PETA Sues SeaWorld for Violating Orcas' Constitutional Rights

[bobbyw24]

In a groundbreaking move for animals, PETA, with the help of three marine-mammal experts and two former orca trainers, will file a landmark lawsuit tomorrow asking a federal court to declare that five wild-caught orcas forced to perform at SeaWorld are being held as slaves in violation of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The 13th Amendment prohibits the condition of slavery, without reference to "person" or any particular class of victims. PETA's general counsel, Jeffrey Kerr, stated, "Slavery does not depend on the species of the slave any more than it depends on gender, race, or religion."

http://www2.peta.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=87724.0&printer_friendly=1

[Ranger29860]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSTabnmiy9FJ1-s73On1pLVzEA8x2gZBpT8h2ihTO7hFT_hX-Z0Sg

[asurfaholic]

So are thry also going to sue the blind folks with service dogs? Same concept....

[Ranger29860]

So are thry also going to sue the blind folks with service dogs? Same concept....

This can be applied to any animal ever.

[bobbyw24]

I wonder how descendants of people who were actual slaves in the 1600-1800s feel about this

[bobbyw24]

The 13th Amendment uses the word "party" and not "person."

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.[2]

[moostraks]

This can be applied to any animal ever.

Yep...I detest PETA people after having known several personally. They would rather have animals die to prove one of their many irrational points. :(

[VBRonPaulFan]

The 13th Amendment uses the word "party" and not "person."

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.[2]

The constitution was an agreement between individuals with a formed government. Party in that context means group of individual people.

[bobbyw24]

The constitution was an agreement between individuals with a formed government. Party in that context means group of individual people.

I agree and think a judge would too

[John F Kennedy III]

PETA kills 95% of the animals it gets.

[kojirodensetsu]

The constitution does not apply to animals.

[Kludge]

I wonder how descendants of people who were actual slaves in the 1600-1800s feel about this
Probably about the same as they did when PETA had a 2005 traveling campaign comparing animals to black slaves... this was after they compared slaughterhouses to the Holocaust.

http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2011/07/Slave-Traders--300x150.jpg

"Child labor, human slavery, and the oppression of women all came to be opposed by our society, thanks to the passion and hard work of human rights activists," said PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk.

"We hope that PETA's display will help people see that nonhuman animals suffer today just as humans once did, and that we can all make small changes in our lives to help make animal oppression a thing of the past," she said.

[bobbyw24]

Probably about the same as they did when PETA had a 2005 traveling campaign comparing animals to black slaves... this was after they compared slaughterhouses to the Holocaust.

http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2011/07/Slave-Traders--300x150.jpg

"Child labor, human slavery, and the oppression of women all came to be opposed by our society, thanks to the passion and hard work of human rights activists," said PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk.

"We hope that PETA's display will help people see that nonhuman animals suffer today just as humans once did, and that we can all make small changes in our lives to help make animal oppression a thing of the past," she said.

WOW

[aGameOfThrones]

I think police departments using dogs to sniff for drugs are contributing to a very bad addiction.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A84MeVul9mA

[oyarde]

The 13th Amendment uses the word "party" and not "person."

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.[2] Well , I consider UnConstitutional taxes not in Article One Section Eight to be involuntary servitude .....

[oyarde]

PETA , enough said ..

[ItsTime]

I wonder how many of these people believe a fetus does not have rights?

[oyarde]

Maybe , I should speak to the Orcas , They will tell me they want to remain where they are ....

[donnay]

Humans have free will, and PETA wants to free willy. :rolleyes:

[oyarde]

I wonder how many of these people believe a fetus does not have rights? Probably , nearly all of them , PETA people fit the weirdo , far left fringe Lib profile , ( commies )

[Lafayette]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSTabnmiy9FJ1-s73On1pLVzEA8x2gZBpT8h2ihTO7hFT_hX-Z0Sg

This ^

[eduardo89]

I wonder how many of these people believe a fetus does not have rights?

I'm actually going to write them an email asking that.

[torchbearer]

the constitution doesn't grant rights. fail.

[youngbuck]

I'm actually going to write them an email asking that.

