Hoping for Disease PETA Hopes Foot-and-Mouth Strikes in the United States

By Alan Elsner

N O R F O L K, Va., April 2 — While U.S. authorities take precautions to prevent foot-and-mouth from entering the country, the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, possibly the world's most influential animal rights organization, openly hopes the disease crosses the Atlantic.

"If that hideousness came here, it wouldn't be any more hideous for the animals — they are all bound for a ghastly death anyway. But it would wake up consumers," said PETA co-founder and president Ingrid Newkirk. Interviewed on Friday in the office she shares with four cats, Newkirk said: "I openly hope that it comes here. It will bring economic harm only for those who profit from giving people heart attacks and giving animals a concentration camp-like existence. It would be good for animals, good for human health and good for the environment."

Border officials, zoos and theme parks have been taking precautions to prevent the disease, which is raging in Britain and has spread to several other European countries, from entering the United States, which has not seen an outbreak since 1929. Last week, pigs suspected of carrying the disease on a North Carolina hog farm tested negative.

Meanwhile PETA workers report vastly increased demand for its "vegetarian starter kits" from worried meat eaters. That number would no doubt rocket higher if either foot-and-mouth or "Mad Cow" disease reached American shores.

Since its founding in 1980, PETA has emerged as a powerful force, campaigning on the principle that animals should not be eaten, worn, experimented on or used for entertainment.

The organization, founded in Newkirk's basement in a suburb of Washington, D.C., now occupies several stories of a headquarters in Norfolk, Va. It employs 130 people, has 700,000 members, revenues of $17 million and has opened small branch offices in Britain, Germany, Italy and India.

The PETA building looks and feels much like any corporate headquarters except for the dozens of dogs wandering around and sitting on special mattresses. Employees are encouraged to bring their pets to work. Many also take part in civil disobedience campaigns and boast long arrest records

-- Sherri C (CeltiaSkye@aol.com), April 03, 2001

Answers

The source of this article is ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/peta010402.html

-- Sherri C (CeltiaSkye@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion! PETA is one extreme, Agribusiness may be the other. We strive to find a happy medium.

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), April 03, 2001.

I am concerned that they may attempt to import the disease on purpose.What about us that give are animals a good life ? Just throw us to the wolves to ?

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), April 03, 2001.

That is the heighth of stupidity and ignorance. It raises my hackles up beyond belief. It will be really nice to have millions of carcasses rotting in the feilds and spreading other kinds of contamination. These people are sillier than agribusiness, which for the rcord I abhor. They can all come to my place and see what a wretched existence my critters have. These are the same people who "liberated" a pet monkey who was 12 years old into NYC because they felt it should be free to run. I'm sorry, but they are moronic.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), April 03, 2001.

Even worse they are fanatical! And like fanatics in any cause they'll do whatever THEY think is appropriate to further their cause. I too worry about them bringing F&MD into the country....no one could prove they did it. I fear rough times ahead for all of us.

-- Bear (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

I think its a far stretch from her saying she hopes it comes here, to saying that they will go as far as to bring it here. Could you imagine having one of our more militant folks on this forum, being the spokesman for all of us? I think PETA is overboard in their way of thinking, but you certainly have to applaud them for walking the walk, nothing hypocitical about them! We won't have to worry about some fanatic bringing H&M to the USA, our governments inaction is doing this for us. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

Well golly geeeeze, I'm sure those dogs and the 4 cats in her office would rather be outside in their natural state, don't you?

