PETA: Rhetorically Analyzed
Animal rights is the belief that animals are entitled to the possession of their lives and interests. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a nonprofit, animal rights organization, claims, on their website, that “the basic principle of equality does not require equal or identical treatment; it requires equal consideration.” However, this is contradicted in the 2013, Huffington Post article “Shocking Photos: PETA’s Secret Slaughter of Kittens, Puppies” written by Nathan J. Winograd. In this article, Winograd claims, through the use of the rhetorical concepts, logos, ethos, and pathos, that PETA’s anti-animal abuse precept is a fabrication to mask a darker truth.
PETA, has, for eleven years, been secretly killing thousands of animals they claimed to be protecting. They do not believe in equal consideration for animals, but instead, as the article states “...that people have a right to kill them (animals), as long as the killing is done ‘humanely’.” The article goes on to say that as of 2011, about 96% of the animals that were taken in by PETA left by way of The Pet Cremation Services of…show more content… The ending sentence, stated before is a great example of how Winograd uses logos to prove his point to the reader. He provides facts and anecdotes throughout the text to support the finishing statement where he asks the reader why anyone would donate to PETA. After reading his work the logical response to that question would be that there is no reason to donate. Earlier in the article, Winograd even states that “When you donate to PETA, you not only fund the killing of animals, you fund the intimidation of animal lovers.” (Winograd, 6). This statement directly answers his final question and is carefully written to stick in the reader’s mind and influence their opinion on PETA’s actions. By using logos Winograd is able to persuade the
