People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has been alienating people across the country with its “Holocaust on Your Plate” campaign. It’s nice of PETA to go out and make the anti-animal rights argument so clear. But it turns out — and this will certainly come as a shock for everyone familiar with PETA’s idea of integrity — that PETA apparently obtained the Holocaust materials it is using on false pretenses.
The Holocaust images PETA features in its campaign were obtained from the United States Holocaust Museum. The Holocaust Museum has released two letters this year accusing PETA of using “deceit” to obtain the materials and demanding that PETA cease using the materials immediately.
On February 28, 2003, the Holocaust Museum sent the following letter to PETA,
February 28, 2003
Ms. Ingrid Newkirk
President
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
501 Front Street
Norfolk, Va. 23510Dear Ms. Newkirk:
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (the Museum) has learned that PETA is using photographs and text obtained from the Museum for PETA’s “Holocaust on Your Plate” project. We demand that you immediately and permanently cease and desist this reprehensible misuse of Holocaust materials.
The Museum’s Photograph Use Agreement, which governs usage of photographic reproductions, states that “The USHMM reserves the right to restrict the uses of reproductions, to request prior review and approval of display formats and/or publication proofs, and to otherwise ensure that reproductions are used with respect and dignity.” Consistent with this provision, this letter constitutes actual notice that PETA is required to immediately remove from PETA’s website any and all photographic images and textual materials obtained from the Museum, and immediately cease using these materials in any pamphlets, public displays, and any other manner.
As America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, we find PETA’s exploitation of these materials a gross perversion of our mission. Furthermore, the use of these materials and citations of the Museum’s name on them improperly and incorrectly implies that the Museum, a Federal government establishment, endorses PETA’s project. Consequently, you are also instructed to immediately and permanently cease from using the Museum’s name on your website and in any other publicly displayed formats or materials.
By close of business Monday, March 3, 2003, please provide me with written confirmation of PETA’s compliance with the terms of this letter.
Sincerely yours,
Stuart Bender
Legal Counsel
PETA has apparently simply ignored this letter. On March 4, 2003, the Museum released the following statement from its chairman, Fred Zeidman,
The Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, Fred S. Zeidman, today expressed his outrage over PETA?s desecration of Holocaust memory and released the following statement:
?The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is appalled by PETA?s utterly shameless and contemptible public relations campaign equating the millions of men, women and children murdered in the Holocaust to animals.
?This organization has chosen to ignore common decency and desecrate the memory of Holocaust victims, survivors and their families in its perverted effort to generate headlines.
?We are especially offended that PETA has chosen to use materials obtained deceitfully from the Museum. We deplore this exploitation of the Holocaust and reprehensible misuse of Holocaust materials.
?We urge PETA to halt this campaign and find an appropriate way to build support for its goals. An organization so concerned about inflicting pain on animals should not be so oblivious to the pain it is inflicting on humans.?
Yeah, PETA really takes the prize for “ethical” behavior.
Source:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Demands That Peta Stop Exploiting The Holocaust. United States Holocaust Museum, Press Release, March 3, 2003.
Chairman Fred S. Zeiman Expresses Outrage Over PETA’s Desecration of Holocaust Memory. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Press Release, March 4, 2003.