To the editor:

I am writing in response to the June 23 article on PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the laboratory in Missouri. First, I just want to say thank you, PETA! All of us that care about animals should be grateful to them for once again blowing the whistle on animal abuse and the abusers.

The undercover footage and information we are supplied with by PETA is usually very disheartening and ugly. I think most of us don’t want to believe that such horrible things happen to our animal friends in the meat, entertainment, clothing and animal-testing industry. However, they DO, every second of every day. Most of us turn a blind eye and pretend like it doesn’t happen.

Then, when PETA brings these horrible images to our attention, we’re angry with them. And why? Because it’s information we didn’t want to know about? The “ignorance is bliss” way of living? Or better yet, our society labels them as terrorists. Now this one I find very interesting. I think we need to really ask ourselves what the definition of a terrorist is. The person(s) doing the torturing and killing, or the whistle-blower.

PETA has never harmed anyone; nor would they ever. I think some very powerful industries in America are grasping at their last straws in protecting their business practices and profits (which usually means animal suffering), by calling PETA terrorists. They are no more terrorists than my grandmother or me.

The public can dislike the messenger (PETA) all they want. It still doesn’t change the message.

Ann Wilson,

Lawrence