I just want to say that I completely, 100% wholeheartedly support the making of this video, designed to call attention to the scenes that are featured toward the end.
I suspect a lot of the outrage directed toward it is from people who never got around to watching the final images of chickens being slammed against the wall. The woman stripping in the video looked perfectly able to object to objectification, whereas the calf hanging upside down while bleeding to death fully conscious didn't look to be in a position to object.
(God, now I wish I hadn't watched. I'm shaking and crying again. Someone get me a Xanax.)
I wish they'd found some way to alternate the stripping with the animal torture footage and make those people who just want to see the nudity watch the real abuse.
I also wish I hadn't watched.
Posted by: SusanV | January 28, 2007 at 03:07 PM
Yeah, I was thinking that too. It would have been more effective.
Posted by: KathyF | January 28, 2007 at 03:51 PM
I think making the ad that way would have equated the objectification of women with animal abuse. A different ad and message entirely.
Posted by: Roxanne | January 28, 2007 at 04:51 PM
How were women objectified, exactly? Are you saying that when models pose nude for paintings and photography they're objectified?
Posted by: KathyF | January 28, 2007 at 06:16 PM
I think the ad made multiple points...one, there's an unfortunate fact of life in our government that, to get attention, you have to 'give them what they want.' The other is that the treatment of animals is, indeed, horrendous. Both messages are worth seeing I hated seeing the end of the ad, but it has me thinking about my choices. I don't see that the ad objectified women...it simply made a point.
Posted by: John | January 28, 2007 at 11:13 PM
Lest I leave a mistaken impression that I support PETA, I don't. I think they have some valid points about the treatment of animals used for food, but I think their perspective is on the far end of extreme in many cases...jus to clarify.
Posted by: John | January 28, 2007 at 11:22 PM
John, you bring up good points, one that I hadn't really recognized in the video. I think a lot of people are having a kneejerk reaction to it--and I'm not sure why; perhaps because they're not ready to examine their food choices?
I wish everyone would watch with as open a mind as you.
Posted by: KathyF | January 28, 2007 at 11:27 PM
I think PETA gets a lot of bad press, most of it undeserved. I was surprised at the myths out there--that PETA are the ones spraypainting women wearing fur, for instance. That never happened. Other groups did that, and PETA was blamed.
Posted by: KathyF | January 28, 2007 at 11:29 PM