PETA

PETA is well known across the country and I learned yesterday that it is known in other countries as well. I first heard of PETA when I decided that I wanted to become vegetarian and I searched for information. That year I signed a petition and I received stickers in the mail. Since that I’ve been receiving information about PETA, but I never felt like signing petitions was enough. I’ve always wanted to change the world and this seemed like a wonderful opportunity. However, I got too caught up in my life and forgot about this goal.

It was very convenient that professor Bump took us to see the PETA/SACA display because it helped us be aware there are students at UT who are actively working on improving the lives of animals and doing what they can to prevent cruelty to animals. This display was appropriate for our class because people’s ethics allow them to mistreat animals when in reality they should be treated just like any other human being. I admire these people and I want to become one of them. I wrote down my information on a list they had and I can’t wait to get information and get involved in this student organization. I will finally begin working on my goal and make a change.
The displays that were shown yesterday were impressive. The purpose of the gruesome pictures was to give people a visual of how animals are mistreated and I can tell you that they did this effectively. The message that they were trying to get through was to show people that animals are just like us.

One of these pictures said “They’re just like us” and when I read this, I automatically thought of Lewis Carroll. Like PETA, Carroll wanted people to treat animals as well as they treated people. This is why he gave the animals human traits in Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. However, Carroll wrote his book a long time ago and I don’t think he had a great impact on how animals were mistreated. Instead, people focused on the symbolism in the books and they tried to justify his reasons for writing what he wrote. On the other hand, the main focus of PETA is to save animals and inform people about animal cruelty.

I spoke to one of the girls in that were giving out freebies to people and I asked about how SACA (Students Against Cruelty to Animals) is involved in the community and she seemed so optimistic about making a change. She told me about their meetings on Tuesdays and how they are trying so hard to even make a small change. I admired that she was realistic about the changes that she can make as a student and still remained optimistic to take those “baby steps” to ultimately make a bigger change.