I'm speechless, I can't even believe anyone would wish this on anyone or any animal.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

Vicki, I tend to agree with you; however, it is important to note that the statement was made by the president of PETA. That tends to give it a little more significance in that the more fanatical followers (of an extremely fanatical organization) could be encouraged to action by his statements.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

Even if Ingrid Whatsit never said she would actually bring the disease to the USA, only hoping it comes here will be enough to give the green light to one of her supporters. Here's how easy it will be. A tree hugging, bed wetting, liberal, animal right's activist with PETA sympathies visits my green and pleasant land on holiday - say over the Easter break. Lots more people going into the countryside now - the novelty's wearing off for some of the yuppie townies - he / she takes their face flannel from their toiletries bag, goes near an infected farm and just wipes the damp flannel over a feed trough. If he / she can get near an infected animal so much the better. A dead sheep will do - there's thousands upon thousands just lying in fields waiting to be burned. A wipe with a damp flannel over the mouth of a dead sheep and put the flannel in a ziplock bag. He / she carries on with holiday and then returns to the US. Imigration will probably make the person disinfect their shoes and such before entering the country and no problem there. They will most definitely not check the face flannel in their wash bag.

PETA sympathiser then travels around various states dabbing the flannel (which will be heaving now with the virus) on feed troughs, cows near public roads, deer licks in the woods, pig swill out back of restaurants - there's no end to the opportunities I'm afraid.

I really don't want to be a scaremonger but I fear it will be when and not if it arrives in the US. I've been living with it for weeks now and it'll be many months before the disease is eradicated and many years before normality reigns. It'll never be the same for many thousands of farmers again and we may have seen TEOTWAWKI in rural parts.

All you folks can do is be extremely vigilant. Have plenty of dissinfectant (the type that destroyes the virus) and spray pumps on hand. Don't let anyone on your property that you don't know and at sign of the first case being suspected or announced, develop a siege mentality and clean, disinfect and spray everything your stock comes in contact with. If you can, get your animals indoors before movement bans are put in place. We have had cases here in England of sheep stuck in fields starving to death because they have eaten every last blade of grass and they can't be moved into another field. In many cases the farmers are not allowed to leave their farm because of quarantine restrictions and as many are lambing as well just now we are seeing problems with sheep dying unnecessarily while giving birth.

Some farmers are getting turnips to their sheep and throwing them into the fields from a moving vehicle - the same with bales of hay, but there are thousands who are helples to do anything. Members of the public trying to help the animals face fines of £5000 if they trespass - even on public footpaths which are all closed.

Anyway, it's bad enough for Tony Blair our prime minister to cancell the May elections - something that has not been done since WW2.

If / when FMD comes to the USA, get your stock indoors where wou can protect them best and at least see they get fed.

I hope to God it doesn't happen but Murphy's Law being what it is....

Cheers for now,

Eric

-- Eric J Methven (e_methven@btinternet.com), April 03, 2001.

Aren't the PETA people the same group that let out a lot of minks from their cages because they wanted them to be free? Then the minks began fighting and killed each other off. And aren't they the same nice people that started a forest fire in Colorado to get rid of a ski resort because it was "bad for animals"? The fire then spread and burned thousands of acres of national forest--the very habitat they were supposedly trying to protect. These folks don't have good sense and they are radical to boot. They are Eco-terrorists.

I think Eric offers good advice. And I also think it is when, not if, it comes here.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

let us just hope that it never come to american shores, i'm afraid we have little or no idea how much our lives will change if it does.

blessings, sally

-- sally stanton (mallardhen67@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

I believe Eric is absolutly correct. It will get here either diredtly from Europe or come up through Mexico.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

Over the weekend I was checking out their website for any information on their position about FMD and got sidetracked. I was interested in seeing what they had to say. I got as far as their front page and noticed an article on how theyw ere handing out kits in Chicago to convince folks to go vegetarian. Well, after reading that and reading an earlier article from them about beer being better than milk, well, I was a little surprised. I would have anticipated their response to the slaughters as being ruthless, etc. Nothing of the sort. If I am intreperting the presidents comments correctly (guess this is where opinion comes in) that she feels that they will only die a worse death by the industry for meat and milk. Hmmmmmm..... PETA seems to have strayed from their original views that abuse to animals was inhumane and they used to get radical. But then again folks, these are the same people who cruise fairs and shows looking......... and I mean Looking for something to blat about! Guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it just amazed me that PETA didn't think this was inhumane. Oh well... opinions are like noses, everyone has one!

