Tuesday, June 17, 2008

PETA attempts to out-stupid Jessica Simpson

Yesterday, Jessica Simpson was photographed wearing a shirt that says 'real girls eat meat'. Now this might have been an ironic T-shirt, but I'm sure Jessica doesn't know what that means so it's most likely not.

Today, PETA responded by posting 5 Reasons Why Only Stupid Girls Brag About Eating Meat (capitalization theirs) on their blog. The list is arguably even stupider than Jessica Simpson is rumoured to be. Here are the five 'reasons', with explanations why they are wrong.

1. Meat increases the risk of breast cancer.
The article mentioned was indeed published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2007 by Taylor, Burley et al. and finds a association between eating meat and the risk of breast cancer in pre- and post-menopausal women. However, sources indicate that the effect was not significant and inconclusive.

2. Real girls don't support animal abuse.
Celebrities (obviously) do not represent the world population, so if 'huge numbers of celebtrities are ditching meat' that does not mean everyone is. The latest numbers indicate 6.7% of Americans were vegetarian in 2006. In India, over 57% of the population is vegetarian.

3. The meat industry is destroying the Earth.
The quote used here is in The Times, from the Prince of Wales and is from 2005. In the exact same article, the Prince is criticized as being hypocritical since he spends large amounts of money but speaks out for less spending. His comments are in no way connected to animal cruelty or vegetarianism. He also has a ranch with 100 chickens.

4. Meat will make you fat.
I guess I'll just eat the fries then whenever I'm at McDonalds? This is rubbish, anything taken in excess will make you fat. Including a vegetarian diet.

5. Eating meat steals food from starving kids.
So it's OK for starving kids to eat meat?

Basically, PETA blasted Jessica Simpsons for being seen wearing a T-shirt advocating meat consumption, without: asking if she agrees with it, asking if it was a joke, asking if she was not a vegetarian, asking if she wanted their advice, or even asking, I don't know, if she even eats meat that much. If this isn't the stupidest form of hypocrisy then I don't know what.