Same shit – different day

This is a PETA video featuring Joaquin Phoenix and talks about using Exotic Animals in fashion.

FULL DISCLAIMER: I have not, nor intend to, watch the video below due to it’s graphic (extremely graphic) nature.  Please watch this video at your own risk.

This video was featured on Perez Hilton and The Evil Beet yesterday.  While I could have a great post about this topic, I’ll just share some comments I found on both sites….

From Perez Hilton’s Post:

YUCK says:

sorry peta but I love leather, mink, snake skin, croc and everything else that is probably against your agenda.

DRME85 says:

okay! i do see where this guy is coming from, but quite honestly, it’s not as bad as it seems–reptiles and other animals reproduce constantly. Now what, is PETA going to target McDonald’s or other major food chain restaurants because they kill animals to make their meals–give me a break. What ticks me as well is that PETA LOOOVESSSS to target celebrities because they use fur and they have a childish manner to call them “ugly” and other lame words. Please PETA, spare your time and focus on more important things like World Hunger, War, Poverty, etc. If you feel like targeting someone, then target the “main source”, not the celebrities. Quite honestly, I’m not going to become vegan nor vegetarian because I sit back and think that animals are being killed, I am human and I do love my meat which is essential to my diet. PETA–I’m sure you guys have been hypocrites by what you eat or what you own (a leather wallet/couch/purse = comes from cows = “animal cruelty”).

See? It’s not as bad as it seems! Reptiles and other animals reproduce constantly, so there!

He goes on to say:

look you asshole, you and your fruity group of peta lovers need to calm the hell down and focus on what’s important out there in life and that’s human beings. you are alive because of us and because of the flesh of animals YOU CONSUME.

Go Humans!  Wait, I haven’t consumed the flesh of animals in years- and I’m alive…..

And hcoboy had this to say:

but the skins just look soooooo pretty on people lol…..eh whatever i like my leather stuff, and furs, and seeing my friends that are girls with reptile clothing its life we will get over it…..correct me if im wrong but isnt this called survival of the fittest? yes ima save the poor little snake that atacks babys in their cribs…fucken yeah right, ima eat, wear, and love fur

Obviously we’d be foolish not to listen to someone with dem writin’ skilz.

And of course, from lizzylou:

I do agree that this is cruel and unnecessary. These animals should not be treated this way for human enjoyment; HOWEVER, PETA are a bunch of terrorists in the way they try to get their message across. Almost going so far as to value the animal lives over human lives. Is that right? No. (Well Maybe in some cases the animals are better) But we do not understand other cultures and the role that some animals play and it is not for us the almighty USofA to condemn other cultures and their way of life. Vegetarianism, veganism is an elitist thing. Third world countries depend on slaughtering animals for their own survival. PETA would have them eating beetle-ridden grain instead. Also, these alternatives. Just how are they made? In some factory somewhere that releases toxic emissions? Yeah, think about that tree huggers.

Since when does compassion fall under “elitist?”

Moving on over to The Evil Beet’s comments..

Alice says:

Yes it’s uncomfortable to watch, but PETA conveniently never mentions the communities who a) make full use of the dead animal (ex: seals up North) and b) depend on the money garnered from animal skin trade. They think they can fix the problem by not buying an Alligator bag? Dream on PETA, and try some empathy for your fellow humans sometime.

Why is it every time that someone shows empathy towards animals, that they are accused of not having any towards humans?  Humans are animals, right?

Megan:

Ok….get informed  The seals are killed in the most humane way possible. When clubbed, they are killed instantly, however they are most often shot, which also kills them instantly.

Did you know that those celebrity protestors who cuddle next to the baby seals are doing more dammage to them than the hunters are? (seeing how they do not kill the whitecoats). By touching a white coat, their scent is changed, making them unrecognizable to the mother seal, and therefore causing her to reject her offspring, (eventually causing the death of the whitecoat)

If we let all the seals live, they would become so overpopulated that they would all starve to death (which is so much more humane…..), and they would eat all the Cod fish, causing the species to become endangered again (but they’re not cute, so you don’t care)

Stop listening to PETA, learn for yourself then form your own opinions. Some people are so ignorant of reality, it drives me nuts..

Yes, what would we do without humans here to manipulate an entire planet’s worth of animals and ecosystems?  How would animals know that they are supposed to die if we don’t kill them?!

But Megan doesn’t stop there.  She goes on to say:

So what happens when we all stop eating meat, and all the animals become overpopulated and a majority of them die of starvation because there is not enough food for them all to eat?

Don’t worry, we won’t let you starve.  We’ll kill you first.  Good plan.

You thought she was done?  Nope.

I am in the same boat as you, it’s extremely tough to watch videos about this, but after all the hype with the seal hunt that’s going on right now, I can’t help but support the industry.

I’ve seen people whose main income has been taken away because no one will buy their products, false claims by groups like PETA which make it seem like the hunters are barbarians, and at some point during this, a lightbulb went off for me. At what point do we stop humanizing animals, and worry about all the starving, homeless people in the world?

I would never kill an animal, because I would not feel comfortable doing so, but I know people who do, and I support them. Especially if they are using every part of the animal that they can, and putting nothing to waste. I’d rather see a few people eating some seal or some beef than see them all starving to death (which I think is worse suffering than a quick gunshot or blow to the head).

Oh well, I’ve stirred up enough shit on here, time for me to leave :)

Humanizing animals, I think, is what she is using to describe compassion– I think.

Vegans are considered radicals and fanatics when expressing their ideas and beliefs.  You know, the whole “don’t shove your lifestyle down my throat” thing?  Right.  But omnivores are merely “expressing themselves” in their comments.  Really?  Who’s attacking whom?

Learn more about exotic animals used in the fashion industry by taking a trip to Commercial Street and visiting our fashion boutique,  Le Fashionia.  Once you go, you’ll never be the same.