# Unhappy Meals **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2000, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020 "2000-06-20T18:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Brea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Brea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brea)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/61 "2000-06-23T07:13:21Z")
_said sweetly and with a large smile_ Any strangers hand my children ANYTHING without my approval FIRST, they lose a fucking body part. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/62 "2000-06-23T13:56:34Z")
In reverse order: > [@](#): > > Oh, and attempt to keep a civil tongue in your head if and when you reply, or you won’t see any response from me. Says the Queen of He-Hit-Me-First and the Duchess of Do-As-I-Say-Not-As-I-Do . . . > [@](#): > > I have better things to do with my time than reply to impotent dickheads That was pretty civil. But I can already predict your response: “He hit me first.” Cunt. > [@](#): > > who can’t even track what the topic of a single thread is. I don’t think that’s asking too much. I doubt you talk to your wife that way; she doesn’t look like the type that would stand it, and neither will I. a) You aren’t my wife. If you want to live with me and build a life with me, I’ll consider speaking differently to you. Pending that, you’re just some fucking idiot. b) You don’t even _know_ my wife, and that fact that she has begun posting here doesn’t entitle you to make assumptions about her. If you have a question for her, ask her. c) She’s seen and heard of your posts for some time now, and she pretty much thinks you’re a cunt, too, although she’d never use the word. d) It’s extremely tacky to attempt to co-opt another person’s spouse as a tacit supporter of your position. FTR, she feels more strongly about the animal rights topic than **I** do. > [@](#): > > Well, yes. See “carcass-munching goat-felchers” and “fucking jackasses”. Since you wrote that, it’s a little disengenous (okay, a lot) for you to pretend you don’t remember it. :::glances at forum title:::: I _am_ in the Pit, right? Perhaps you have different recollections of what goes on in the Pit than I do. It isn’t my goddamned fault you suffer from cognitive dissonance. > [@](#): > > Poor Phil. My heart bleeds for you, really it does. But in point of fact, if you’d stop going ape-shit long enough to notice, this thread isn’t about vegetarians, it’s about PETA. Yeah, because threads never go off-topic or anything. Jesus, how long have you been posting here now? > [@](#): > > I don’t believe I’ve ever said vegetarians are terrible people and certainly no one else in this thread did, either. So maybe you need to decide just what windmill you’re tilting at. Do you need a guided reading? Hey, Sledman, what do you think of vegetarians, besides the fact that they are “too fucking stupid to speak for themselves”? > [@](#): > > Uh, right. And passing out “Unhappy Meals” to toddlers brings this home how? It really doesn’t; it’s a tactic most people are likely to resent – some seriously, as I would if I caught them foisting that shit off on my child instead of approaching me. So, again, it’s perfectly OK to you for McDonald’s to devote a major portion of their advertising budget towards marketing for children, in fact basing their entire ad concept for children on **anthropomorphized food** like talking hamburgers and happy little McNuggets; but it _isn’t_ OK for PETA to say, “OK, if you’re going to market to kids, so are we, except we aren’t going to depict processed chicken as happy little whatsits, we’re going to tell them how that chicken got there.”? Corporations can get away with anything, but not PETA! Heavens! > [@](#): > > See, this is really debatable. If you “shock and outrage” people, you run the very real risk of alienating them from the goals you purport to seek; they’re not listening to you, they’re laughing at you, and making mental notes to stay as far away from you as possible. Just like Christians! (rimshot) OK, that was gratuitous, but it was fun. > [@](#): > > This, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with the ridiculous concept of “Unhappy Meals”. It has to do with the overall concept of bringing issues of animal cruelty to the attention of people who wouldn’t otherwise know, and to combatting the policies of corporate America towards misrepresenting their products, especially to children. Don’t children deserve to know how their food got there, and what it went through on the way? > [@](#): > > So, despite your insulting invective (par for the course from you), Oh, please. Your hypocrisy in this regard is so well-established as to be legendary among the rank-and-file of the SDMB. Don’t pretend otherwise. [quote you actually AGREE with me. That’s got to rankle.[/quote] I never, and have never, at any time claimed that every PETA campaign was brilliantly conceived, so it doesn’t rankle at all. For the record, my wife and I told them we thought “Got Beer?” was a pretty stupid idea. OTOH, I feel the McDonald’s campaign is a good idea. But feel free to pretend I said something I didn’t. > [@](#): > > Well, no; that’s not the limit of their “message,” which I doubt anyone should disagree with. You’d be amazed. People in Ohio actively lobbied against a proposed increase in the penalties for animal cruelty. > [@](#): > > They don’t want people to eat meat; they don’t want people to drink milk for God’s sake; they don’t want people to use life-saving medications, if created at the expense of an animal life; they don’t want people to test on animals, even if animal-testing saves thousands of human lives. Don’t misinterpret their mission when defending them; it only makes your argument seem that much weaker. The fact that I am a member does not imply that I actively endorse every facet of their mission or that I don’t attempt to encourage them to refocus it, any more than being a registered Democrat means I endorse every plank in their platform, and you’re smart enough to know that. Their stated philosophy is that animals are not our property to do whatever we want with, and I agree with that. PunditLisa: > [@](#): > > I agree with you that it seems very distasteful (no pun intended) to have a corporate banner hanging on school grounds. But the bottom line is that schools need money so they’ve resorted to prostituting themselves to big corporations. Feel free to protest this practice, but you might want to come up with a “Plan B” for funding the new gym while you’re waving the “McDonald’s sucks!” banner in front of a school board. Not that McDonald’s personally has been the beneficiary of such a thing (they may or may not), but it seems disingenuous to me for cities to give away enormous property tax abatements, a portion of which would go to schools, to big corporations, then for the school districts to go panhandling at the doors of those same corporations for sponsorhips. Now, on to Pepperlandgirl: > [@](#): > > When you want to sway someone to your beliefs, you focus on adults. PETA has NO RIGHT to force their beliefs on children, nobody does. Pardon me for the tangent, but coming from someone who is a member of one of the most missionary religions in the world, that’s pretty funny. > [@](#): > > Scaring a child to make them stop eating meat is low, underhanded, cowardly, and disgusting. If showing them where dinner came from is scary, maybe that says something about their dinner. > [@](#): > > If testing medicine on animals saves one persons life, then that’s FUCKING GREAT. One life? Right. There’s cost/benefit analysis for you. > [@](#): > > If I work my ass off and save for a brand new white mink full-length coat, I have every FUCKING RIGHT to wear it with pride, Yep. And I have every FUCKING RIGHT to show you where your coat came from. > [@](#): > > without the fear of some bunny hugging, sheep fucking, cow loving asshole throwing paint on it. I do not endorse criminal trespass or vandalism in the cause of animal rights. Or anything else. > [@](#): > > As somebody who regularly goes to public schools, I have one thing to say about corporate sponsorship. So the fuck what? Are all of you self-rightious “Get McDonald’s out of our schools!” idiots willing to pay higher taxes? You willing to fork over your own hard earned money? Well, if everybody was willing to do that, school’s wouldn’t have the problems they are now experiencing. The city of Cleveland has given away **tens of millions** of dollars in property tax abatements to billionaire developers over the last two decades. The city of Cleveland has some of the worst schools in the nations. A large portion of those tens of millions of dollars would have gone to the schools. You do the fucking math. Until you do, don’t talk to me about “the community.” The community went to the people and the city, and told them, “Give all the abatements you want, but you’ll have to make up the schools’ portion from another part of the city budget.” You know what happened? The mayor of Cleveland **actively campaigned against the schools** , and he LIED to the public, telling them that the people wanted to \>gasp\< KILL future development in Cleveland by ENDING tax abatements. > [@](#): > > They aren’t asking YOU to do anything. YOU don’t even have to get up off your fat vegetarian, PETA-loving, cow kissing ass. . . . but nobody has said anything bad about vegetarians in general, right? 1 ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/63 "2000-06-23T15:19:29Z")