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

This woman is a nut. I have never seen a group with such conflicting 'ideals'. She had made public a policy that all Pit Bulls should be destroyed since she was once bitten by one(I can e-mail a copy of this if anyone is interested). How hipocritical to support cats and dogs, except of course any breed you don't like. (I breed and show AMStaffs and do Bull & Terrier rescue so have a speciall affinity for these breeds and think they are wonderful dogs). In this statement shew seems to be condoning mass slaughter of other innocents. Now I'm a vegetarian and hate factory farming ( I also think fur farming is rediculous and hate circuses, but don't agree with their extreme acts) but this woman goes way too far.

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

Hey there, watch with the name calling! I am an a livid anti-PETA person, but I'm also a self-described liberal, tree-huggin type babe.

By the by, most of the animal-freeing crap is done by the Animal Liberation Front (another group of dangerous fanatics). They set cows "free" in WI too, so they can wander onto the highway and be maimed by speeding cars, starve to death in the woods, and just be terrified whilst trying to find their way home. These people are nuts. I personally believe its a nutritional deficiency . Rest assured they are entirely capable of purposely spreading disease, with no remorse whatsoever.

What is it that the government should be doing, Vicki?

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

Earthmama, I didn't go into it since on other posts I always go on and on :) But we should close or borders to all animal imports. Racehorses can loose a season of racing, don't you think? Being even a little more bold, I think that we should close our borders to folks incoming from these countries also, without a layover of at least a week in a non-H&M area. Yes this would cause economic hardships, but it pales in the light of the ecomonic impact of H&M in the USA. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

All you folks should see these "Peta" people in the summer here in Maine when Rockland has their big lobster festival!! They're all dressed up in their lobster costumes and folks here get a big kick out of it. Ironically, more people are attracted to the festival to see them all "decked out" and therefore, more lobster is consumed! But anyways, I have a question. Why is it that the officials took time to test the pigs in N.C. but butchered the sheep so quickly in Vermont???

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 03, 2001.

Marcia. I believe other posts on this subject have stated the only way to test is to examine the brain tissue. Pigs you can remove the brain and no one notices: however, sheep generally die when the brain is removed.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

Lynn, thanks for the giggle, I am still LOL as I type. This all gets so heavy sometimes that it is no wonder we are all down each others throats about stuff. So, I guess I will go back outside and help hubby dig his underground house where he thinks we might be able to hide our loud mouthed nubian girls if times get tough. Picture two old tubby, grey-haired mennonites hidding underground with a small herd of nubians. That should be good for another giggle!!!

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

Lynn, That was the best laugh I've had all week!!! Now I'm trying to figure out if it's harder to find grey-haired Mennonites in a herd of Nubians or Alpines! Thanks Diane, for the mental picture!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 03, 2001.

Actually diane, its worth a chuckle, but I am seriously thinking of doing the same. But I would have a lot of shoevling to do, well, guess this rain here is good for something, ground is at least soft. i am determined to save my girls and bad boys, but on a serious note, i am considering looking into extracting eggs from my best does and putting them into the tank in order to save the genetics.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

One thing ths is odd here, is that less than 600 animals have actually shown signs of infection. So they probably won't be able to get near a location that really is infected.

There is no doubt that this is morbidly scary.

-- (perry@ofuzzy1.com), April 04, 2001.

Marcia, in response to your question: "Why is it that the officials took time to test the pigs in N.C. but butchered the sheep so quickly in Vermont". There are two diseases of concern: FMD and BSE. They are unrelated.

BSE (mad cow disease) is caused by prions (a protein) and kills the infected animal. The human variant of BSE (vCJD)is contracted by eating meat or byproducts from an infected animal and is thought to have a latency period of 10-30 years. It cripples, causes dementia and ultimately kills. There's no cure. The sheep were slaughtered out of a fear of bringing BSE to the US (sheep carry a similar, related disease).

