# PETA to boycott KFC **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 7, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098 "2003-01-07T04:18:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/1 "2003-01-07T04:18:38Z")
As seen in this link: [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030106/ap\_on\_re\_us/peta\_kfc\_4](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030106/ap_on_re_us/peta_kfc_4) PETA has announced it is going to be boycotting KFC because it claims that the methods they use to raise and kill their chickens are inhumane. Not to debate whether PETA’s allegations are true or not, but it’s my impression that a boycott works because a group of consumers of a company’s products, upset by some policy of that company, refuse to buy the products until the policy is changed. The company, suffering from loss in sales, changes their policy because the boycott is hurting their business. Now, I might be wrong, but I get the impression that members of PETA are unlikely to eat at KFC anyway, because PETA is an organization promoting vegetarianism, and KFC doesn’t have vegetarian main courses. That being a case,how can PETA boycott them? “Either change your policies, or we will refuse to buy the products we have no intention of buying from you anyway!” isn’t that frightening a threat. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/2 "2003-01-07T04:23:00Z")
LOL! Excellent point. 😃 Yes, I’m sure KFC is going to be wringing their hands over this one…“What can we do to get these customers back into our store?” PETA, always good for a laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/3 "2003-01-07T04:26:09Z")
Stupid antics like this one from PETA get a chuckle from me. But PETA’s support of groups like ELF push them from the ‘Stupid but harmless’ category to the ‘Stupid and malicious’ category. But vegetarians boycotting a chicken joint…The logic of it is unique. ---
**Author:** ![loinburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/db5fbb/32.png) [@loinburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loinburger)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/4 "2003-01-07T04:26:46Z")
ELF? ---
**Author:** ![jjrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jjrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjrt)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/5 "2003-01-07T04:27:29Z")
quote: PETA said it wants an end to “crude and ineffective electric stunning and throat-slitting” of chickens, How many ways are there to kill a chicken? Besides wringing the neck off. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/6 "2003-01-07T04:39:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by loinburger \* > \*\*ELF? \*\* Elf: “The water sprite, known also Elb from which the name of the River Elbe is said to be derived. Elves are more properly known as mountain fairies or those airy creatures that dance on the grass or sit in the leaves of trees and delight in the full moon.” Or, **E** arth **L** iberation **F** ront. Not nice people, who engage in acts of destruction to further their cause. (Not quite sure what their cause is, though…) ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/7 "2003-01-07T04:49:27Z")
Chester Fried Chicken is still PETA approved. All of their chickens have died peacefully of old age. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/8 "2003-01-07T04:56:15Z")
PETA is plain and simple a terrorist organization. Albeit a rather benign one. But who knows what goes on underground. ---
**Author:** ![Ulterior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/85f322/32.png) [@Ulterior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulterior)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/9 "2003-01-07T05:02:49Z")
**Captain Amazing** , I’m guessing that they will try to convince other people, who do eat at KFC, not to eat there anymore. -Ulterior ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/10 "2003-01-07T05:07:08Z")
Like they don’t already? Every PETA person I’ve ever met was a vegetarian or a vegan already… and every one of them ragged on me to become likewise. Precisely what are they gonna do that they aren’t already doing? ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/11 "2003-01-07T05:39:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjrt \* > \*\*quote: > PETA said it wants an end to “crude and ineffective electric stunning and throat-slitting” of chickens, > > How many ways are there to kill a chicken? Besides wringing the neck off. \*\* That’s not necessarily the problem. In the meat processing plants that the fast food industry patronizes, SPEED is of essence in slaughtering. Animals are half-killed by hurried, sloppy workers, and are, uhm, \* processed \* alive. I will never forget to my dying day a video I saw of a cow being skinned alive because the “knocker” didn’t do its job properly. > [@](#): > > That being a case,how can PETA boycott them? “Either change your policies, or we will refuse to buy the products we have no intention of buying from you anyway!” isn’t that frightening a threat. It worked with [Burger King](http://www.peta.org/news/NewsItem.asp?id=207) who was pressured into more humane standards. > [@](#): > > Captain Amazing, I’m guessing that they will try to convince other people, who do eat at KFC, not to eat there anymore. Exactly. While PETA does urge people to go Veg., but they produce the information for we omnivores. I boycott resturants when PETA (and other sources) announces cruelty. I still haven’t returned to McDonalds, and won’t, until their cattle-processing methods become less cruel. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have no problem whatsoever with eating animals. What I do have a problem with is keeping them in cruel, inhumane conditions, and making the animal suffer, instead of giving it a quick, painless-as-possible death ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/12 "2003-01-07T05:52:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lissa \* > I still haven’t returned to McDonalds, and won’t, until their cattle-processing methods become less cruel. \*\* Since when does McDonald’s use cattle? ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/13 "2003-01-07T06:02:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjrt \* > \*\*quote: > PETA said it wants an end to “crude and ineffective electric stunning and throat-slitting” of chickens, > > How many ways are there to kill a chicken? Besides wringing the neck off. \*\* According to their website, they want chickens to be slaughtered using gas. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/14 "2003-01-07T06:50:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Since when does McDonald’s use cattle? Beef? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/15 "2003-01-07T06:53:36Z")
