PETA v. Whole Foods: irrational extremism

The best solution to any problem is to focus on the root of the issue: ignore other minor, but related issues and concentrate your efforts on the heart of the problem. Seems simple and logical enough, right?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a group that passionately dedicates itself to preventing animal cruelty of all forms, repeatedly takes a different, less logical approach to the problem.  In late September, PETA released a video (very graphic, viewer discretion advised) revealing the treatment of pigs at a Pennsylvania farm that supplies around 20 Whole Foods stores in the Pittsburgh area.  Shortly after releasing the video, PETA attempted to sue Whole Foods for false marketing.

Whole Foods in no way claims to be perfect, but they’ve done more than any other organization in the nation to support and protect the humane production of meat.  They even instilled a Global Animal Partnership (GAP)-advised a five-tiered Animal Welfare Rating Program for the animal products in their stores which, according to the Humane Society of the United States, has improved the living conditions of over 300 million animals on roughly 2800 farms across the nation.  Of course there’s always room for improvement, but to sue the business who has done the most to support the cause is a completely irrational approach.

The reality is that PETA is essentially the extremist of the vegan world.  Not only does the organization promote its platform in unnecessarily graphic and frequently deceptive forms, but it also is completely intolerant of any individual or organization that does not support animal welfare at the level it deems necessary.  In early December, PETA bought billboard space in Tucson, Arizona and branded it with the message “Humane sounds nice, but it’s still murder.”  

People are going to eat meat.  There is no eye-opening message that anyone can plaster on a billboard that will change that; therefore, instead of shaming the lifestyles of individuals who choose to consume meat, the goal should simply be to make sure they’re doing it in the most humane way possible.  Whole Foods consistently does just that.  

We’re taught not to shoot the messenger, but the messenger genuinely is the problem in this scenario.  PETA has good intentions, but its way of promoting its message is less than respectable and is not going to be effective.  Making people feel inferior or cruel for their dietary choices is not going to make them support you; it will make them resent you.  

Whole Foods deserves genuine praise and support for their efforts, however imperfect they may be, because they are efforts at the very least.  We need to focus on becoming more humane and more conscious of animal welfare and that all starts with giving credit where credit is due.