FMD (Foot and mouth disease) is caused by a virus and does not infect humans. The pigs were being tested for FMD. The risk associated with FMD and BSE is obviously entirely different.

-- vicki (smithfox@mind.net), April 04, 2001.

"The human variant of BSE (vCJD)is contracted by eating meat or byproducts from an infected animal and is thought to have a latency period of 10-30 years."

Remember, although this is the official (industry and its apologist/sustainer: gov't) take on it, it is only a theory and has absolutely not been proven.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001.

I am pretty sure some of those who contracted vCJD did so a lot sooner than 10 years. It seems like when their theories develop holes, the researchers extend the latency period for their convenience. For example, the women who have been a vegetarian in England since 1991, when BSE was found in the mid-80s. Researchers scoff it off with, 'well, obviously BSE was in the food supply a lot longer than we thought.'

If the latency period is longer, new cases should be accelerating, but they seem to be holding fairly steady, and even then at just a fraction of regular CJD occurrences.

As noted in the above post, scrapie triggering BSE, which triggered vCJD is just a theory. It is entirely possible there is a third agent involved. In the U.S. people have been fed beef from cattle fed meat and bone meal from sheep carcasses for maybe 50 years, yet there has not been a single confirmed case of either BSE or vCJD here.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 04, 2001.

Against mad cow/vCJD, a vegetarian diet alone may be like trying to fight a forest fire with a garden hose. Read the "Staggering List Of Products Made From Cattle" article over on Jeff Rense's site to get a feeling of what we are up against! Also enlightening is to browse through his BSE/Mad Cow archives: Hope the links posted OK.

-- Vanman (fridayfiles@space.com), April 04, 2001.

Oops,

Mad Cow/CJD - Staggering List Of Products Made From Cattle: http://www.rense.com/general6/cow.htm

Mad Cow/CJD Archives: http://www.rense.com/health/madcowdata.html

-- Vanman (fridayfiles@space.com), April 04, 2001.

Wow, what a list. And it is predominately by-products, not uses for the meat itself. I've heard slaughter plants basically process livestock for free, with them keeping and selling the by-products.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 04, 2001.

Folks, I heard a report a few days ago which said the only reason vaccination isn't used in this country to protect cattle from F and MD is that it is "too expensive". The report said that it costs about a dollar a head per year to vaccinate, and is very effective (In fact, vaccination is the method used all over South America, where they have never been able to eradicate the disease.

What's the big deal about a dollar a head?

JOJ (curiosity mostly, as I'm a long term veggie)

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@ecoweb.net), April 04, 2001.

JOJ:

It's known as the world economy. Once you start vaccinating you lose your F&MD-free trading status, since tests cannot differentiate between a vaccinated animal and a carrier. Lose your F&MD-free status and many of the economically important countries in the world will no longer buy fresh meats or unpasturized dairy products from you. It is far more of an economical disease than a livestock-impact one. Besides, a mass vaccination program is as likely to start an epidemic as to stop one.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 04, 2001.

Foot-and-Mouth Vaccinations on Hold

By BETH GARDINER .c The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) - Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that an emergency vaccination of animals against foot-and-mouth disease may not be necessary because widespread slaughter appears to be stemming the epidemic's spread.

The government's chief scientist offered an optimistic assessment of the 6-week-old outbreak, saying if officials continue slaughtering infected animals as quickly as possible, and culling those on neighboring farms, it could reduce new cases substantially by June.

``What has happened in the past 10 days has been that the number of new cases ... has flattened out,'' Blair told the House of Commons. ``We have to see whether that is maintained or not.''

Vaccination ``remains an option if the containment by slaughter policy does not work,'' he said. ``We keep it under review ... but at the present time we believe it is right to see the present policy working.''

