PETA wishes Barack Obama had not killed a fly during a recent interview. Apparently, PETA supports “compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals” and they “believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals,” according to PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich.
In response to the slaying, PETA is sending President Obama a humane bug catcher, which will allow him to catch house flies and release them outside without harm. How thoughtful of them.
Does anyone else think this is ridiculous? I agree we should care for the environment and animals, but why do we allow an extreme group like PETA to have a voice? They should not be the primary group that influences our laws and thinking about animal treatment. I wonder how they feel about me swatting the mosquito sucking the blood out of my arm. Should I just allow it to finish and fly away?
What are your thoughts about Obama killing flies and PETA? Do you own (or want) a Katcha Bug humane bug catcher?
In case you missed the Obama interview, here it is:
Theologically Speaking 
I think it’s ridiculous that President Obama killing a fly during an interview is newsworthy at all.
Extreme groups generally take an extreme stance b/c they gain notice. If they said “We only believe that mammals should be treated nicely,” then nobody would listen to them. No sane person in PETA thinks that bugs shouldn’t die sometimes (throw a black widow at them or send a plague of locusts to their crops). But the truth is that most people kill bugs and even cause terrible pain to them for no reason at all, or b/c they’re annoyed or are bored. We need to treat to all animals (and plants? and bacteria?) with respect.
It’s odd that most humans find the idea of smashing a dog repulsive, but smashing a fly is somewhat fun. Is it due to a dog’s likeness to us? A perceived understanding that the dog can experience pain?
As for me, there’s nothing I want to catch in my house in any humane way. I prefer less bugs in my house than more. I want to get one of these humane fly killers:
http://www.amazon.com/iTouchless-3-Layer-Portable-Electric-Mosquito/dp/B000EJVYUC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1245585997&sr=8-2
My brother has one and they pack a powerful punch.
Ben:
That looks like an interesting product. I would like to see it in action.
You ask why we allow extreme groups such as PETA to have a voice in our culture? The obvious answer is so that our voice may also have the freedom to be expressed. (I only wish people might view my faith as being “extreme” too).
It is up to the American people to decide which voice they choose to listen.
Jeff:
You make a valid point and I agree with you. I probably should have chosen my words more carefully. I believe every person/group has a right to voice their opinion/belief. I should have asked “Why does a radical group like PETA have such a loud voice?” It seems they have much more power than any other animal rights group – even the groups that are more moderate in their leanings. I guess extremism always gets the press.
I want to know if / when he washed his hands…