pldennison I give up what else do I think about vegetarians? I am not and will never be a vegetarian. I enjoy the tast of meat. If you want to eat veggies more power to you. I could care less if you are a vegetarian. No really I mean that. I won’t fall asleep tonight thinking your a whacko for that. For being a member of PETA maybe but for being a vegetarian, no. To be honest I won’t even be thinking about you. I did state that vegetarians are apparently too fucking stupid to speak for themselves. Apparently they are. They are displayed as kooks because the only real presence made by the vegetarian community in the media is by PETA. So if you want to try to win this argument by putting words in my mouth why don’t you tell me what I am thinking. Oh wait you have no fucking clue. Apparently you are also one of the PETA whackos. Did you not say you were renewing your membership to spite us. :rolleyes: Apparently that was the only good reason you could come up with to rejoin. Let’s see when people think of PETA what do they think of…hmmm Whackos. Hello… that should tell you something right there about your organization. Do you tell people your a PETA member? Ever watch their reaction when you do? I would guess the first thought that goes through most of their minds is “Oh Boy here we go!” How many acres of wetlands did PETA restore last year? Did they preserve anything? Besides coming up with ludicrous campaigns that further alienate them from the American public what does your organization accomplish? If you are concerned about the environment join an organization that accomplishes something. If it is about animal rights and your feelings are so strong maybe you should found a new organization that does not take the militant approach that PETA takes. Hmmm… Christ I’m almost sorry I just said that because it is such a good idea for the animal rights activists. Think about the Civil Rights movement… the difference between Malcolm and Martin. You might have some success this way. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/64 "2000-06-23T15:28:34Z")
Phil, You might want to think about what you are doing in this thread. Obviously, you and the members of PETA feel very strongly what the use of animals by humans. I take it that you want to persuade other people to give up their meat and leather and treat animals kindly. Well, look at the effect you have had here. you have managed to anger every poster here, and you have managed to persuade people to become raging carnivores. was that what you wanted? you might want to think about ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/65 "2000-06-23T15:39:13Z")
Phil, You might want to think about what you are doing in this thread. Obviously, you and the members of PETA feel very strongly what the use of animals by humans. I take it that you want to persuade other people to give up their meat and leather and treat animals kindly. Well, look at the effect you have had here. you have managed to anger every poster here, and you have managed to persuade people to become raging carnivores. was that what you wanted? You might want to think about being polite and persuasive, not argumentative and irrational. > [@](#): > > Says the Queen of He-Hit-Me-First and the Duchess of Do-As-I-Say-Not-As-I-Do . . . Namecalling? C’mon. > [@](#): > > That was pretty civil. But I can already predict your response: “He hit me first.” Cunt. That’s just vile. > [@](#): > > I doubt you talk to your wife that way; she doesn’t look like the type that would > stand it, and neither will I. Read that again. Jodih was saying talk to her as you would talk to your wife. > [@](#): > > a) You aren’t my wife. If you want to live with me and build a life with me, I’ll consider speakingdifferently to you. Pending that, you’re just some fucking idiot. > b) You don’t even know my wife, and that fact that she has begun posting here doesn’t entitle you to > make assumptions about her. If you have a question for her, ask her. Jodi made no assumptions about your wife. > [@](#): > > c) She’s seen and heard of your posts for some time now, and she pretty much thinks you’re a cunt, > too, although she’d never use the word. Again, that word is vile, and even in the Pit, it’s way over the line. > [@](#): > > d) It’s extremely tacky to attempt to co-opt another person’s spouse as a tacit supporter of your position. FTR, she feels more strongly about the animal rights topic than I do Jodih said nothing about your wife’s position on animal rights. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/66 "2000-06-23T15:56:27Z")
