THIS IS AMERICA - PETA at 25: Animal Rights Activists Are De

THIS IS AMERICA - PETA at 25: Animal Rights Activists² Are Defended, Deplored
By Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Monday, October 24, 2005

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VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. Our subject this week is activism for animals.

VOICE ONE:

Pet animals live in millions of American homes. People keep cats, dogs, birds, fish, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice -- even snakes. People spend thousands of millions of dollars every year on animal food, health care, equipment and toys. Some Americans care so deeply for their pets that they brave hurricanes and floods to stay with these animals.

 
PETA activists protest in August in Taipei, Taiwan
Animal welfare organizations operate throughout the nation. They provide services for all kinds of creatures, both owned and wild.

But some people believe that improvements are needed in the treatment of animals.

For this reason, two activists named Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco decided⁴ in nineteen eighty to establish an animal rights organization. People for the Ethical⁵ Treatment of Animals, usually called PETA, has headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. It marks its twenty-fifth anniversary this year.

VOICE TWO:

Some animal lovers praise PETA. They say its work has saved and improved the lives of millions of animals. But the group angers other people. It performs secret investigations⁶ and targets individuals for sometimes shocking demonstrations⁷. These actions have caused strong criticism and even legal action.

Still, PETA has survived and grown. Today, it claims more than eight hundred fifty thousand members internationally. PETA says it is the largest animal rights group in the world.

VOICE ONE:

The group became the subject of dispute soon after its formation. In the early nineteen eighties, PETA secretly placed an investigator⁸ in a Silver Spring, Maryland, research laboratory. Mister Pacheco offered to work without pay in the laboratory of scientist Edward Taub. He did not tell Mister Taub his reason.

The scientist's research involved cutting nerves in one forepaw, or arm, of monkeys. The short-term goal was to see if the monkeys could be taught to re-use the arm without feeling. The long-term goal was to help human patients unable to move parts of their bodies. Mister Taub wanted to find out if people could learn to re-use these areas after brain injuries or other damage.

While the scientist was away, Mister Pacheco took pictures in the laboratory. It looked dirty. Some of the monkeys seemed to be suffering.

VOICE TWO:

Police raided the laboratory when Mister Taub returned from a vacation, and he was arrested. He was found guilty of cruelty to animals. The media made public the pictures. They were shown in Congress. The federal government suspended financing of Mister Taub's research.

He denied any wrongdoing. He accused PETA of planning the pictures and police raid to gain public notice. He said that while he was away, Mister Pacheco purposely let the laboratory get dirty.

All judgments¹⁰ of guilt⁹ against Edward Taub later were canceled on appeal. In recent years, he has won several highly valued scientific awards. He won honors for the research he was working on in Maryland. It has resulted in development of a method now being tested by some victims of strokes.

VOICE ONE:

The incident involving Mister Taub's laboratory became known as the "Silver Spring Monkey Case." It made PETA well known. Many Americans who had never thought about treatment of laboratory animals began to do so.

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VOICE TWO:

PETA disapproves¹¹ of the use of animals for medical research. But many research scientists say this position could prevent development of treatments and cures for serious and deadly diseases.

Wesley Smith is a lawyer allied¹² with the Discovery Institute, a nonprofit educational group. He has written extensively about science and ethics¹³.

Mister Smith points to the Silver Spring Monkey Case as an example of harmful policy. Last year, he wrote on the subject for the online publication of the National Review. His article was called "A Monkey for Your Grandmother."

He noted¹⁴ the suffering of victims of Alzheimer's disease. This disease strikes mainly older people. It steals their ability to think and care for themselves. Animals are often used in research on such brain diseases.

VOICE ONE:

The American Veterinary Medical Association is an organization of doctors who care for animals. The A.V.M.A. agrees with some positions taken by animal rights groups. But the association also says it cannot accept policies that conflict with what it calls responsible animal use for human purposes. It says this includes using animals for research on both human and animal disease. But the A.V.M.A. says conditions and care for laboratory animals must be humane¹⁵.

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VOICE TWO:

PETA also concerns itself with other issues besides animals in medical research. It also disapproves of using animals for experiments for beauty and personal care products. It opposes hunting, fishing, trapping and what is calls harmful uses of animals in sports.

For example, it criticizes the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Dog teams pull sleds about one thousand eight hundred kilometers in this yearly race in Alaska.

PETA criticizes the use of animals for entertainment, as in the circus. And it wants to stop the killing¹⁶ or causing of pain to animals for their skin or fur. PETA has organized demonstrations against the wool-growing industry in Australia over the treatment of sheep.

 
PETA protest in Washington in 2001
Some of PETA's best-known campaigns involve protesters in almost no clothes. The campaign against the fur industry is known as "I'd rather go naked than wear fur."

VOICE ONE:

Years ago, model Elle Macpherson promised not to be photographed in sales messages for fur clothing. But in July, the marketers of Blackglama furs announced that Miz Macpherson had agreed to appear in an advertising¹⁷ campaign. She changed her plans again after she received a letter from a PETA official.

It is not clear at this time if Elle MacPherson has succeeded in canceling her agreement with Blackglama. But she is trying.

VOICE TWO:

The letter said Miz MacPherson was making herself a top target of PETA and animal activists around the world. It asked her to think about what has happened to actress and singer.

Jennifer Lopez has a clothing company called Sweetface. Some Sweetface designs use fur. PETA members have demonstrated at the openings of Miz Lopez's films and other public events.

In March, protestors demonstrated outside an eating place that she owns in California. They showed pictures of animals being skinned alive.

People often react strongly to PETA statements and actions. A group official has stated that eating meat is murder. Some people say animals are the equals of humans. Others disagree. And they deplore³ the actions that groups like PETA have taken against industry and scientific research.

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VOICE ONE:

In addition to activist¹ groups like PETA, the United States also has many traditional animal welfare organizations. These groups provide shelters, health care and other animal services.

The Humane Society of the United States seems a combination of both kinds of groups. The society calls itself America's largest animal protection agency. It performs traditional animal care. And it also takes positions on issues.

Humane Society workers operate a center in Dallas, Texas. Animals there are neutered so they cannot reproduce. Humane Society veterinary doctors, students and other workers also provide a traveling health service for animals in poor areas away from cities. They serve in places from the American state of Kentucky to the countryside of Bolivia.

VOICE TWO:

The Humane Society also is supporting legislation in Congress proposed by Representative Tom Lantos of California. The measure would require a plan for removing animals as well as people from endangered areas.

Supporters point to the fact that many people chose to stay in New Orleans, Louisiana, during the recent Hurricane Katrina. They say that some remained behind because there was no government plan to rescue pet animals. The storm killed some of these people.

The society estimates that tens of thousand of animals were left behind in New Orleans. But under very difficult conditions, the Humane Society of the United States rescued about six thousand animals.

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VOICE ONE:

Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by Caty Weaver¹⁸. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. Please join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 deplore   

vt.哀叹，对...深感遗憾

参考例句：

• I deplore what has happened.我为所发生的事深感愤慨。
• There are many of us who deplore this lack of responsibility.我们中有许多人谴责这种不负责任的做法。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

9 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

10 judgments   

判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判

参考例句：

• A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。
• He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

11 disapproves   

v.不赞成( disapprove的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She disapproves of unmarried couples living together. 她反对未婚男女同居。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her mother disapproves of her wearing transparent underwear. 她母亲不赞成她穿透明的内衣。 来自辞典例句

12 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

13 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

15 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

16 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

17 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

18 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。