Read other letters about this article

• Thursday, September 20, 2007 11:37 AM

  PETA's Strategy is Effective

  I think it's a misunderstanding of PETA's strategy to critique if for being polarizing and alienating. PETA knows it has the effect. But their strategy is to be as shocking as possible to get the issue of animal rights into public disourse and then let the more middle of the road organizations move the regulatory and legislative agendas forward.

  In a New Yorker article a few years ago, representatives of PETA admitted as much. When asked why they don't go to Congress and try to lobby for some of their issues, they responded something to the effect of: Are you kidding? We'd be the kiss of death. They think we're crazy. We leave that up to the Humane Society and other more acceptable organizations.

  So PETA gets that they are part of a broader strategy involving other organizations than themselves. At the same time, frankly, I think it's pretty clear that they have being very effective at putting the animal rights issue on the agenda. People weren't even talking in general public discourse about animal rights before PETA. Now it's basically accepted as a real political issue. That is a huge accomplishment and it has been PETAs extreme tactics that have accomplished this.

  Their strategy really was pioneered by other organizations such as ACT UP, which accomplished the same goal for political organization around AIDS and HIV. So I think PETA deserves credit for being considerably more sophisticated about political strategy and how public discourse works. The irony is that while people dismiss PETA as being a bunch of crazy people, they actually are participating in the sensationalism that helps move PETA's agenda forward.

  —gg5555 Read gg5555's other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel