Gandhi's Birthday! October 2, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at October 2, 2008 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBackDid you know that today, October 2nd, is Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (and World Farm Animals Day)? For all of us committed to making the world a better place through nonviolent living, it's a really important day to remember one of the most influential social justice advocates in history. Gandhi's stance on vegetarianism is foundational to the belief that we will not have a peaceful society while others are suffering. It's so true, don't you agree?
Although he passed away a long time ago, Gandhi's legacy continues to inspire people of all ages to speak out against injustice. I hope you know that you are making a difference with every shirt you wear supporting animal rights, each video you upload to YouTube which allows people to witness the cruelty otherwise hidden in slaughterhouses, and all those times you take action as part of the Street Team. Thank you for doing something to help!
petaDishoom's (it's like peta2 but in India!) first ever March for Animals took place in Pune recently to commemorate Gandhi's birthday, and it was a major success with over three hundred people attending! Everyone held signs and shouted slogans urging people to go vegetarian, and they all had a great time.
Here is a photo from the march and another where some students spelled out "Go Veg" with their bodies... rad!
I love when people from all over the world come together to make a difference. For those of you who can make it, we have a couple big conferences coming up in the US, so read more about that here. If the idea of being around hundreds of students who are all into animal rights seems exciting—well it is. We hope to see you soon!
Seeing Is Believing September 17, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at September 17, 2008 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Vegan vegetarian Investigation Street Team pigs woof
We just released another heartbreaking investigation into a facility that raises pigs for their flesh. Horrifying doesn't even begin to describe it. If you haven't seen the footage of baby pigs being smashed into the ground and writhing in pools of blood, I urge you to take a look. The horrors of the world won't go away until we understand them and take action to stop the cruelty.
Let's be very clear about something though. Abuses like the ones seen at the Iowa pig factory farm are common to the meat industry. Look at our investigation of a North Carolina factory farm where the pigs were beaten, spray painted, and poked in the eyes. At a different factory farm in North Carolina, the pigs were, again, beaten daily, kicked, and vaginally and anally penetrated—as well as being skinned alive. In Oklahoma, the pigs were also beaten, smashed onto the ground, starved, and left to die of illness.
Another group found pigs in Nebraska to be suffering from extreme neglect and mistreatment, drowning in their own shit and piss and covered in open sores. They found similarly neglected pigs in South Dakota, where the conditions were so inhumane that death rates in barns reached as high as 60 percent—and where some pigs were killed by having a water hose placed in their mouths until they burst.
So here's the thing. Beatings, castration without painkillers, drowning in excrement, wasting away with illness, vaginal and anal penetration—these shouldn't be every day occurrences, but they are. Watch those videos! All over the world, pigs in factory farms are suffering just like pigs in Iowa, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and South Dakota—and each time someone buys bacon, ham, sausage, or a hot dog, that person is saying that he or she agrees with how these pigs are treated.
If you wouldn't treat an animal like this yourself, why are you paying someone else to do it for you? That's not a rhetorical question. If you eat animals, I want you to think about it, look yourself in the mirror, and justify why the footage in these videos is acceptable to you.
Please go vegetarian, and if you already are I hope you're more motivated than ever to get active with the peta2 Street Team.
-Pulin
Ingrid Wants You To Work Here August 18, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at August 18, 2008 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBackWhat's better than getting free stuff and helping animals through the Street Team?
PETA's president, Ingrid Newkirk will tell you:
Check out peta2.com/jobs for more info on animal rights internships and jobs.
Have Fun Tabling Local Shows June 10, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at June 10, 2008 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Last of the Believers Street Team tabling Ryne
Ryne is a seventeen year old Street Team superstar who loves to table local shows in Illinois. Here's what he has to say about his experiences ...
How did you get interested in tabling shows?
Well I have been involved with PETA for quite awhile. I've organized tons and tons of demos against KFC, the circus, and the rodeo. I've also started my own animal rights group at my school and another group for people in the Springfield area to get together and campaign for animals. I've also been seeing local bands perform for a long time and felt tabling would be a great way to reach out to people. I get to enjoy music I like and do something positive for animals at the same time. It's a win win.
What is people's response when you ask them to sign the petition?
A lot of people had no idea how animals were treated (for KFC) and I would have to explain to them how their animals endure all kinds of abuse and suffering.
Are the bands supportive?
Most are. The lead singer of one poplar band in Springfield, Midnight Fall, is vegan and has stated that he totally supports our cause. I think most people we've talked to have a lot of respect for anyone that is going to be so active for a good cause.
What are your favorite bands?
