PETA Attacks Pokmon Over Animal Abuse

PETA Attacks Pokmon Over Animal Abuse Photo by lydia_shiningbrightly on Flickr.com PETA’s virtual picketing line simulates an alternate Pokémon universe, where users play as an escaped Pikachu who fights trainers in order to free other Pokémon. But why is PETA narrowing in on the seemingly innocuous children’s game? According to PETAs official statement, the game, which typically has gamers fighting and capturing various Pokémon, is actually a form of abuse. Players must hurt the creatures in order to capture them and when confronted by other trainers, are forced to “kill” them in order to progress in the game. However, as others have speculated, the obvious problem with claiming Pokémon showcases a form of animal abuse is that the game is digital and the pixilated subjects PETA is trying to protect exist outside of reality. Much like animals in the real world, Pokémon are treated as unfeeling objects and used for such things as human entertainment and as subjects in experiments,” PETA said in a formal response on its website. The statement continues, The way that Pokémon are stuffed into Pokéballs is similar to how circuses chain elephants inside railroad cars and let them out only to perform confusing and often painful tricks that were taught using sharp steel-tipped bullhooks and electric shock prods.” For an organization devoted to the humane treatment of animals, PETA has become notorious for its shocking and often ludicrous tactics to generate awareness. In fact, this isn’t the first time a PETA campaign has been centered on the treatment of fictional animals. The group has also targeted World of Warcraft, the popular online role-playing game, for an aspect of gameplay involving clubbing animated seals. Avid gamer Alejandro Martin, 24, of Fairfax, Va., finds fault in PETA for attacking games with fictional abuse, saying, “Its almost sad that they get so passionate because it blinds them of the fact that they are ruining it for their own cause. Ultimately their message is lost in the irrationality of it all.” “The fact that they spend the time to criticize animated animal abuse means that they believe it’s on the same level as actual animal abuse,” Cecelia Kampsen, a sophomore at the University of Maryland added. “To insinuate that is absolutely ridiculous and PETA should use its resources for campaigns created to protect animals that truly exist.” Yet even outside of cyberspace, PETA still loves to generate as much publicity as possible while imparting its message. PETA’s most notable campaign comes from anti-fur advertisements, which feature celebrities in the nude with the tagline “I’d rather go naked than wear fur.” Even as recently as Oct. 11, PETA released a racy ad with Jersey Shore star “The Situation” that read “Too Much Pu**y Can Be A Bad Thing,” to promote its neuter or spray your pet movement. Unfortunately for PETA, some people, like University of Maryland junior George Struder, note that the group’s latest gimmicks used to promote the ethical treatment of animals is having an adverse effect on the actual issue at hand. “PETAs use of parody isnt so much overboard as it is ignorant,” Struder said. “Their retaliation is promoting violence in a format that is easily accessible to children and, quite frankly, it makes them seem hypocritical at best. Their methods only works to undermine their values and defame their organization.”