Blair has been reluctant to approve even limited vaccination because of its harmful impact on trade. Some claim it would be a faster and more humane way to combat the disease.

Chief government scientist David King gave Blair one of the first encouraging takes on the disease Wednesday, and told reporters the daily case toll was finally beginning to decrease.

``I believe the policy is beginning to bite,'' King said. ``It's vitally important that we continue the policy of achieving culls within 24 hours on infected farms and 48 hours on neighboring farms. ... That's the key to getting us on the downward curve.''

King was part of a panel of experts who predicted last month that there could be as many as 4,000 cases by June. He also said then that up to half of Britain's 63 million farm animals might have to be sacrificed to stop the disease.

The hopeful reassessment came as the total number of infection sites reached 1,003 on Wednesday.

The government recently called in the army to speed the pace of killing, after farmers complained that the virus was spreading while they waited as long as a week for animals to be put down.

While the goal of 24 hours from diagnosis to slaughter has not been achieved in the worst-hit areas, Blair told legislators that the pace of killing had increased dramatically.

He said the rate of slaughter doubled between March 11 and March 25. More than a million animals have been condemned so far.

The government has twice postponed a decision on vaccination, although officials got European Union permission to inoculate up to 180,000 dairy cattle in the worst-hit areas.

Foot-and-mouth is not a danger to humans and is not normally fatal to livestock, but because it lowers their production and is highly contagious, many countries shut their doors to animal products from infected nations.

The European Union on Wednesday extended a livestock export ban on Britain until at least May 18. The embargo on sales from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could be relaxed a month earlier if no further cases are found there. A ban on exports from France will end April 12 if there are no further outbreaks, an EU statement said.

But the ban on livestock exports from the Netherlands, where 15 cases have been found, was extended to at least April 25.

EU experts on Tuesday approved a limited vaccination program for animals in zoos which contain endangered species and are situated close to farms infected with foot-and-mouth disease. The virus can affect almost all species of cloven-hoofed mammals, including elephants, rhinos, giraffes, camels, antelope and deer.

On the Net:

Ministry of Agriculture: http://www.maff.gov.uk

Institute for Animal Health: http://www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk

European Commission foot-and-mouth update: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ah-pcad/ah-pcad-fmoverview- en.html

AP-NY-04-04-01 1541EDT

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 04, 2001.

Got a Really stupid question. This is what I read on the disease: Hoof n Mouth causes mouth sores and other such symptoms but doesn't cause death (except for unborn critters?). And the vaccine doesn't always work. However, once the animal has had the disease, though, it's inoculated for life against a recurrence.

So why these draconian regulations? If we were discussing rabies or Coggins, I could see it. But since animals are inoculated for life once they've had it, why not let the disease run its course? Best way I know of to just about stamp a disease out--worldwide!

As for PETA, stunning stupidity is Not something that's wise to be arrogant about.

-- Boondocks (maboulden@gilanet.com), April 04, 2001.

Boondocks,

This is from the USDA site: The incubation period is 2-21 days (average 3-8) although virus is shed before clinical signs develop. The rate of infection (morbity) can reach 100%, however mortality can range from 5% (adults) to 75% (suckling pigs and sheep). Recovered cattle may be carriers for 18 to 24 months; sheep for 1 to 2 months. Pigs are not carriers.

Clinical signs in cattle are salivation, depression, anorexia and lameness caused by the presence or painful vesicles (blisters) in the skin of the lips, tongue, gums, nostrils, coronary bands, interdigital spaces and teats. Fever and decreased milk production usually precede the appearance of vesicles. The vesicles rupture, leaving large denuded areas which may become secondarily infected. In pigs, sheep and goats the clinical signs are similar but milder. Lameness is the predominant sign.