I have a wide variety of bands that I like. I luv Sufjan Stevens, Death Cab for Cutie, Ok Go, Regina Spektor, Alkaline Trio, Silverstein, Rise Against, Anti-Flag, Goldfinger (John Feldmann is my hero :D), Morrissey, Earth Crisis, Active Slaughter, Resist and Exist, The Used, Lamb of God, Chiodos, and The Devil Wears Prada. I'm also a big fan of techno and trance. Benny Benassi, Paul Van Dyke, and Cascada are some of my favs. I also luv the soundtrack to Queer as Folk.
What are your favorite foods?
Tofutti Cuties basically rock my life. I pretty much love foreign food : Lebanese, Greek, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Veggie Sushi, Veggie Fajitas.
If you want to be like Ryne and table local shows, drop us a line and we'll send you petitions and anything else you need to get started. Have you ever tabled at a show before? If so, post below with how it went!
P.S.- I like this new video from Last of The Believers featuring former Rise Against guitarist Chris Chasse.
Cool Mother's Day Card! May 6, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at May 6, 2008 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 23 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Street Team Mother's Day card
Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday, and we've got the coolest, cutest card for you to print out and give to your mom. We are all about helping you get involved, but we realize that it's sometimes difficult unless your parents are supportive of your beliefs.
click to download
Go to it!
Who Went To The Bamboozle? May 6, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at May 6, 2008 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBackWhoa! The Bamboozle over the weekend was so incredible and tiring (in a good way) that I had to take yesterday off to recover. I was totally exhausted. If you went, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Our tent was the place to be with thousands of people signing our petition, bands stopping in to say hello, and lots of free stuff for everyone.
What was your favorite part if you went to The Bamboozle? And if you didn't go, how was your weekend?
Here are some of my favorite photos from the weekend.
You all really love Matthew Lush, don't you?
We met so many amazing Street Teamers. It was bonkers.
My friend put on the head from our rabbit costume, took off his shirt, and ran on stage.
Thanks to everyone on the Street Team for stopping by, and make sure you check out the Fur Is Dead campaign page to keep up the campaign to get 100,000 Strong Against Fur!
Brianna Representing For Animals At School April 15, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at April 15, 2008 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Street Team vegan cookies
Recently peta2 Street Teamer Brianna did a debate presentation about animal rights for her Modern Literature class. She got her materials from peta2 just in time for her presentation, and got a great response from her teacher and the entire class. You know, it also didn't hurt that Brianna and her group handed out bags of vegan cookies and candy, plus stickers, leaflets, and DVDs about animal rights to about forty people in the class! Nothing like the sweet taste of compassion to help show people that there's no reason to support cruelty to animals.
Anyway, Brianna said her group talked all about cruelty to animals while Meet Your Meat was playing in the background. Since it was a "debate," the other group tried to disprove the pro-animal rights stance, and from what I hear the animals won! Really, what would the anti-animal rights argument be? You've heard it a zillion times from people at school or work and you know it never makes any sense. The debate may have gone something like this?
Pro-Animal Rights: Animals suffer when they are beaten, caged, and denied everything natural to them. There's no reason to abuse animals when there are so many healthy, sustainable, and humane alternatives available. Visit peta2.com for more info.
Anti-Animal Rights: Meat is good. Yay. Meat. Meat. Meat. Meat. *Burp*
Pro-Animal Rights: Some of the greatest moral visionaries throughout history from Gandhi to Thoreau recognized that respect for animals is an important foundational belief for any compassionate society. Furthermore, United Nations has written about the colossal impact the livestock industry has on the sustainability of the human population, so it's time to act now!
Anti-Animal Rights: Animals don't have feelings. They're just like machines, except they poop. I wish the cafeteria would serve baby seals' flesh next to the dead chickens' flesh.
Seriously have you ever heard what some people try to pull out of their asses to try to justify eating meat or wearing a fur coat? Ri-freakin-diculous! Anyone with even half a brain can tell that animals suffer, and they need us to speak out on their behalf to stop this senseless slaughter.
Thanks to Brianna and her group, and everyone else out there on the Street Team!
Ashley Is Awesome! April 7, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at April 7, 2008 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
dogs spay neuter Street Team Student activism
A little while back I started corresponding with Ashley, a local high school student, and ever since then she's impressed me with her passion for animal rights whether it comes to protecting dogs, rabbits, chickens, or elephants! She's most interested in helping stop the overpopulation crisis which leaves so many animals suffering and forced to be euthanized. I wanted to introduce you to Ashley with a little interview since she has so much to say!
How did you get into animal rights?
I first got into animal rights when I was about 12... when I got into high school I found out about a club called AWARE and because it had something to do with animals, I immediately decided I would join. I've loved animals and all things living since I was a young'n, this in turn makes me the "little black sheep" of the family... Ms. Lauter, who would become my future life coach, and head of the club, got me into fixing my dog (instead of breeding). We took one trip to the shelter and I decided that was it. I decided this is what I was made for, that I would rescue homeless pets all over the world— that there was no need for the suffering. After that I (began) to do more research on different animals around the world... so that I could learn more.