Yes, do that! I'm interested in what their official position is if they have one, and if they'll even reply to you. I assume nearly all oppose the notion that a fetus has rights.

[Endgame]

Guess what Orcas eat in the wild? OTHER WHALES.

I read a book called The New Holy Wars which argues that environmentalism is based more on a Judeo-Christian view of nature than a Darwinian one. I think the same applies to these fucking herbivore herd animals.

[dannno]

Yes, do that! I'm interested in what their official position is if they have one, and if they'll even reply to you. I assume nearly all oppose the notion that a fetus has rights.

I'd be sure to preface it with, "I know you believe a pregnant woman has rights over her own body, but what about the fetus inside of her body? Does it have less rights than an orca, or should the Constitution not protect the rights of a live fetus?"

Should at least get them thinking.

[dannno]

Guess what Orcas eat in the wild? OTHER WHALES.


Ya they go out in packs and hunt giant whales. It's nuts. I guess they eat a lot of seals, though, as well. Too many damn seals out there, they are over-populated. Of course that is because it is illegal to hunt seals.

[Agorism]

Case seems silly, but overall PETA never really bothered me.

[Invi]

Coming up, domestic animals of all kinds, and children who dislike being asked to take out the trash.

Ugh.

[CaptainAmerica]

I may not agree with what Sea World is doing with animals, but PETA is just stupid and crazy.

[Xenophage]

It's not slavery unless the animal has an inalienable right to liberty.

PETA believes all animals have inalienable rights, but their position is irrational and a misunderstanding of what rights are. Ask an animal rights advocate why animals have rights, and all you'll get are emotional platitudes. "They have feelings," is a common one. So rights come from our ability to feel emotions? Or our ability to feel pain?

Any rational person can easily see that if you treat an animal as though it has rights, it will not treat you the same. It's incapable of conceiving such a concept in the first place, which is highly abstract. Even very peaceable animals will sometimes shit on your lawn and eat your trash without a second thought to property rights. This isn't to say most humans aren't also rights abusers, but we do have the capacity for self-control and conceptualization.

If ever an animal displayed higher order reasoning and concept-formation to the extent that it could *assert* its own rights, and the ability to co-exist within a society of rights, then I would grant it has them.

[Danke]

Orcas have the right to bare arms.

[dannno]

Case seems silly, but overall PETA never really bothered me.

Actually I applaud their education efforts when it comes to the mistreatment of farm animals, and animals in general. I would love to have a good information source of who is abusing animals so I know what foods and companies to avoid buying from.

The part I'm not so keen on is the whole animal rights, legal aspect where they want to force their views of animals on everyone.

[oyarde]

Guess what Orcas eat in the wild? OTHER WHALES.

I read a book called The New Holy Wars which argues that environmentalism is based more on a Judeo-Christian view of nature than a Darwinian one. I think the same applies to these fucking herbivore herd animals.And sharks , and sharks and killer whales eat seals .

[Lymeade-Lady]

PETA kills 95% of the animals it gets.

Seriously? They save them to kill them? What's the point?

I informed my children that they keep slaves according to PETA. (they have 2 sugar gliders in a cage and only let them out maybe once a day!)

What really gets me is that there are more slaves in the world than ever and we are going after how people treat animals. I actually met a girl this week living right here in the USA that was illegally brought here as a slave (forced to "work" in the s*x industry). Sure it's illegal, but it's happening here in our country and we are worried about the poor Orcas who are played with and fed with almost nothing required of them. I want people like her freed so they can live! A much higher goal in my opinion.

When my kids went to the circus, they came back with PETA coloring book propaganda. I have no idea if the animals are treated humanely or not, but truth is most pets have a pretty good life--why do we act like animals living with humans is always torture? If they aren't treated well that's one thing, but animals can be taught tricks b/c they like treats with no punish involved. And I don't see many pets wanting to run away. Are all circuses really any different that large pets that do tricks for treats?

[jmdrake]

The 13th Amendment uses the word "party" and not "person."

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.[2]

True. That's why context is everything. The "party" in this case is an entity that can be convicted of a crime. But the 5th amendment protections in cases of criminal prosecution only apply to persons.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

[jmdrake]

PETA kills 95% of the animals it gets.