Slemand: > [@](#): > > If you are concerned about the environment join > an organization that accomplishes something. If it is about animal rights and your feelings are so strong maybe you should found a new organization that does not take the militant approach that PETA takes. Hmmm… Christ I’m almost sorry I just said that because it is such a good idea for the animal rights activists. Think about the Civil Rights movement… the difference between Malcolm and Martin. You might have some success this way. To turn the tables, why don’t you tell me what other environmental and pro-animals organizations I am already a member of. Apparently you think the answer is “none.” In any case, vegetarians and animal-rights advocates are so marginalized and maligned in American society that even such benign organizations like The Fund for Animals, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Farm Animal Reform Movement are derided as strident freaks. People, as Kimstu noted, like to believe that animals are our toys to play with. goboy: > [@](#): > > Namecalling? C’mon. Apparently selectivity in noticing this sort of stuff afflicts everyone around here. Can I call your attention to: “bile-filled prick,” “wacked-out idiots,” “impotent dickheads,” etc.? (Predicted response: “Phil hit her first.”) (re: calling jodih a “cunt”) > [@](#): > > That’s just vile. Sorry, but that’s what I think she is. I’ve always thought so, and absent a remarkable redemption, I’ll continue to think so. Even when I’ve tried to be nice to her, I’ve gotten kicked in the teeth, so fuck her. > [@](#): > > Read that again. Jodih was saying talk to her as you would talk to your wife. The fact that I have a wife does not confer on me an obligation to treat other people as a treat my wife. Do you treat everyone like you treat your spouse? Besides, what’s jodih going to do, when she “doesn’t stand for it”? Not respond to me? The horror! > [@](#): > > Jodi made no assumptions about your wife. Except about what she will and won’t stand for. > [@](#): > > Again, that word is vile, and even in the Pit, it’s way over the line. Oh, grow up. jodih doesn’t seem particularly hurt by it, and nobody got injured. > [@](#): > > Jodih said nothing about your wife’s position on animal rights. The implicit message was, “Be careful getting my wife’s dander up on the issue of animal rights and PETA, and especially don’t drag her name into your argument and use it against her husband in a thread in which you’re disagreeing with her and calling her a wacko.” ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/67 "2000-06-23T16:11:27Z")
Here is part of Jodih’s first post: > [@](#): > > But they keep doing these stunts – and that’s what they are, no more or less – and they just look like a bunch of whacked-out nuts. Even if I was a vegetarian (which I’m not) who objected to the use of animals for any purpose (which I don’t), I STILL wouldn’t support PETA and risk people thinking I’m as crazy as they are. Here’s part of PLDennison’s first post: > [@](#): > > So I suppose you bunch of carcass-munching goat-felchers are equally upset over: a) public schools – PUBLIC SCHOOLS, fer chrissakes – who allow McDonald’s to “sponsor” things in their schools, in exchange for which McDonald’s gets to supply food to the cafeterias as well as FLY A > McD’s FLAG ON THE FUCKING SCHOOL FLAGPOLE So who started namecalling first, hmm? PL, you are not winning the hearts and minds of SDMB with your attitude. In the Pit, you can be mean and abusive, if that’s what you want, but if your aim is to persuade people that that animals have rights, you’re doing a very poor job of it. ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/68 "2000-06-23T16:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > In any case, vegetarians and animal-rights advocates are so marginalized and maligned in American society that even such benign organizations like The Fund for Animals, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Farm Animal Reform Movement are derided as strident freaks. People, as Kimstu noted, like to believe that animals are our toys to play with. Color me stupid but… never heard of any of them. So they are either regionalized or not large enough to make any “noise” on the national media circuit. Blame PETA and the other extremists in your organizations for this characterization not us. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/69 "2000-06-23T16:34:50Z")
