Guest guest Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 I felt upset and disturbed after watching the " debate " on CNN posted to the list last week, where PETA's president Ingrid Newkirk and the program's host teamed up to demean fat activist Marilyn Wann. While this " debate " was a cynical, calculated set-up, Wann offered a clear summary of the problem with this and other PETA campaigns: ---------------------- Wann: We know, and this is a long history of PETA doing hate speech against a group of people and I'm here today to ask Ingrid and PETA to stop doing hate speech against fat people like me. Hate never helps a group of people. I would love to be in solidarity with the animal rights message, but as long as PETA advances its agenda on the backs of fat people, I'm going to be asking them to stop fueling discrimination. In the fat activist community... Newkirk (interrupting): It's not hate. Wann: It is hate. I get to decide who's hating me and you're not tough loving me, you're hating me when you make a joke at my expense. ... You're using the discrimination of fat people to advance [your agenda]. ---------------------- The end of the segment is revealing, as the bullying and fat hatred come out in full force. I was horrified to watch the host yell at Wann and angrily question whether Wann takes care of her body. Moments later, Newkirk says right out that it's not okay for " fat people to look that way. " This is hating people based on their appearance, PETA's cynical attempts to spin it " for the children " notwithstanding. Wann put it well at the end of the interview: " Stop hating us. Please. " Victor -- The Vegan Ideal: http://veganideal.org/ Veganism as Anti-Oppression: http://loveallbeings.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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