The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has pressured the TSA into canceling their plans to recruit workers at the Iditarod. The Washington Post reports
In a letter sent this week to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a representative of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the TSA should "stick to keeping our airplanes and railroads safe."
"Forcing dogs to run more than a thousand miles in subzero temperatures is cruel," the letter said.
Nick Kimball, a TSA spokesman, said the agency never intended to sponsor the race, but planned to recruit potential job seekers in the hope of filling airport-screener vacancies at 22 Alaskan airports. The TSA's recruitment plans, similar to those used to promote the 2010 Census, would have cost the agency about $85,000, Kimball said.
"We focus on geographically targeted recruitment to help us enlist employees to work in local airports," Kimball said in a statement. "However, this particular recruitment effort has been canceled because TSA never intended to have the appearance of sponsorship."
PETA leaders cheered the agency's quick decision.
"We are howling with delight," PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk said in an interview.
"There are so many ways to create jobs, and exploiting dogs is not one of them," she said. "Aligning themselves with the Iditarod, I think they taint themselves, because it's cruel and a lousy endeavor."
Thus, for PETA, forcing dogs to run a race is "cruel" and associating with the Iditarod "taints" the TSA. However, when TSA agents do this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this, such actions are "keeping our airplanes and railroads safe."
On the one hand, I applaud any effort that prevents the TSA from recruiting more voyeurs molesters employees. On the other hand, the fact that PETA is willing to protest animal cruelty but condone human cruelty suggests that PETA cares very little about the ethical treatment of humans.
Check out this stupid video PETA made: http://meat.org
Posted by: larry | February 18, 2011 at 12:45 AM