People may have different motivations for eating a vegetarian diet. Some chose to be a vegetarian because they want to be healthy, need to reduce weight, bring down their blood pressure and cholesterol, and manage their blood sugars. For some, it’s all about moral and ethical issues. Throughout centuries, we live with the knowledge that man is superior to all other animals on the planet. We use animals for food, clothing, shoes, belts or other accessories. We also use them for scientific experiments for medical innovations.
PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and is an organization devoted to changing that mindset among humans. They are against using animals for food or for clothing, especially for what they consider the needless or particularly inhumane use of animals, such as killing or trapping them for their fur. They are passionate about their cause. In their own words, PETA believes that animals have rights and deserve to have their best interests taken into consideration, regardless of whether they are useful to humans. Like you, they are capable of suffering and have an interest in leading their own lives; therefore, they are not ours to use—for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other reason.
We are supposedly an evolved society. But how evolved can a society be that thrives on the suffering of animals? In his excellent book, When Elephants Weep, author Jeffrey Masson explores the emotional lives of animals and presents compelling evidence for it. As a species, we must begin to re-evaluate our place on this earth and where we fit in relation to every other creature that inhabits it. PETA believes this as well and is a passionate advocate for the rights of animals.