Is there a particular animal rights issue you feel strongly about and why?
There are a lot of things I feel strongly about concerning animal rights. I don't believe in breeding dogs and cats at this point, for one thing. We have an OVERPOPULATION problem and thousands of thousands of homeless pets, who deserve to be loved and cared for are being euthanized each day. Why, I cannot fathom, are we still breeding... Good dogs and cats deserve homes and love...
Other than that, any killing of animals just isn't my cup of tea. I don't believe hunting is ethical, I don't believe in animal testing, and I don't like puppy mills, circuses, factory farms, I don't like fur for clothing...
Can you tell us a little bit about how you try to educate other people about animal rights?
I usually carry an array of papers in my book bag wherever I go. Then when I go out, I talk to just about anyone I see! I hand out papers and really I just talk to people. People know me in my school as "obsessed," but I counter them with the fact that I'm just passionate. The love for animals is embedded in me and I can't fight it so I just roll with the punches! We have a group in my school called AWARE and that's another way I go out and educate. We have meetings and paperwork and I educate them, then send them out to educate others! I also take pictures. People tend to be very visual, and a picture can say a thousand words.
Can you tell us about the award you recently won for your photography?
Oh yea! I won the PTA Reflections Contest for photography. I got first place for my school then moved on to city-wide where I got second place!
One of Ashley's award-winning photos
What are your favorite foods?
I guess my fave food is french fries. Preferably waffle fries. I love plantains too, Kool-aid, trail mix, and pretty much whatever else isn't good for you!
What is your favorite music?
Anything real, except country. I only like one country song by the Dixie Chicks "Goodbye Earl."
What else do you do for fun?
Photography is my hobby. I love it. And I like to bird watch. I combine the two and get pictures of birds! LOL! I pretty like anything that has to do with animals. But just like most teens I like shopping and going to the movies, hanging out and texting!
Thanks to Ashley and for anyone else with cool stories about your work to help animals, please let us know! Just send us a message!
Bloody Burberry: The Fur Fighters (Video Game) March 26, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at March 26, 2008 8:02 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBackCheck out this new game to help build some more support for the campaign to get fur out of Burberry stores.
I haven't had this much fun since Super Chick Sisters.
In Bloody Burberry: The Fur Fighters, you get to play as a fox, rabbit, or raccoon, and participate in cool anti-fur actions including spray painting fur coats, disrupting a fur-filled fashion show, and freeing animals from cages! Those things in reality are illegal, so you shouldn't do them. But, you can do them all you want in this game and then be inspired to go out and make a difference on the peta2 Street Team.
How did you do? Comment back and let me know! I beat the game on the first try (probably because I hate Burberry so much, otherwise I'm pretty horrible at video games... got my butt whooped in Super Smash Brothers last night).
Some Of The Coolest Kids In The World March 24, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at March 24, 2008 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBackBefore I made the switch into some more office-based work for peta2, I used to do a lot of tabling and stuff on the road. And even before that in high school and college, I spent years tabling shows in NJ and NY at all sorts of venues from little halls with a few dozen people per show (with bands like Shadows Fall and Thursday as they were coming up) to larger festivals (like Warped Tour in the late 90s). The thing that's always been most exciting for me is that I got to meet inspiring people everywhere who care about doing something positive for the world.
I recently got a chance to check out some shows tabling for peta2 and wanted to share some photos. The first was the Taste of Chaos tour in Philly. It was awesome and people were really into the Fur Is Dead campaign. It was crazy to see Avenged Sevenfold with a huge setup for the show including pyotechnics and all. One of the first tours I did for peta2 was A7X opening for Rise Against in 2003 to crowds of maybe one hundred people. So this was definitely a step up for them.
Check out Rebecca and Caitie showing off their shirts at the peta2 table.
Then last week, I went to check out Earth Crisis and Shai Hulud! These are among the most influential and well-respected hardcore bands on the face of the planet, and Karl from Earth Crisis also handles vocal duties for Freya. Many of you have no doubt seen the amazing anti-animal testing video for Struggle To Survive from Freya, too. Here are some pics from that.
We had a slightly misprinted petition sheet around so we let Matt Fletcher of Shai Hulud use one for his band's setlist.
Spot the peta2 banner during Earth Crisis!
Awesome Richmond vegan straight edge kids and their XVX shirts!
A closer look at those shirts.
So overall, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone I've ever met on the road. And please do stay in touch with any peta2 staffers you ever meet at protests, shows, or anywhere else. We all love hearing about all that you do, and hopefully the feeling is mutual. Send us your Street Team feedback, photos, videos, and always feel free just to say hello.
