PETA, are you f*cking serious?

danniemcq

bbc wrote:

Five killer whales have been named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit which argues they deserve the same constitutional protection from slavery as humans.

A US judge is considering a complaint by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (Peta) against SeaWorld.

It is reportedly the first time a US court has heard legal arguments over whether animals should enjoy the same constitutional protections as humans.

SeaWorld's legal team said the case was a waste of time and resources.

The marine park's lawyer, Theodore Shaw, told the court in San Diego: "Neither orcas nor any other animal were included in the 'We the people'... when the Constitution was adopted."

He said that if the case were successful, it could have implications not just on how other marine parks or zoos operate, but even on the police use of sniffer dogs to detect bombs and drugs.

'Historic case'

Peta says the killer whales are treated like slaves for being forced to live in tanks and perform daily at the SeaWorld parks in California and Florida.

It is not considered likely that the whales will win their freedom, but campaigners said they were pleased the case even made it to a courtroom.

The lawsuit invokes the 13th Amendment to the constitution, which abolished "slavery or involuntary servitude" in the US.

Jeffrey Kerr, the lawyer representing the five whales, said: "For the first time in our nation's history, a federal court heard arguments as to whether living, breathing, feeling beings have rights and can be enslaved simply because they happen to not have been born human.

"By any definition these orcas have been enslaved here."

Hearing the arguments for about an hour, US District Judge Jeffrey Miller raised concerns over whether animals could be represented as plaintiffs in a lawsuit.

He will issue a ruling at a later date.

Peta names the five wild-captured orca plaintiffs as Tilikum and Katina, at SeaWorld Orlando; and Kasatka, Corky, and Ulises, at SeaWorld San Diego.

It is not Tilikum's first time in the media spotlight - he drowned his trainer before horrified spectators in February 2010, prompting a ban on the Florida park's employees entering the water to perform tricks with the orcas.

The same whale has also been linked to two other deaths.

Now I’m all for treating animals ok, no kicking them down stairs, setting them on fire etc but seriously?

In my opinion PETA do more harm than good to animal welfare. If they had been sane and explained in a calm manner that the whales were obviously in distress (by science not aura or feeling) and attempted something through the courts that way in an effort to improve conditions, get them released then fine.

But calling the Whales plaintiffs is just causing a mockery of the Justice system and people like me who care about animals suddenly find themselves distancing from the ideas of these nutters.

chin_grin

I PETA the fool(s).

BlaasForRafa

Peta should be fined for wasting court time with this utterly pointless action.

Phill Ewinn

Free Willy

smash

God damn tree whale huggers

Logical Fallacy

How come PETA don't sue sharks for subjugating other marine life?

seanybiker

People Eating Tasty Animals. Nomnomnomnom

GLaDOS

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-10/entertainment/peta.pet.shop.boys_1_west-end-girls-peta-animal-rights-group?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ

Peta wanted the petshop boys to change their name

Dravokivich

Five killer whales have been named as plaintiffs...

Prejudiuce stereotyping in this report. I recon they aren't going to have a fair trail.

Temptamperu

PETA are like poor people. If you ignore them they will go away.

wes

Sure, so I take it, we can then take animals to court for killing other animals. I for can't wait for the class action suit by Gazelles, Zebra's etc, against Lions and Tigers.....

Logical Fallacy

Dravokivich wrote: »

Prejudiuce stereotyping in this report. I recon they aren't going to have a fair trail.

The Daily Mail version will read "5 BLACK KILLER whales.........."

The King of Moo

The conceptual difference between slavery and animal captivity is surely that slavery can only be committed against a person.

So PETA are effectively arguing that these orcas are people.

Now obviously defining personhood is a tricky issue, one that's still hotly debated.
I don't think I need to go into all the possible criteria for defining a person, but I think as an animal-lover I can safely say that whales are not people.

It's silly stunts like this that make me hate PETA for giving animal-rights activism a bad image.

Anyway, whales aren't plaintiffs, they're mammals. Pfft!

CardBordWindow

Are there orca lawyers??

I want one!

