Is Swatting a Fly a Political Statement?

[Ivan Seeking]

When Obama was seen swatting a fly on his arm during a news conference, apparently he insulted the fly's rights folks.

"In a nutshell, our position is this: He isn't the Buddha, he's a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act."

- PETA
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE55H4Z220090618

Carter, excessive welfare and handouts, and folks like this are what made me a Republican as a young man. Just as I think the Right needs to distance itself from the likes of Fox News, and Limbaugh, I think the Democrats want to stay far to the right of those who would object to killing a fly. I can't think of a better example of the nutty extreme left.

[I think Carter is a great man, but I also thought he was a terrible President. He should have read "The Prince"]

 

[rootX]

But now People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, calling it an "execution," wants the commander-in-chief to show a little more compassion to even "the least sympathetic animals."

...

 

[Pengwuino]

Obama killed a fly. WARMONGER!



I thought it was gross, crushing a fly on your own arm. Then again all bugs creep me out. I hardly kill bugs because they're disgusting to kill. Thank god for pest control :D

 

[Cyrus]

It just shows you how out of their minds PETA people are and how they should be publicly humiliated whenever possible.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I believe this is the first time that Obama has been accused of not being a divine entity. I guess we all knew the dream would end one day.

 

[Pengwuino]

I believe this is the first time that Obama has been accused of not being a divine entity. I guess we all knew the dream would end one day.

at least by his supporters ;)

 

[Equate]

It just shows you how out of their minds PETA people are and how they should be publicly humiliated whenever possible.

Along with those "Sea Shepherd" idiots.

Unbelievable how these organizations get funding.

 

[OmCheeto]

PETA makes me want to become a cannibal.

Cows = herbivores = tasty
Cats = carnivores = ewe
Chickens = herbivores(and maybe some token bugs, worms, and rocks) = tasty
Dogs = carnivores = yuck

Peta People = herbivores = mmmmm... marinate over night and cook'em on the barbie. yummie.

hmmm... how about Peta stuffed Pita?

 

[Argentum Vulpes]

I always thought PETA should stand for

People
Eat
Tasty
Animals

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

These are the sort of wackjobs that we see here in California a lot and which give me a hard time calling myself a liberal. Some of the things that they do really embarass me. That's why you'll see me argue with liberals so much here. I just care more about what liberals think and how they represent the ideology more than I care about conservatives.

When I heard about the hollywood stars pledging allegiance to Obama I rolled my eyes along with the conservatives.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Based on the statement quoted in the op, it seems that PETA is a religious group masquerading as a political organization.

 

[humanino]

PETA has been on the show "bull$hit !". The two magicians had me believe it is really cowcr*p. What a trick !

edit
Just to make it clear, if flies have rights, they should have the responsibilities coming with it, such as : do not interrupt the president.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Based on the statement quoted in the op, it seems that PETA is a religious group masquerading as a political organization.

Their ideology certainly borders on the religious.
I wonder if they'll ever start standing up for the rights of viruses and bacteria.
Wasn't there a virus that we drove to extinction?
Poor poor viruses.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Their ideology certainly borders on the religious.
I wonder if they'll ever start standing up for the rights of viruses and bacteria.
Wasn't there a virus that we drove to extinction?
Poor poor viruses.

I am a strong advocate for the humane treatment of animals. While there is certainly plenty of room for disagreement about what is and is not acceptable, say for example in the case of farming practices, when one starts defending the rights of a fly, I'd say this goes way beyond the conventional notion of animal rights or the humane treatment of animals.

 

[humanino]

It only proves what PETA is after : enough visibility to get money. There is no thought behind or beyond.

 

[math_04]

Honestly PETA are ridiculous. As if their members or leaders do not occasionally trample on an ant or swat a fly.

I am a strong advocate for the humane treatment of animals. While there is certainly plenty of room for disagreement about what is and is not acceptable, say for example in the case of farming practices, when one starts defending the rights of a fly, I'd say this goes way beyond the conventional notion of animal rights or the humane treatment of animals.

Exactly! It just shows that PETA, like many other well meaning organizations to start with, seem to have become radicalized. A fly is a fly, killing it would not make much difference It is not even an animal in the traditional sense (having a family, feelings and thoughts, feels pain? etc)

 

[dyosa]

apparently, PETA is over reacting on the killing of the fly. if these people let flies swarm in their households and live peacefully with them then i'd support their organization.

 

[Nesrin]

If anything, I'm offended by not having his reflexes.

Also, PETA sent Obama a "humane fly catcher"... http://www.petacatalog.org/images/HP220-Large.jpg"

 

[Chi Meson]

I saw this on a T-shirt:
.
.
.Meat is Murder

Tasty Tasty Murder
.
.
.
.
.

 

[OAQfirst]

I don't see the big deal here. PETA was asked for their opinion and they gave it. I read the actual blog at their site and it really doesn't look very critical.

 

[Moonbear]

I am a strong advocate for the humane treatment of animals. While there is certainly plenty of room for disagreement about what is and is not acceptable, say for example in the case of farming practices, when one starts defending the rights of a fly, I'd say this goes way beyond the conventional notion of animal rights or the humane treatment of animals.

And that is precisely the difference between, say, the local humane society, and PETA. Most of the funding PETA gets is by duping people into thinking that's what they are after...just humane treatment of animals. They don't understand that PETA is truly an animals RIGHTS supporter, which is very different. They really believe that every animal, all the way down to insects, have equal rights and standing with humans.

Actually, from their usual attitudes, they seem to think they all have MORE rights than humans. Afterall, the fly landed on Obama...it was self defense! Maybe he should have let the Secret Service kill the fly instead?

