Visions of animal rights
PETA comes to campus with their "Animal Liberation" exhibit, claims plight of animals equivalent to slavery
Andrew Riggs / The Collegian
Standing in front of posters with contrasting images such as an elephant leg in chains next to a human ankle in chains is Sangeeta Kumar. The educational coordinator for PETA, Kumar answered questions from Fresno State students about the exhibit, called “Animal Liberation.”
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By Katrina Garcia
The Collegian
Animal rights activists showcased their most recent exhibit at Fresno State this week, highlighting for the first time the parallels between animal suffering and human injustices.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals— commonly known as PETA—have presented their “Animal Liberation” exhibit in the Free Speech Area since Monday. The exhibit includes photographs of humans being enslaved and tortured next to photos of animals suffering in ways that PETA says are similar.
Educational coordinator Sangeeta Kumar said the exhibit is innovative because it shows the foundational reasons why PETA feels oppression is wrong.
“It’s ground breaking because we’re getting people to see the roots of oppression,” Kumar said. PETA centered its exhibit on hanging, experimentation, beatings, force-feedings and slavery, among several others.
“Animals aren’t different,” Kumar said. “We do the same thing to them.”
The display focuses on animal rights in a social justice context, Kumar said, which in turn becomes an appeal to humanity.
“If you think that’s wrong, you should think animal suffering is wrong too,” Kumar said.
The group handed out pamphlets and booklets, which included vegan recipes and an informational DVD titled “Chew on This: Reasons to Go Vegetarian.”
Kelly Ansaldo, Associated Students Agriculture Senator has a different view.
While she said while PETA is a good cause they do not have a positive portrayal of agriculture.
“Somebody has to cut meat. They have pictures of a bloody butcher, and I feel that’s one-sided,” Ansaldo said.
She said the good qualities of agriculture are not often seen.
“I wish agriculture had a market campaign like PETA does, because there’s so many good aspects that aren’t seen,” Ansaldo said.
A campus peace group invited PETA to present its exhibit. Organizers said it was inspired by the famous quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Kumar said students are very interested in animal rights issues and can be a part of the movement by making more compassionate dietary choices and purchasing products that aren’t tested on animals.
While some students ignored the activists, many students who attended the exhibit found it was an effective way to promote animal rights. Freshmen Lisa Gera and Meredith Antone agreed it was an attention-grabbing display.
“It’s a peaceful way to prove a point,” Gera said. “It shows animals and humans suffer and die alike.”
Jacob Carrillo, a junior, said he was “very impressed” with the exhibit because PETA presented its beliefs and reasoning for why cruelty to animals is wrong, which is different from what he is used to seeing from the group.
“When I think of PETA, I do not think of animal rights,” Carrillo said. “I think of people assaulting others because they don’t agree with their viewpoints. What we see in the media are extremists putting paint on people.”
Carrillo said while PETA still can benefit from having extremists in its group, the exhibit was more effective and a better way to get students to listen to the issues being presented.
Mireyda Barraza, a freshman, also agreed the campaign is effective. “When they do things radically, people may want to stay away from it,” Barraza said. With this display, Barraza said people would come with more open minds about the issues.
The display is making its way to college campuses all over the country. Fresno State is the 12th stop in the 28-campus tour, which includes UC Berkeley, University of Florida and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Today is the last day to view the exhibit.
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