TheBunk1

It is not Tilikum's first time in the media spotlight - he drowned his trainer before horrified spectators in February 2010, prompting a ban on the Florida park's employees entering the water to perform tricks with the orcas.

The same whale has also been linked to two other deaths

Tilikum should be brought before the court on charges of first-degree murder (manslaughter at least) by this logic :pac:

What a pack of f**king clowns.

stovelid

Who the hell is orca-strating this trial.

Skid

PETA should stick to having naked Supermodels do adverts for whatever it is they are campaigning about.

The 'I'd rather go naked than (whatever it was)' adverts. They were good.

44leto

I think animal should have right just not human ones.

I seen that place and the Whales it is amazing but the days of sporting animals for human display has probably had its day, even some circuses don't do that any more.

Gummy Panda

I will never forgive PETA for Super Tofu Boy!!

danniemcq

Skid wrote: »

PETA should stick to having naked Supermodels do adverts for whatever it is they are campaigning about.

The 'I'd rather go naked than (whatever it was)' adverts. They were good.

don't forget the vegans have better sex one too,

obviously they never seen or tried that scene in hot shots.

Or got completly messy and kinky and use blood for lube, sausages for dildos and 2 steaks to act like flaps

stevenmu

PETA have a list of companies that should be boycotted for testing their products on animals. One of the companies is Pedigree Chum...

That says it all.

Irish Guitarist

Bringing animals to court isn't anything new. It happened in the middle ages, although the animals were accused of crimes rather than having their freedom defended.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_trial

I remember seeing a film years ago which was a true story about a pig who was put on trial. I couldn't remember the name but after searching Google I think it was called The Hour Of The Pig. I remember the tagline on the cover of the video was something like "the defendant is a pig and the law is an ass".

I do think animals should have rights by the way. I don't think you can apply human rights to them though, or else lions will be on trial for murdering gazelles.

Frank Black

I'm currently suing a badger for slander.

That's all well and good, but where are they going to find a courthouse big enough for 5 killer whales?

smash

Deleted User wrote: »

That's all well and good, but where are they going to find a courthouse big enough for 5 killer whales?

They're innocent... the glove doesn't fit!

danniemcq

Deleted User wrote: »

That's all well and good, but where are they going to find a courthouse big enough for 5 killer whales?

Limerick, have you seen the whales that have been in court down there?

Eric Cartman

PETA members and all their supporters are just terrorists really, they value animals lives above people.

PETA members have been involved in many deaths of scientists and researchers in the name of 'animal rights'

PETA and ALF members have to be some of the most retarded people in the world

Chuck Stone

PETA are a bunch of animals.

Wait...

Gbear

The King of Moo wrote: »

It's silly stunts like this that make me hate PETA for giving animal-rights activism a bad image.

That and arson and other terrorist acts that they and their buddies partake in.

CucaFace

As much as you are right they are a bunch of muppets with how they have tried to make their point here, their actual point that whales should not be kept in tanks to perform for the amusement of humans is actually morally correct.

If anyone has seen this documentary they will know how badly many ex trainers of these mammals now thinks it effects Dolphins and i would imangine it would be the same for Killer Whales :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cove_(film)

Great Watch by the way. Especially around dinner time.

Cantona's Collars

I think PETA activists should chain themselves to the whales as a protest instead.

recylingbin

Whales are people too, man.

Cantona's Collars

recylingbin wrote: »

Whales are people too, man.

Leave the fat chicks alone:pac:

CrazyRabbit

I hope they don't win. It could lead to legal changes here and I wouldn't be allowed to continue forcing my team of monkeys to write my posts for me.

blatantrereg

I think these sorts of attention-grabbing protests undermine the professed cause of the people involved.

They euthanise 85% of animals brought into their shelters apparently. I worked in a [non-PETA] animal shelter and yes, an awful lot of the animals do need to be euthanised. Disease is a real problem in cramped conditions with lots of strays, no matter how well the place is mantained. But there's something amiss when it's 85%. Apparently they kill pit bulls out of hand, and prefer killing to keeping an animal couped up for extended periods.