Isn’t this like Sara Brady saying she isn’t going to buy any more AR-15’s until they do something about the laser scope? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/16 "2003-01-07T07:01:18Z")
[http://www.peta.org/liv/animaltimes/498/actions.html](http://www.peta.org/liv/animaltimes/498/actions.html) > [@](#): > > **War on Wheaties** > > When the “Breakfast of Champions” decided to feature bass fisher Denny Brauer on its cereal boxes, we wrote to Wheaties’ maker, General Mills, citing the millions of animals who suffer and die from injuries caused by discarded fishing hooks and tackle—as well as the suffering of the fish themselves. > > Wrote PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, “Anglers have no place next to real athletes who better represent the ‘Breakfast of Champions.’” News of our anti-fishing campaign appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Toronto Globe and Mail. [http://www.countrylinemagazine.com/outdoors\_peta.htm](http://www.countrylinemagazine.com/outdoors_peta.htm) > [@](#): > > Wheaties today responded to protestors from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) who made an appearance at General Mills’ (NYSE: GIS) Minneapolis headquarters. Despite the fact that more than 60 million Americans currently enjoy the sport of fishing, PETA has called for a boycott of a special-edition Wheaties box that features the FLW Tour Angler of the Year, Denny Brauer. > > In response, Wheaties released the following statement: “We’re sorry that PETA is objecting to the Denny Brauer bass fishing box. We certainly respect their right to object and protest our decision. But we must disagree with PETA when they say that fishing is not a sport. > > There are over 60 million anglers in the country who wet their line every year and who believe very strongly that bass fishing is a sport. We’re proud of our association with them. The timing of this protest is particularly unfortunate. We’re sure that PETA was unaware of it, but for every box of Wheaties sold through November 6, we are donating 10 cents to the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.” > > \< snip \> > > The Denny Brauer Wheaties box was so popular that consumers bought up nearly 75% of them within the first week of their release earlier this month. ---
**Author:** ![Doc\_Nickel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Doc\_Nickel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Nickel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/17 "2003-01-07T07:16:55Z")
Heck, I’ve been boycotting KFC for years, but only because their chicken tastes like deep-fried sofa cushion. As for inefficient processes, the beef I had in my last Big Mac was pretty damned dead. How much more efficient do you need? Great, out of the 4.8 _billion_ or so cattle slaughtered last year (okay, maybe not quite that many) one slipped through the cracks and suffered an extra minute or two. _It’s a cow._ Half a step up from a fuzzy rock. Insensitive? Perhaps. I also know that, if the producer gives in to a more “humane” way today, in ten years they’ll require that the guy with the stun gun personally soothe and cuddle the cow before slipping it the syringe of sodium penothol, and to make sure when it passes on, it lands comfortably on a soft matress. PETA is an _extremist_ organization. They call for only “gentler” methods today because they know they can’t yet stop it outright. But their end goal, after all, is that no one, nowhere, no how, uses any form of animal product. All animals are free, not hunted, disturbed or chased, not kept for pets, not used as aids or guide animals, not used for fur, leather, milk or eggs, etcetera, ad nauseum. (In which case we’ll all have to use a great deal more synthetic products, which increases our demand and consumption of oil, which is itself being targeted by ELF and Earth First… so basically if they all had their way, we’d be huddling under grass skirts in the woods, eating roots. But that’s another thread.) ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/18 "2003-01-07T07:19:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\*Isn’t this like Sara Brady saying she isn’t going to buy any more AR-15’s until they do something about the laser scope? \*\* Well, she might get one for her kid. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/19 "2003-01-07T07:53:41Z")
Lets hope PETA doesn’t read _The Secret Life Of Plants_. If they find out that even plants may have cognition, we could all starve to death. Wait a minute. I can see it now. We send a copy to every PETA member and make sure they know about it. They change the name of the organization to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Plants (PETAAP), stop eating plants, too, and in a few weeks the problem of the “ethical” terrorists is solved. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098/20 "2003-01-07T08:18:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cckerberos \* > \*\*According to their website, they want chickens to be slaughtered using gas. \*\* So they want to gas the chickens to death, then have us eat them, gas and all. DDT, anyone? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-to-boycott-kfc/147098.md?page=2)