Seriously? They save them to kill them? What's the point?

I informed my children that they keep slaves according to PETA. (they have 2 sugar gliders in a cage and only let them out maybe once a day!)

What really gets me is that there are more slaves in the world than ever and we are going after how people treat animals. I actually met a girl this week living right here in the USA that was illegally brought here as a slave (forced to "work" in the s*x industry). Sure it's illegal, but it's happening here in our country and we are worried about the poor Orcas who are played with and fed with almost nothing required of them. I want people like her freed so they can live! A much higher goal in my opinion.

When my kids went to the circus, they came back with PETA coloring book propaganda. I have no idea if the animals are treated humanely or not, but truth is most pets have a pretty good life--why do we act like animals living with humans is always torture? If they aren't treated well that's one thing, but animals can be taught tricks b/c they like treats with no punish involved. And I don't see many pets wanting to run away. Are all circuses really any different that large pets that do tricks for treats?

I learn something new here everyday.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/04/27/peta-and-euthanasia.html

PETA and Euthanasia
Apr 27, 2008 8:00 PM EDT
Even among animal lovers, killing unwanted pets is a divisive issue.

Print
Email
Comments
1

Nearly a decade later, Daphna Nachminovitch still remembers the rerelease of the Disney classic "101 Dalmatians" and the tragedy that followed. First there was a spike in sales of the famous spotted breed. Then, in the months that followed, shelters took in hundreds of Dalmatians from disillusioned pet owners around the country. "As soon as the puppies outlived their cuteness and the kids didn't want to scoop the poop anymore, the dogs were dumped in shelters," says Nachminovitch, vice president of cruelty investigations for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). "Many of them had to be euthanized, because there was simply no place for them to go."

But what many animal lovers don't realize is that PETA itself may have put down some of those unwanted Dalmatians. The organization has practiced euthanasia for years. Since 1998 PETA has killed more than 17,000 animals, nearly 85 percent of all those it has rescued. Dalmatians may no longer be the breed of the day, but the problem of unwanted and abandoned pets is as urgent as ever. Shelters around the country kill 4 million animals every year; by some estimates, more than 80 percent of them are healthy. In recent years those grim statistics have split the animal rights community. Ironically, PETA has emerged as a strong proponent of euthanasia. (The group is better known for its public condemnations of everyone from fashion designer Donna Karan for her use of fur to the National Cancer Institute for its animal research.) In defense of its policy PETA has insisted that euthanasia is a necessary evil in a world full of unwanted pets. But while the group has some well-known allies, including the Humane Society of the United States, a growing number of animal rights activists claim to have found a better, more humane way.

"Over-population is a myth," says attorney Nathan Winograd, whose recent book "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America"" chronicles the rise of the no-kill shelter movement. "With better outreach and public relations, we can find homes for virtually all of the healthy animals we are now killing." As proof he points to a string of communities across the country whose shelters have managed to stop euthanizing all but the sickest animals. Bonney Brown, executive director of the Nevada Humane Society, says that in 2007, the first year her group went "no-kill," her shelters managed to save 90 percent of the 8,000 animals they took in. Among other strategies, the organization ramped up its volunteer force, from 30 to 1,700, expanded its hours so that people could come in after work and engaged in extensive media outreach.

"On balance, people love animals," says Brown, pointing out that animal causes are one of the fastest-growing segments of American philanthropy. "The biggest challenge has been convincing them to trust their local shelters. And with a little initiative we are finally starting to do that."

Shelters in Virginia, New York and San Francisco report successes similar to Nevada's, and communities in more than a dozen states have announced no-kill goals and added legislative mandates to their agenda. King County, Wash., passed a law requiring area shelters to achieve an 85 percent save rate by 2009. San Antonio, Texas, is aiming for zero kills by 2012. And Ivan City, Utah, saved 97 percent of its shelter animals beginning in 2006 when the animal control ordinances were rewritten to prohibit the euthanasia of healthy animals.