Very hypocritical really. The place I worked in housed a bulldog that had eaten a rival pet greyhound (literally). The only animals which were killed were already dying.
Some animals do become very distressed from confinement. There was an alsatian which was losing its fur because of this as I understood. However an alternative to killing them is to take them for a walk or a run.

lividduck

Animals are for eating, chasing/hunting and turning into clothing and footwear!

Fear Uladh

We've all harpooned a whale once in our lives.


...wait wrong thread.:o:pac:

Guy:Incognito

Dravokivich wrote: »

Prejudiuce stereotyping in this report. I recon they aren't going to have a fair trail.

Where will the trail lead?


I disagree with this . If you start treating the Welsh like real people sheep will be getting done for zoophillia.

RichieC

God put monkeys on earth for our amusment...that's all we know Rick...THAT'S ALL WE KNOW!!!!

WoollyRedHat

What about people riding dolphins

FTGFOP

The King of Moo wrote: »

The conceptual difference between slavery and animal captivity is surely that slavery can only be committed against a person.

Corporations are people, my friend! Maybe whales too.
...
Perhaps this case will raise and interesting debate about what level of intelligence constitutes personhood. Foreshadowing future debates about whether sufficiently intricate AIs may require human/personhood rights.

Do people think that a hypothetical animal, let's say as intelligent as Homo erectus, but not humanoid would deserve 'human rights'? At what level of intelligence would one draw the line?

The King of Moo

FTGFOP wrote: »

Corporations are people, my friend! Maybe whales too.
...
Perhaps this case will raise and interesting debate about what level of intelligence constitutes personhood. Foreshadowing future debates about whether sufficiently intricate AIs may require human/personhood rights.

Do people think that a hypothetical animal, let's say as intelligent as Homo erectus, but not humanoid would deserve 'human rights'? At what level of intelligence would one draw the line?

There is some interesting research being done into whether some smarter animals have the capacity to reflect on their own thoughts, once considered to be one of the main differences between human and intelligence.

I'm sure most animals are smarter than are often given credit for, but I think in this case the whales wouldn't consider themselves to be slaves, which is the key thing. Sure they're probably not as happy as they would be in the wild, and if they're being mistreated that should be sorted out. But if they don't have a concept of slavery, then I don't think their owners can be accused of slavery.

If any animal did ever evolve into a second sentient species on this planet though, I definite think they ought to be considered people and granted human rights.

Crea

PETA are also against guide/assistance dogs for the same slavery reason. Tossers.

jockeyboard

Crea wrote: »

PETA are also against guide/assistance dogs for the same slavery reason. Tossers.

peta (and 'people' like them-vegetarians) are eating the food of my food.

Wibbs

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

What about people riding dolphins

I think that's already illegal, though there are places in the far east...

Dravokivich

jockeyboard wrote: »

peta (and 'people' like them-vegetarians) are eating the food of my food.

I prefer the line "My food shíts on your food."

Sergeant

People like Jamie Oliver and the River Cottage toff have done more for championing the cause of animal welfare than these morons ever well. And both of them are meat eaters.

ItsAWindUp

I quite like PETA

Julie London

Peta own shares in Pfizer. Pfizer test on animals. Peta have no credibility.

Ro: maaan!

Besides disliking PETA in general, does anyone have any actual problem with this court case? Wasting the American courts time/money? Is that a real concern for you? Is it that you think they are asking for too many animal rights? Do you think PETA are being hypocrital somehow specific to this case?

Basically, how is this doing more harm than good? And for the people who said they do care about animals, how can you hold it against anyone who is trying to make things better for animals when it's hurting no one?

I don't think they will win this case. I doubt they think they will win it. And no one posting here probably thinks they will win either. So where's the harm in trying and raising awareness about it? And can you really blame people for exploring every avenue for something they care about?

Is there nothing that's important to you that isn't protected by law? Don't you have any strong feelings that aren't shared by the majority?

LumpyGravy

If Orca should have the same rights as people, should these fellas be sent to the electric chair?