Ingrid Newkirk (born 1949) is an English-born animal rights activist and the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as well as the author of
Free the Animals : The Story of the Animal Liberation Front,
You Can Save the Animals: 251 Simple Ways to Stop Thoughtless Cruelty, etc.
She wrote in this 2009 book, "My aim is to take you to places most people will never visit and to look at our interactions with animals in ways that are dramatically different for most of us... I will show you what you need to see so that you can easily understand just how important you are to animals in trouble... This book will link you up to a community that respects animals enough to consider their welfare when making choices... I promise too that, after reading this book, you will be able to answer the question, 'What did you do, in your lifetime, to help animals?' joyfully and without a second thought." (Pg. xviii-xix)
She states early on, "Some people rationalize their abuse by saying that humans are the cleverest animals on Earth, the only ones to land on the moon or write a symphony. True, but humans are also the only animals to devise an atomic bomb, invent concentration camps, and kill hitchhikers for sexual gratification. So what does it mean?" (Pg. 9)
She explains, "Supporters of the animal rights movement believe that animals are not ours, while supporters of the animal welfare movement believe that animals can be used and even killed for those purposes as long as 'humane' guidelines are followed... Animals should have the right to equal consideration of their interests... there are plenty of ways for us to feed, clothe, entertain, and educate ourselves that do not involve hurting and killing animals." (Pg. 19) Later, she adds, "PETA believes that animals have an inherent worth---a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. We believe that every living being with a will to live has a right to be spared unnecessary pain and suffering." (Pg. 80)
She rejects the suggestion that eating plants is cruel, since "because plants are devoid of a central nervous system, nerve endings, and a brain, there is currently no reason to believe that they experience pain." (Pg. 73) She points out that not all animals kill other animals for food, "and we tend to pick on the vegetarian animals, the chickens and the lambs and the cows, which are the most gentle ones! However, most animals who kill for food could not survive if they didn't. They kill out of need, but that is not the case for humans who kill." (Pg. 74-75)
She argues, "It may be hard, at first, to care about what fish feel, but we know they do feel. If we can't justify impaling dogs on barbed hooks and dragging them into the water, how can we justify doing the same thing to a fish?" (Pg. 144)
This very comprehensive book addresses virtually every question, argument, and objection that comes up in the discussion of animal rights and animal welfare. Whether you agree with all of PETA's tactics and arguments or not, this challenging and thought-provoking book is a very valuable reading experience.