ABC's John Stossel tried hard to present the radical organization PETA as a group that does not operate within the mainstream American value system, and that definitely markets itself through the tune of its own brand of eco-terrorism. The program 20-20 featured Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder and present head of People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals, as she spewed her usual messages about how evil it is to keep and confine animals as meat objects. To be fair, although some PETA film of confined cows and poultry was used, 20-20 also had obtained footage of animals in better circumstances, such as cows in grassy fields, and wild turkeys in breeding behavior, and Stossel pointed out that the PETA images are not typical of conditions under which animals are kept, nor are they typical of animal behavior in general. 

One glaring weakness of the report was the fact that Stossel failed to do enough homework on PETA's tactics and value system; while the group markets itself through deploring alleged cruelty to animals, the PETA goal is to bring about an end to animal use, not a change to the ways in which animals are treated. Newkirk has always claimed that animals are not "ours" to eat, own, ride, confine, or use in any way, whether for food, education, entertainment, or scientific research. This ultimately abolitionist agenda is almost never recognized by media personnel who may find themselves offended by PETA campaigns such as those against the use of milk, meat, or fur. Maybe someday a media spokesperson will have the wit to say to Ms. Newkirk, "Hey, would you go along with animal use and animal agriculture if all the things you deplore about their treatment were suddenly corrected?" She would then have to admit that her campaigns are not about "cruelty" to animals, but about the power politics of depriving humans of their traditional rights to animal use for their own benefit. 

Stossel did a fine job of demonstrating that PETA has often given financial support to those who have committed terrorist acts. The money was "for their defense" as Newkirk claimed. Thus, PETA bought $70,000 worth of legal services for Rodney Coronado, convicted arsonist, who had personally burned down a university laboratory that used animals in research and teaching. 20-20 did obtain film of the burned lab, and video of Coronado himself speaking defiantly about his acts, and encouraging others to similarly commit arson and other crimes for the sake of animal liberation. Stossel did a good job of driving this point home when he said that if one donates to PETA, that sort of thing is often where the money goes. Thus, good people who are moved by tales of cruelty to animals, and who believe that PETA would work to force legislative mandates for better animal treatment, donate to this tax exempt organization for this reason. Their money then supports crimes against society, and buys lawyers to lessen the penalties of those who commit them. 

IWMC salutes all those media executives who make responsible decisions to expose the anti-social, misleading, and hypocritical claims and behavior of tax-exempt animal rights and environmentalist organizations. We know that the general public appreciates this exposure. Kind animal lovers and their children may ultimately see the light and stop supporting the campaigns of PETA and other such organizations. Truth is a powerful tool in this society. Our media organizations should seek it and voice it, show the images of truth, and contrast them often with the images put forth by PETA and their colleagues.