Because of the range of species affected, the high rate of infectivity, and the fact that virus is shed before clinical signs occur, FMD is one of the most feared reportable disease in North America. An outbreak of FMD would, (and has in the past) cost millions of dollars in lost production, loss of export markets, and loss of animals during eradication of the disease. The significance of many other reportable diseases is due to their resemblence to FMD and the importance of distinguishing between them at the earliest indications of an unusual disease outbreak.

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), April 04, 2001.

I have to agree with Eric on this one, too... I think it would be nothing at all for some one person to just 'do it.' Thinking that it would be accepted by the PETA folks doesn't even enter into it. Especially since their own "President" can't even get her facts straight. Just another 'spin.'

That one website that just went through court over 1st Amendment doesn't say anything about wanting people to go out and kill abortion doctors, but some schmuck will take it that way - wait and see.... At least that schmuck will BLAME it on that site -

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 04, 2001.

Joe,

guess it might have something to do with having to vaccinate a lot of cattle or goats, those dollars add up. it might be cost effective for small herd but not the larger ones, like 400 or so or in the thousands for numbers

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), April 04, 2001.

Boondocks:

Once an animal has had F&MD they are not immuned for life even from that particular strain out of at least seven. Immunity is apparently no more than two years, then they are again susceptible to that strain. In the mean time, they can come down with any of the other six. The impacts from the first time are permanent, such as a lower level of milk production and inability to keep on weight. Embryos do not acquire an immunity. Newborns can pick it up from nursing. Since an animal will not longer be economically sound, they would be culled as a matter of stardard practice.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

Ken, would you be so kind as to let me know your references for this information? I seem to find varying opinions on this subject, understandable I guess since present generations have little or real experience with it. I have lots of people asking me questions about this recently, and I need direct references from which to quote:

"Once an animal has had F&MD they are not immuned for life even from that particular strain out of at least seven. Immunity is apparently no more than two years, then they are again susceptible to that strain. In the mean time, they can come down with any of the other six. The impacts from the first time are permanent, such as a lower level of milk production and inability to keep on weight."

Thank you

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), April 05, 2001.

Is it true, That the real definition of PETA is:

PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS ?

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.come), April 05, 2001.

Perhaps it is time to revert back to WW2 practices and round up all PETA Members to be placed in quarentine camps until this is over. Its them or us

-- Hyperborean (scott@micronet.net), April 09, 2001.

This group is no better or worse then the militias in this country. Neither use their brains. They are extremest and believe only they are correct on anything.

When did they start calling this foot and mouth. It used to be hoof and mouth. Foot and mouth is something a lot of people get.

-- Memnoch DiVel (obviousman2002@yahoo.com), April 09, 2001.

Memnoch DiVel, I am also an Anne Rice fan!

Hoof and Mouth and Foot and Mouth are on in the same, a livestock disease. Hand, Foot and Mouth is what humans get. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 09, 2001.

While the stupidity of hoping that Hoof and Mouth gets to the US is staggering, it is good that someone pointed out that several militia groups have already been attempting this as a quick way to try and bring the government to its knees.

However, I was also remembering a letter that I read in Countryside magazine pre-Y2K by a woman who was fervently hoping that the computers would fail, so government would fall, and that everyone would be forced into a homesteading situation. People should be careful of what they wish for -- it might come about with undreamed of consequences.

I HOPE that that was an attempt at snide humor about reopening interment camps!!!

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), April 10, 2001.

Why not reopen the internment camps for PETA. We did it to the Japanese (some of the most loyal citizens) , to the Aleuts (some of the most peaceful citizens) in WW2 and throughout a part of US History, those affected with typphoid and other diseases. All of these but the Aleuts were considered a threat to the public. The Aleuts were interned for their own safety. Both situations could apply to the PETA folk. Ingrid Newkirks statements could be considered inciteful and therefore create a danger to both the public and herself. If Ingrid can suggest that freeing caged animals is good for the cause and the animals, and then a number of incidents occur where large numbers of caged animals are freed, it is highly probable that there are those that would act on her latest statements. On the other hand, we also have those that would put an end to her and other PETA folks misery abruptly if the above was considered po

-- hyperborean (scott@micronet.net), April 11, 2001.