Those successes have not persuaded PETA or its allies. The group argues that in order to maintain their no-kill status these facilities simply turn away animals that are unlikely to be adopted, often leaving them to fates worse than death. "No one hates it more than we do," says Nachminovitch. "But we would rather offer these animals a painless death than have them tortured, starved or sold for research." PETA isn't the only group to take that stance. "No-kill is a noble goal," says Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. "But the sheer number of animals make it almost unachievable."

Instead of zero kills, PETA claims to be shooting for zero births. "Focusing on the animals that come into shelters is like emptying a river with a teaspoon," says Nachminovitch. "By investing in spay and neuter programs, which are where a lot of our resources go, we can stop unwanted births and prevent four times as much suffering."

But Brown and others insist they have achieved no-kill without turning animals away, and on a fraction of PETA's $30 million budget. "With the resources at their disposal, PETA and the Humane Society of the U.S. could become no-kill in no time," Winograd says. "Instead they have become leading killers of cats and dogs, and the animal-loving public unwittingly foots the bill through taxes and donations.

[oyarde]

I learn something new here everyday.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/04/27/peta-and-euthanasia.html

PETA and Euthanasia
Apr 27, 2008 8:00 PM EDT
Even among animal lovers, killing unwanted pets is a divisive issue.

Print
Email
Comments
1

Nearly a decade later, Daphna Nachminovitch still remembers the rerelease of the Disney classic "101 Dalmatians" and the tragedy that followed. First there was a spike in sales of the famous spotted breed. Then, in the months that followed, shelters took in hundreds of Dalmatians from disillusioned pet owners around the country. "As soon as the puppies outlived their cuteness and the kids didn't want to scoop the poop anymore, the dogs were dumped in shelters," says Nachminovitch, vice president of cruelty investigations for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). "Many of them had to be euthanized, because there was simply no place for them to go."

But what many animal lovers don't realize is that PETA itself may have put down some of those unwanted Dalmatians. The organization has practiced euthanasia for years. Since 1998 PETA has killed more than 17,000 animals, nearly 85 percent of all those it has rescued. Dalmatians may no longer be the breed of the day, but the problem of unwanted and abandoned pets is as urgent as ever. Shelters around the country kill 4 million animals every year; by some estimates, more than 80 percent of them are healthy. In recent years those grim statistics have split the animal rights community. Ironically, PETA has emerged as a strong proponent of euthanasia. (The group is better known for its public condemnations of everyone from fashion designer Donna Karan for her use of fur to the National Cancer Institute for its animal research.) In defense of its policy PETA has insisted that euthanasia is a necessary evil in a world full of unwanted pets. But while the group has some well-known allies, including the Humane Society of the United States, a growing number of animal rights activists claim to have found a better, more humane way.

"Over-population is a myth," says attorney Nathan Winograd, whose recent book "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America"" chronicles the rise of the no-kill shelter movement. "With better outreach and public relations, we can find homes for virtually all of the healthy animals we are now killing." As proof he points to a string of communities across the country whose shelters have managed to stop euthanizing all but the sickest animals. Bonney Brown, executive director of the Nevada Humane Society, says that in 2007, the first year her group went "no-kill," her shelters managed to save 90 percent of the 8,000 animals they took in. Among other strategies, the organization ramped up its volunteer force, from 30 to 1,700, expanded its hours so that people could come in after work and engaged in extensive media outreach.

"On balance, people love animals," says Brown, pointing out that animal causes are one of the fastest-growing segments of American philanthropy. "The biggest challenge has been convincing them to trust their local shelters. And with a little initiative we are finally starting to do that."

Shelters in Virginia, New York and San Francisco report successes similar to Nevada's, and communities in more than a dozen states have announced no-kill goals and added legislative mandates to their agenda. King County, Wash., passed a law requiring area shelters to achieve an 85 percent save rate by 2009. San Antonio, Texas, is aiming for zero kills by 2012. And Ivan City, Utah, saved 97 percent of its shelter animals beginning in 2006 when the animal control ordinances were rewritten to prohibit the euthanasia of healthy animals.

Those successes have not persuaded PETA or its allies. The group argues that in order to maintain their no-kill status these facilities simply turn away animals that are unlikely to be adopted, often leaving them to fates worse than death. "No one hates it more than we do," says Nachminovitch. "But we would rather offer these animals a painless death than have them tortured, starved or sold for research." PETA isn't the only group to take that stance. "No-kill is a noble goal," says Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. "But the sheer number of animals make it almost unachievable."

