Peenie Wallie

THE PETA ads did misfire and have caused a lot of noise. However, I truly do not believe that PETA meant to offend anyone.

All life is precious.

Human life is the most precious of life.

What has happened to black people with the slave trade, slavery, and colonization in Africa is horrific and on its face value does not compare with animal suffering.

And surely black people are fully human beings and not animals.

However, it is true that there is a point of connection between the mistreatment of animals, the earth and plant life, and human beings mistreatment of other human beings.

How we care for those who are “lesser” than us in the life hierarchy often predicts how we will care about other life forms.

If you look closely at white male dominated racism, one will see how this tyranny has not only injured and murdered people; but look at how the earth is abused; and how so many animals have been killed for sport and some life forms killed to the point of extinction.

There is a thread that sews together all of this hatred, disrespect, and pain.

PETA was simply attempting to illustrate the continuum of pain and exploitation of all living beings on this planet.

Obviously, for many people PETA failed at the analogy that they were trying to make.

But again, I do not believe that PETA purposely intended to offend black people.

I wish that for less media driven issues like hunger in Africa, the epidemic of HIV/AIDS both among black Americans and in Africa, and the crisis of black people being incarcerated at record levels in America received the same energy and response from the black community.

It just seems like the more complex issues that require thought and organization we shy away from, while almost wanting and seeking obvious blunders like the PETA campaign.

I should start by saying that I'm not in USA. From way over here in Sydney it appears that PETA was equating cruelty with cruelty rather than black slaves with animals.

It would seem that PETA detractors are looking for an easy way to delegitimise their organisation. Purposeful misinterpretation of the message is one of the easiest ways to do it. Cheap shot don't you think?

I personally don't think that they meant it to be racist. The blacks, however, apparently feel otherwise. And, in our hyper-sensitive touchy-feely let's-not-dare-offend anyone, it certainly could potentially offend. How do you think the Jews would feel if they compared the animals to the Jews in Treblinka, Birkenau, or Dachau. Why don't you contact some blacks in the U.S. that descended from slaves and ask them how they feel about the campaign? ;)

PETA is a great oganization! Don't scorn it!

Yeah, great at killing puppies and illegally tossing them in the dumpster. Systematically. Over a period of years. That's the organization I look to for ethical guidance! Thanks for the gumball Mickey!