People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also known as PETA, is an internationally recognized organization whose stated purpose is to help keep animals safe.
Because the group sometimes takes rather eccentric positions in the pursuit of its ultimate objectives, the reactions to its various proposals are generally quite polarized. Some are for, others against.
This week, PETA managed to come up with a proposal that not everyone agreed with.
Somehow, against all odds, the organization managed to put everyone off.
In an Oct. 28 press release, PETA called for a ban on the term “reliever pen” in Major League Baseball (MLB).
“Words matter, and baseball ‘pens’ devalue talented players and poke fun at the misery of sentient animals,” said PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman. “PETA encourages Major League Baseball coaches, announcers, players and fans to change their language and embrace the ‘arm barn’ instead. “
PETA then added that “cows are hung upside down and their throats slit in the meat industry, while in rodeos the nice bulls are tormented by kicking and being electroshocked or pushed. – all are generally held in a ‘bullpen’ while they await their cruel fate.
Naturally, social media had some reactions to this development:
If PETA is this shake-up of the term “bullpen” because it’s insensitive to cows, just wait until they know what a baseball is made of… pic.twitter.com/gAiwGS9gwO
– Baseball Quotes (@ BaseballQuotes1) October 28, 2021
PETA is what happens when you take a fundamentally good idea and then load it up with the biggest fucking crazies on the planet https://t.co/CZj3DUmQP8
– Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) 28 octobre 2021
PETA, the media, etc… they only stand up when they are forced to do so in order to maintain a minimum of credibility with the public. Stop falling into the trap. PETA doesn’t care about animals. pic.twitter.com/uVVfHPqVDm
– Pureblood – Marburg is the next Plandemic (@jacksonianinfla) October 27, 2021
Overall, it’s not hard to see why people are speaking out against PETA’s suggestion. This baseball season has been filled with a lot of light fun. Models taking off their shirts, adult movie stars wearing revealing outfits, casual debates about bad refereeing – that sort of thing.
Devin Booker’s reaction to Kendall’s provocative Halloween costume. https://t.co/zVVOuYe4bM
– Thu 7 (@ game7__) October 28, 2021
Meanwhile, it adds a certain heaviness and weirdness to the procedure that, frankly, baseball fans don’t need.
Will anyone finally take PETA’s suggestion seriously enough to integrate it? Obviously not. Will it gain from organizing headlines for 24 hours? Clearly, yes.
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