[email protected]

In a message dated 01/29/2002 2:36:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:


> I forgot to tell you guys my BIL's version of what "PETA" stands for....I
> should mention that he loves to hunt.
> "People for the Eating of Tasty Animals"
> I thought Dar might get a laugh out of that.
> Ren, veg head that does NOT support PETA
>
I find PETA's positions often exasperating, but as someone who's been
involved in or concerned for other movements, I can also see how the more
radical fringes inspire and inform us. The more moderate parts of any
movement are often embarassed and afraid about the more radical, but they DO
make us think. They present the challenge and imagination.

Kathryn, the token carnivore in a family of vegetarians, including Julian,
12, a verging on radical Vegetarian


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

Kathryn, may I ask what it is that troubles you about PETA ? Do you
and Julian ever talk about that? Kids who become vegetarians are often
very passionate in the beginning. I quit eating meat when I was ten,
and really felt like I wanted to convert everyone. Kind of like new
Christians, or new unschoolers.<g> My son is a vegetarian now, but he
may change his mind later. We talk about things that trouble him all
the time. He gets two perspectives as my husband still eats meat
occasionally and eats cheese and eggs, etc.
We have many troubling animal rights issues here in MT. Yellowstone
Bison being only one.
I remember your story about all the little critters that live in Julian's
hair and (I love that!) he sounds like a very sensitive kid.
Just curious.

Deb L, still laughing about the Girl Scouts.

joanna514

**The more moderate parts of any
> movement are often embarassed and afraid about the more radical,
but they DO
> make us think. They present the challenge and imagination.
>
> Kathryn,**

Interesting observation. Especially on *this* list.
Joanna







--- In AlwaysLearning@y..., KathrynJB@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 01/29/2002 2:36:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> AlwaysLearning@y... writes:
>
>
> > I forgot to tell you guys my BIL's version of what "PETA" stands
for....I
> > should mention that he loves to hunt.
> > "People for the Eating of Tasty Animals"
> > I thought Dar might get a laugh out of that.
> > Ren, veg head that does NOT support PETA
> >
> I find PETA's positions often exasperating, but as someone who's
been
> involved in or concerned for other movements, I can also see how
the more
> radical fringes inspire and inform us. The more moderate parts of
any
> movement are often embarassed and afraid about the more radical,
but they DO
> make us think. They present the challenge and imagination.
>
> Kathryn, the token carnivore in a family of vegetarians, including
Julian,
> 12, a verging on radical Vegetarian
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 02/02/2002 11:04:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:


> **The more moderate parts of any
> > movement are often embarassed and afraid about the more radical,
> but they DO
> > make us think. They present the challenge and imagination.
> >
> > Kathryn,**
>
> Interesting observation. Especially on *this* list.
> Joanna
>
Well, yeah...the radical is SUPPOSED TO make us uncomfortable. NOW used to be
terrified of the then burgeoning Lesbian groups in the 70's, but has, over
time, learned from, and GOTTEN it. I doubt there's a rights movement that
hasn't had a radical fringe that the mainstream has learned from.

And every day I find myself being more THERE on unschooling, etc. Which, of
course, is why that other list is bugging me so much! LOL

Kathryn


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 02/02/2002 6:48:59 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:


> Kathryn, may I ask what it is that troubles you about PETA ? Do you
> and Julian ever talk about that? Kids who become vegetarians are often
> very passionate in the beginning. I quit eating meat when I was ten,
> and really felt like I wanted to convert everyone. Kind of like new
> Christians, or new unschoolers.<g> My son is a vegetarian now, but he
> may change his mind later. We talk about things that trouble him all
> the time. He gets two perspectives as my husband still eats meat
> occasionally and eats cheese and eggs, etc.
> We have many troubling animal rights issues here in MT. Yellowstone
> Bison being only one.
> I remember your story about all the little critters that live in Julian's
> hair and (I love that!) he sounds like a very sensitive kid.
> Just curious.
>
> Deb L, still laughing about the Girl Scouts.
>
>
>

The main thing that exhausts me about PETA is that often their public
statements seem politically naive, and I think the message gets watered down.
Example: When, I think, Timothy McVeigh was being executed, they sent out
press releases suggesting that his Last Meal be a vegan one, so that he
couldn't be responsible for any more deaths. Now, I am anti-death penalty,
and I can see where they're coming from -- And that statement made them sound
silly even to people inclined to be on their side. There seem to be a lot of
instances like that. I remember someone saying once: Communicate in a way
that wins support. PETA rarely does that.

Julian and I HAVE talked about PETA, and he's gotten a lot out of the kid's
stuff. He's joined other organizations that support animal rights, and
donated money. So far he has chosen not to with PETA.

I'm pretty sure Julian is a lifer on the vegetarian front, and I wouldn't be
surprised if he decides to be a vegan at some point. He decided a few years
ago he wouldn't use leather, which makes buying shoes (someday I'll share the
tap shoe saga) a pain in the butt. But he's also pretty polite to me, the
Family Carnivore.

The critters still live in his head. Recently a vampire bat moved in, who is
not so pleasant.

Julian IS a VERY cool person though.

Kathryn


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]