Center for Consumer Freedom

PETA Whines For Dollars

"This may be the most important letter I've ever written," declares People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) president Ingrid Newkirk in a September 27 fundraising letter. "I can honestly say that, in the almost 25 years that PETA has been in existence, I've never -- never, ever! - witnessed a more organized, well-funded, multi-industry attack on animal rights and PETA than the one we're under right now. It is getting stronger every day … We are number one on their hit list, and they are out for PETA's blood." For once, we agree with Newkirk. And we're thrilled to accept her compliment.

Newkirk's letter, sent to untold thousands of potential PETA donors, describes the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) as inspiring "shock and awe" around PETA's vegan water-cooler, and grumbles that we have asked the IRS and Congress to reconsider PETA's tax-exempt (nonprofit) status. She also complains that our efforts are "bankrolled by millions of dollars" (actually about $2 million at last count, compared to PETA's annual $24 million haul), which have produced:

"… an unprecedented glut of ads against PETA, which, to cite one example, have appeared on every subway car and in every subway station in Washington, D.C., over the past few months … CCF is hoping that people will read the ad and be outraged or at least wonder about us."

We plead guilty. And we've never (never, ever!) seen a clearer sign that our approach is working. Newkirk's whining, bellyaching, and petty griping speaks volumes about a movement that loves to dish out pointed criticism but just can't take it. Our only regret is that we can't -- yet -- match PETA's propaganda machine dollar-for-dollar. (But then again, PETA needs a treasure chest large enough to fund the legal bills of domestic terrorists).

The other principal sign of our success is that PETA's leaders -- the self-described "press sluts" who fly to a TV camera like a mosquito to blood -- have begun refusing to debate us on the air. In one recent example, Louisville's NBC television affiliate interviewed our Director of Research for a story about PETA. But as reporter Eric Flack explained on the air:

PETA, which runs to the media every time it has shocking video, ran from this story, refusing to be interviewed because it included criticism from the Center for Consumer Freedom.

The CCF subway ad that prompted Ingrid Newkirk's tearful September fundraising letter puts her own words front-and-center: "Even if animal research resulted in a cure for AIDS, we'd be against it." Rather than distancing herself from this perverse philosophy or explaining why PETA would place a child's life beneath that of a rat, Newkirk complains that we used a photo of "scary-looking sewer rats (not tame, white lab rats)."

Not that it would have mattered. PETA always sides with the rodents -- despite consistently failing to practice what it preaches. PETA Vice President Mary Beth Sweetland is a diabetic whose daily insulin therapy was developed through tests that required the use of lab animals. Sweetland's hypocrisy is matched only by that of Hollywood "boobs" like Pamela Anderson -- who postures for PETA one day while emceeing a liver disease research fundraiser the next. (Pam has Hepatitis C, a virus that is being aggressively combated through -- yes -- animal testing.) The same goes for Charlize Theron, PETA's newest spokes-drone, who doubles as an "ambassador" for the very breast cancer research that PETA opposes.

We'll spare you the rest of Newkirk's fundraising rant, as there's no point in repeating PETA's specific lies (especially those about our individual and business contributors. You know who you are, and we thank you). Your support is clearly having an impact.