Meat Your Opponent
PETA VP debates ethics of eating animals
In 2001, Bruce Friedrich ran past Buckingham Palace clad in nothing but “GoVeg.com” painted on his chest and back to promote his provegan website. Tonight, the animal activist will discuss the benefits of vegetarian diets and present what he says is the “naked” truth about American meat production and consumption.
Friedrich, vice president of policy for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), will take on Alex Taubes (CAS’11) and the Boston University Debate Society in a debate about the ethics of switching from a meat-eating diet to vegan and vegetarian diets.
Friedrich, who joined PETA in 1996, says he will argue that veganism and vegetarianism go hand-in-hand with other beliefs Boston University students already likely hold about sustainability, word hunger, and animal rights.
“Eating meat supports cruelty to animals, environmental destruction and waste, and global poverty,” Friedrich says. “Our goal is to help people to understand that if they are eating meat, their actions and beliefs are not aligned. If someone wants to live consistent with the ethical values they already hold, the only option is vegetarianism.”
Taubes, acting president of the Debate Society, will oppose Friedrich in the public discussion. In addition to addressing the issue of animal rights and the environmental effects of meat production, Taubes, a nationally ranked debater, will defend a meat-eating diet. “It isn’t fair to call meat-eaters unethical, considering that becoming a vegan is a difficult choice that not everyone can make,” he says.
Although Friedrich, who has spent time in jail because some of his protests fall on the wrong side of the law and whose rhetoric many view as extreme, advocates vegan and vegetarian diets, he says he understands most people have not yet considered all the facts he will enumerate tonight. “That’s the goal—to educate,” he says.
The debate begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight, September 17, at the College of Arts & Sciences, 725 Comm Ave, Room 52. The event, is free and open to the public.
Brendan Gauthier can be reached at btgauth@bu.edu.
Comments & Discussion
Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.