from the idea of venturing into the boonies to pick a squabble with people in exotic costumes packing alcohol and pointy things!

Wonder what the PETA folks would say to the Royal Falconer at TRF?  "Hey ... you can't let those falcons, eagles, vultures etc. eat meat ... it's just not right!"  I'm sure security would be glad to escort them out (or to jail) if they tried to throw blood or paint on the birds of prey.   

[Brother Robert of Essex]

They must love all the Turkey legs being grilled there too 

[tigerlilly]

PETA would probably have fits over TRF's horses, elephant, and camel.  (Does TRF have an elephant and camel?  Or is that Sterling?  It gets hard to keep it straight...)

[Lady Nicolette]

In defense of PETA, I have to say that sometimes you have to use extreme measures to get people to pay attention at all.  Most of their staging is to do just that.  They may not get everyone to follow every single thing they advocate, but they may get people to think in the first place about choices they make.  If they end up just making people treat animals more humanely, that is a huge victory in itself.

Personally, I have a question in my mind about the elephants at TRF as well, although the horses and camels don't bother me.  Horses and camels have long been domesticated and typically are trained in a more humane fashion than elephants usually are, although I don't know the history of the TRF elephants and where they have obtained them from.  And I know for a fact that many horses appear to enjoy their work that they do for humans.  Some of the jousting troupes rescue horses from certain death, which I'm sure most PETA members would find commendable.

As far as birds of prey eating meat, well, they need to.  I don't think that PETA would take issue with that, as long as the birds are humanely treated while in the custody of their human caretakers.

[Queen Bonnie]

 Once upon a time way back when ,I sold vintage clothing and did have fur coats from the 1920's and up!
I lived in a cold place- VT and wore Raccoon coats! They were warm! When people asked me not to wear fur I calmly told them it died in it's sleep of old age and was recycled!
I still wear my old furs now and then- but never had any problems at faire.  If someone makes a derisive comment about my garb- my wand is ready with spell they will not find pleasing.

[brier patch charlie]

Would it be the kind of spell Queen Bonnie, that makes ones "naughty" body parts rot and fall off?