Instead of zero kills, PETA claims to be shooting for zero births. "Focusing on the animals that come into shelters is like emptying a river with a teaspoon," says Nachminovitch. "By investing in spay and neuter programs, which are where a lot of our resources go, we can stop unwanted births and prevent four times as much suffering."

But Brown and others insist they have achieved no-kill without turning animals away, and on a fraction of PETA's $30 million budget. "With the resources at their disposal, PETA and the Humane Society of the U.S. could become no-kill in no time," Winograd says. "Instead they have become leading killers of cats and dogs, and the animal-loving public unwittingly foots the bill through taxes and donations. That is just wasteful :) , My Father taught me as a youngster not to kill unless you were going to eat it or wear it :)

[specsaregood]

Orcas have the right to bare arms.

Yeah, I've never seen one wear a coat or shirt so obviously they are excercising that right.

[donnay]

TPTB think of us as animals anyway!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-n0MSABmOc

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

http://api.ning.com/files/n08ZwqdH4BtrD0B6p4PGIYF2pJrxlARIsMjFAD7RyGk_/TreeHuggingHippiesMagnetC11756032.jpg

[jmdrake]

TPTB think of us as animals anyway!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-n0MSABmOc

Interesting video. The case Chisholm v Georgia is a very good read.

http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1793/1793_0
http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1448810606414351612&q=chilsom+v+georgia&hl=en&as_sdt=2,43

[eduardo89]

I got a response from PETA asking if they believe whales have more rights than unborn children, this is what they replied:


ear Mr. -----,

Thank you for contacting PETA. I hope that you find the following information helpful.

PETA has no official position on abortion, just as pro-life organizations typically don’t have official positions on animal rights. PETA’s membership is composed of a diverse group with diverse opinions. As an animal rights organization, we cannot presume to speak for our members on any issue other than animal rights.

No one organization can deal with all moral and social issues. To cite just two examples: The American Heart Association fights heart disease but not cancer or any other disease, while Save the Children helps starving children but not disabled veterans. PETA specializes in supporting animal rights. Fortunately, however, our pro-animal activities tend to improve the human condition as well. As vegetarians, for example, we advocate eating lower on the food chain, and if every human adopted a vegetarian diet, we would not only save more than 20 billion animals from slaughter each year, but would also lower our risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses that have been linked to meat-based diets.

We can help feed starving children around the world by choosing carefully what we put on our plates. The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the Earth’s entire human population. Furthermore, eliminating intensive factory farming of animals would also save precious fresh water and topsoil.

For further information and answers to frequently asked questions about this topic, please visit http://www.PETA.org/about/faq/default.aspx.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts and for your compassion for the defenseless.

Sincerely,

Kate Hendrickson
Membership Correspondent
PETA Foundation | Oakland, CA
KateH@petaf.org
510.629.6416

[dannno]

I got a response from PETA asking if they believe whales have more rights than unborn children, this is what they replied:

Valid reply.

[eduardo89]

Valid reply.

I was actually really surprised that they even replied, let alone gave one that was coherent. They did completely sidestep the question about whether they value unborn human life more than a whale though...

[Echoes]

Peta is an evil mafia organization. Ironically, animal 'rights' psychos are typically militant anti-lifers when it comes to abortion. Thats the twisted 21st century mindset, get used to it, its only gonna get worse.

[eduardo89]

Peta is an evil mafia organization. Ironically, animal 'rights' psychos are typically militant anti-lifers when it comes to abortion. Thats the twisted 21st century mindset, get used to it, its only gonna get worse.

Fur is murder, but abortion is my right.

[mrsat_98]

Interesting video. The case Chisholm v Georgia is a very good read.

http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1793/1793_0
http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1448810606414351612&q=chilsom+v+georgia&hl=en&as_sdt=2,43

I talked with a friend who has been following the man or other animals defense as it unfolds. The government is going to have to confront this one way or another. As the Government perps that started this are currently getting the $hi+ sued out of them.