I'm glad they are feeling braver about speaking out publicly about these things and really showing their true colors. People used to think I was just making it up when I tried to explain that PETA doesn't even believe in exterminating cockroaches.

I'm not entirely sure I'd place them on the fringe left though, just on the fringe. And I agree with whoever made the comment that they seem more like a religious organization or cult.

 

[Gokul43201]

When Obama was seen swatting a fly on his arm during a news conference, apparently he insulted the fly's rights folks.

"In a nutshell, our position is this: He isn't the Buddha, he's a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act."

- PETA
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE55H4Z220090618

...I think the Democrats want to stay far to the right of those who would object to killing a fly.

I'm not seeing what everyone else here is. Where in that statement, or anywhere else in the article, does PETA say they object to killing flies?

 

[Equate]

...PETA sent Obama a "humane fly catcher"... http://www.petacatalog.org/images/HP220-Large.jpg"

 

[Cyrus]

I'm not seeing what everyone else here is. Where in that statement, or anywhere else in the article, does PETA say they object to killing flies?

See: "Think before they act"

 

[Pengwuino]

And that is precisely the difference between, say, the local humane society, and PETA. Most of the funding PETA gets is by duping people into thinking that's what they are after...just humane treatment of animals. They don't understand that PETA is truly an animals RIGHTS supporter, which is very different. They really believe that every animal, all the way down to insects, have equal rights and standing with humans.

Bugs are always terrifying me and make me watch where I walk at night when there's no lights. Thus, they are terrorists, thus they have no rights. Case closed.

 

[Moonbear]

If it wasn't clear from Ivan's article, here's another one on the topic that states directly PETA's position on flies.

We support compassion for the even the smallest animals," says Bruce Friedrich, VP for Policy at PETA. “We support giving insects the benefit of the doubt."

Friedrich says PETA supports "brushing flies away rather than killing them" and was disappointed that the President had gone ahead and squashed the pesky fly.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/peta-says-no-more-flykilling-sends-obama-a-humane-fly-catcher-.html

Of course, Obama DID think before he acted...he paused and carefully considered swatting that fly. And, yeah, I'm jealous of those reflexes too!

 

[D H]

PETA is nuts. Between the fly campaign and the sea kitten campaign, The Onion could not have done a better job of parodying a wacko group than PETA has done to itself.

 

[rootX]

PETA leader will:
http://www.peta.org/feat/newkirk/will.html

 

[Astronuc]

Should we sent Obama a fly swatter or an electric bug zapper?

Or how about a Venus flytrap and/or pitcher plant?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitcher_plant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap

Would PETA object to a insect-eating plants?

 

[Moonbear]

Can we send all of the leadership of PETA to a part of the world where flies carry sleeping sickness or mosquitoes carry malaria or yellow fever, and see if they still think it's sufficient to just shoo away bugs?

 

[Astronuc]

Can we send all of the leadership of PETA to a part of the world where flies carry sleeping sickness or mosquitoes carry malaria or yellow fever, and see if they still think it's sufficient to just shoo away bugs?

And cockroaches?

And locusts?

And scorpions?


Muahahahahaaaaa!1111

 

[Pengwuino]

PETA leader will:
http://www.peta.org/feat/newkirk/will.html

wow... reading that just... wow. WOW.

 

[Gokul43201]

See: "Think before they act"

I see it, and and still don't see how that means they object to killing flies.

If it wasn't clear from Ivan's article, here's another one on the topic that states directly PETA's position on flies.

We support compassion for the even the smallest animals," says Bruce Friedrich, VP for Policy at PETA. “We support giving insects the benefit of the doubt."

Friedrich says PETA supports "brushing flies away rather than killing them" and was disappointed that the President had gone ahead and squashed the pesky fly.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/peta-says-no-more-flykilling-sends-obama-a-humane-fly-catcher-.html

Of course, Obama DID think before he acted...he paused and carefully considered swatting that fly. And, yeah, I'm jealous of those reflexes too!

That is closer, but still not quite there. Not showing support for position X is not the same as objecting to it. And more specifically, showing preferential support for position Y over position X is also not the same as objecting to position X.

I do not object to people practicing religion, but I can still be disappointed if a person had a choice between working at a school and working at a church, and chose the latter only because it was marginally more convenient.

Would we be singing the praises of the President's reflexes if instead of a fly, there was a fuzzy little baby chick running about the place, cheeping all the time and disrupting the interview, and after an aide repeatedly fails to catch the pesky bird, Obama pulls out a gun and blows its head off (then makes a joke about taking care of dinner)?

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4735/babychick.jpg I think that most people do not give much thought to treatment of animals, and simply go with "conventional notions" (to borrow Ivan's words), and these conventions are often based on arbitrary feelings of affection and dislike. While I don't agree with a lot of PETA's ideas, I don't disagree that we ought to give more thought to the logic (or lack of it) behind the granting of certain rights to certain animals.

 

[Gokul43201]

Can we send all of the leadership of PETA to a part of the world where flies carry sleeping sickness or mosquitoes carry malaria or yellow fever, and see if they still think it's sufficient to just shoo away bugs?

I think you might find that one can hold that position that it is preferable to shoo away when the danger of (say) sleeping sickness is negligible but preferable to kill when it isn't. The two positions are not internally inconsistent.

 

[JaredJames]

PETA leader will:
http://www.peta.org/feat/newkirk/will.html

Doesn't she think highly of herself!

Her flesh is good enough to eat, her skin is good enough for leather...

Blimey, blowing your own trumpet or what!