2 small points: Pepperland: you told Phil to get off his fat vegetarian ass? Aren’t you being a little bit inaccurate there? Is he fat? Are You? Aren’t you knocking all overweight people there? goboy: nope, he hasn’t angered Me. He making a point, which is what PETA is doing also: look how many folks know about it,agreeing or disagreeing. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/70 "2000-06-23T16:40:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > Color me stupid but… never heard of any of them. So they are either regionalized or not large enough to make any “noise” on the national media circuit. > > \*\* Haaaaaaaaahahahahahaha! Listen, I’m no PETA supporter (hell, I’m a carnivore), but geez! You just _made PETA’s case._ All these organizations exist, are trying to do their thing, and you know exactly zero about them. Because they aren’t controversial and don’t do wacky stunts. But you know about PETA. Because they are and do. _Capice_? ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/71 "2000-06-23T16:41:10Z")
> [@](#): > > So who started namecalling first, hmm? Dingdingdingdingding–For matching my predicted response, you win a No-Prize! (With apologies to Stan Lee.) – First, way to dishonestly post out of sequence. My first post, which you quoted as if it were a response to jodih, was in fact posted by me BEFORE she posted. –Secondly, it was in keeping with the spirit of the Pit, in which “goat-felcher” is often used in a humorous manner. (You can, if you eat meat, hardly take issue with “carcass-munching.” That is, after all, exactly what you’re doing.) –Thirdly, prior to my even posting, PETA, of which I am a former and future card-carrying member and a supporter, was referred to as: “cracked,” “wacko,” “idiots,” “stupid,” “[potential]child abusers,” “morons,” “nut jobs” ad nauseaum. So, tell me, **who** started name-calling first? > [@](#): > > PLD, you are not winning the hearts and minds of SDMB with your attitude. In the Pit, you can be mean and abusive, if that’s what you want, I didn’t know I needed a note, or that the Pit had some other, more noble purpose. Jesus, what planet are some of you from? > [@](#): > > but if your aim is to persuade people that that animals have rights, you’re doing a very poor job of it. 99% of you are not even in a position to be persuaded thus. Don’t pretend that you are. Looking back, this one from Silver\_Fire kills me: > [@](#): > > These kids are about to sit down and enjoy a HAPPY meal That’s kind of their point, you dolt–it isn’t really all that happy if you’re the one tortured, slaughtered and eaten. Colorful cartoons of anthropomorphized hamburgers notwithstanding, of course. > [@](#): > > (if they haven’t already) and PETA’s just going to barge in and shove pictures of dead animals . . . in their faces. That’s just fucking sick. So it’s OK to shove an **actual dead animal** in their face (and ask them to eat it!), but not a picture of one? Hooooo boy. Why are people so terrified of children learning how dinner got to their table? Is there something, I don’t know, WRONG with the process? ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/72 "2000-06-23T16:41:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > goboy: nope, he hasn’t angered Me. He making a point, which is what PETA is doing also: look how many folks know about it,agreeing or disagreeing. > \*\* Counterpoint People know that PETA is doing something stupid again! They are not hearing the message PETA is trying to put out! Outlandish acts tend to obscure the message by creating “noise” on the lines of communication. People can’t get past how stupid an act it is to hand out bloody clowns. Everything after that is basically a low buzz. ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/73 "2000-06-23T16:55:07Z")
manhattan… Ever heard of Ducks Unlimited? It does not take outlandish acts to get your message out or get national recognition. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/74 "2000-06-23T16:57:54Z")
