One of the more frustrating things about the media is when reporters paraphrase comments where a verbatim quote should really have been used to avoid misunderstanding or misquoting a speaker. With that caveat, the Minneapolis Star Tribune offered this bizarre complaint about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ “Holocaust On Your Plate” campaign,
Brian Blitz, a University of Minnesota-Duluth student, said the graphic nature of the exhibit was a mistake because [sic] made it too easy for people to ignore the conditions of the animals and focus on the indignity of Holocaust victims.
Yeah, we certainly wouldn’t want people shedding any tears over one of the worst acts of genocide in human history at the expense of the chickens, now would we?
Interestingly, the Tribune reported that PETA activist Matthew Prescott was disappointed that only about 30 people showed up for the display, but several of them had the right idea,
Several other people came to the exhibit with hamburgers and chicken strips, and several lively discussions broke out between them and the supporters of the exhibit.
Source:
Visitors divided over PETA’s message. Allen Powell II, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), July 30, 2003.