The PETA people are completely nutters, using fanatical talk to gain attention. I'll never trust any person or group that relates to animals better than to humans.

-- amy (acook@in4web.com), April 11, 2001.

Great. Lock up everyone you consider a threat? Welcome to the new American Gestapo.

-- je (jemdall@excite.com), April 12, 2001.

I know I will regret this---I already do--- but I really have to respond to this thread. After a great deal of research and even more soul searching, I chose to join PETA last year. Yes, I disagree with many of the more radical members of the group, but, overall, I honestly believe that PETA does more good than harm. When I feel that has changed I will immediately revoke my membership. I am sure that many of you in this forum are NRA members. Do you like being classsified as gun-totin' loonies?? Of course not, and of course that is not the reality. Most members of PETA are not the extremists that you imagine. Any time you take any segment of society and group the members into a stereotype, you are doing a real disservice to yourself and others (blacks, Jews, environmentalists, vegetarians, Christians, etc.) We all live on this planet and the best we can do is to live our conscience. I think you will find that PETA's main gripe (and mine)is not with homesteaders & small family farms, but with the inhumane and, I believe, dangerous practices employed by large factory farms. I have read many links on this forum that attack factory farm products (and that being the reason many of you turned to homesteading) so I hope at least some of you can understand the desire to work toward changes in that industry. I am not a fanatic or a crazy--I am a productive, intelligent woman who chooses not to eat animals. My husband eats meat and I completely respect his decision to do so. It is a non-issue. I do, however, encourage him to eat organic, free range animal flesh. I'd also like to mention that last year PETA convinced McDonald's to purchase many of its meat products from growers that utilize more humane practices. After this agreement was made, PETA asked that its members write to thank McDonald's for this concession and that they refrain from harrassing that corporation. Yes, I find it reprehensible that the president of PETA would make the comments she did. That was, at best, very poor judgement, and I won't try to excuse her. For the record, I would not wish hoof & mouth (or any other disease)on any animal. I am sick at heart and have great sympathy for those whose animals have been slaughtered due to the threat of this disease. I have goats & sheep of my own and love them dearly. Incidentally, I wouldn't wish any disease on a human either. Caring for animal welfare does not indicate that I have any reduced desire for human welfare. We have to exist together. One poorly phrased sound bite shouldn't be used to convict an entire population. I don't want to start any arguments;I am not by nature a confrontational person. I want you all to know that I respect your beliefs. In return I hope you can respect mine.

-- Mary S. (1deal@quik.com), April 13, 2001.

Unreal. People for the Ehtical Treatment of Animals wishing that a horrendously painful disease - one in which leasions erupt in an animals mouth, colon, hooves, etc. of animals hit U.S. animals. Does she forget that it also hits horses? Pigs? Regular farmers and folks own these creatures and love them like family members. The pain the disease inflicts is unimaginable. The poor animals can barely eat or function. As Ingrid states "It would be good for animals..." It is a stunning example of how her radical viewpoints and goals have a way of warping her own ideals.

-- Tom McMahon (tmcm5670@aol.com), August 13, 2001.

These PETA people are a menace. One of the high muckety mucks was interviewed last year and the interviewer asked him, if a rowboat containing you, a 5 year old child, and a dog, capsized, and you could only save either the dog or the child, which would you save? He answered without hesitation - the dog. His rationale for this included a statement that there were already too many people in the world anyway.

If you're a member of PETA, no matter how good your intentions are, you've joined a radical group of nutcases. I'm sure some folks who joined the Nazi Party thought they didn't really mean some of the things they said, too.

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), August 13, 2001.

I don't care what PETA says, this year's Rockland Lobsterfest was such a success...I'm going to keep on eating that delicious "lobstah"!!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), August 13, 2001.