I still think we should kill and eat PETA fanatics. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/75 "2000-06-23T17:10:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > manhattan… > > Ever heard of Ducks Unlimited? > > It does not take outlandish acts to get your message out or get national recognition. > \*\* Of course I’ve heard of thim; I’m a member. But most people have not in fact heard of them. More importantly, one of the reasons that those people who _have_ heard of them is that their message is so mainstream. “Preserve wilderness” ain’t exactly a controversial message, even if it is followed by “so that my grandkids can shoot ducks, too.” ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/76 "2000-06-23T17:21:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Blame PETA and the other extremists in your organizations for this characterization not us. Like hell. I blame the media, who in typical fashion, ONLY cover PETA events and not events or news of interest from other animal advocacy groups, and then only in the most unflattering light (usually grouped with “feature” news). I find it amazing that a group of people who wouldn’t trust the media to tell them on Friday afternoon that tomorrow was Saturday trust accept as gospel the media’s portrayal of animal advocates. Anyhoo . . . as far as the organizations you know nothing about: The Fund for Animals ([http://www.fund.org](http://www.fund.org)) was founded by author Cleveland Amory and cares for abused animals, abandoned animals and freed circus animals. Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine ([http://www.pcrm.org](http://www.pcrm.org)), among other goals, looks for alternatives to animal research and advocates ethical treatment of those animals that are used. Farm Animal Reform Movement ([http://www.farmusa.org](http://www.farmusa.org)) seeks to improve the treatment of food animals, and sponsors the Great American Meatout. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/77 "2000-06-23T17:37:41Z")
> [@](#): > > quote: > – First, way to dishonestly post out of sequence. My first post, which you quoted as if it were a response to jodih, was in fact posted by me BEFORE she posted. You are mistaken. Jodih’s first post was on 6-20-200 at 5:17 p.m., your first post was on 6-21-200 at 5:03 p.m, both times E.S.T. You’re not helping PETA’s cause by your behavior here. You don’t need a note to be nasty in the Pit, have at it; however, don’t say that people don’t want to be persuaded, I do. I don’t eat meat anyway, but PETA’s self-righteous attitude and delusional ideas about how to effect change really don’t appeal to me. > [@](#): > > Outlandish acts tend to obscure the message by creating “noise” on the lines of communication. People can’t get past how stupid an act it is to hand out bloody clowns. Everything after that is basically a low buzz. Sledman is absolutely right. PETA used to be respectable, but nowadays they like a gaggle of highly unbalanced people. I have seen nothing in PL’s posts to persuade me otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/78 "2000-06-23T18:28:32Z")
I guess I still fail to see why Ronald McDonald cavorting around McDonaldLand with humanized hamburgers and smiling McNuggets in order to get kids to buy McDonald’s food is OK; but Ronald McDonald with butchering instruments (which is, in fact, the business McDonald’s is in) and pictures of slaughterhouses in order to teach kids where their lunch comes from is not. The only reason I can think of is rank hypocrisy. Can anyone provide me with a single reason why kids should not know how their hamburger got into their Happy Meal? ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/79 "2000-06-23T18:44:40Z")
Manhattan Point taken. It is a more mainstream message but PETA will never get their message in the mainstream unless they change their tactics. Does your membership in DU mean that you are also a duck hunter? Just curious, I am and have found it to be an exhilarating experience to be in the marsh at dawn. Hit the Great Outdoors Festival if you get a chance. Oshkosh or Memphis. pldennison How about for the same reason you don’t show your 6 year old Friday the 13th or Phantasm? When they are more mature you can give them this information and let them make their own decisions. Again there is a right way and a wrong way. PETA chose the wrong way for the media attention. ---
**Author:** ![Cogitoergosum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Cogitoergosum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cogitoergosum)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020/80 "2000-06-23T18:49:10Z")
Ya know, I do find it interesting that all you meat-eaters get so worked up over this, if you think that we are all insane PETA activists who will never convince anybody (oh yeah, just for reference, PETA’s membership is increasing; they have hundreds of thousands of members). Oh, and just as a note, your statements about how you will beat up anyone who tries to hand your kid some PETA information doesn’t really make you look to intelligent nor sane. And, PETA is accomplishing its mission: More and more people are learning about the mistreatment and torture that animals undergoe everyday. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-meals/23020.md?page=5)