PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has launched a campaign to end “anti-animal” sayings like “kill two birds with one stone” and “bring home the bacon.”
“Just as it became unacceptable to use racist, homophobic, or ableist language, phrases that trivialize cruelty to animals will vanish as more people begin to appreciate animals for who they are and start ‘bringing home the bagels’ instead of the bacon,” PETA wrote on Twitter.
In another tweet, the organization gave alternative language to such phrases to help Americans “remove speciesism” from their conversations. Instead of “kill two birds with one stone,” Americans should say “Feed two birds with one scone.” “Take the flower by the thorns” should replace “Take the bull by the horns,” it said.
[Also read: Orrin Hatch shares bacon-devouring video to troll vegans]
Just as it became unacceptable to use racist, homophobic, or ableist language, phrases that trivialize cruelty to animals will vanish as more people begin to appreciate animals for who they are and start ‘bringing home the bagels’ instead of the bacon.
— PETA: Bringing Home the Bagels Since 1980 (@peta) December 4, 2018
But the corrective phrases prompted laughter and ridicule. One commenter said PETA was equating these sayings to actual animal abuse, and others said PETA was being anti-plant.
coming from a vegetarian: this reduces the harmfulness of homophobia and transphobia and racism by equating it to verbal animal abuse, and I hate it
— crabapplebees (@ShilohTheOcean) December 5, 2018
Surely feeding a fed horse will relate in horse obesity? This is much worse than flogging a dead horse which is already dead and therefore can’t feel a thing? And aren’t we told not to feed birds bread as it’s bad for them? Surely scones are even worse due to their density?
— toby lynch (@tobiaslynch146) December 5, 2018
TAKE THE FLOWER BY THE THORNS?! YOU’RE BEING SO PLANTCIST YOU INSENSTITIVE FREAKS
— Cave Kringle (@CavemanFilms) December 5, 2018
Is this really the fight? Like of all the problems we face… you want us to “bring home the bagels”…. k I’ll remember that when climate changes wipes out humanity, at least i didn’t offend my dinner… pic.twitter.com/IFmGV0wUpL
— Trevor Ehlenbach (@TrevorEhlenbach) December 5, 2018
I don’t eat meat, I care for my own animals & all the beasties in my wildlife friendly garden. I’ve driven many miles to get rescued critters to safety & I profoundly loathe any mistreatment of animals. But this is utterly absurd, you sound foolish & it undermines your good work.
— Candace (@TheBDEye) December 5, 2018
PETA reacted to the criticism by telling “the haters” to “lighten up” and called for everyone else to submit their own pro-animal phrases.
To the haters: with so much negativity in the world, why not lighten up and use language in a way that encourages being kind to animals? ?
To everyone else: add your own anti-speciesist phrases below!
Curiosity thrilled the cat (not killed)
Eat snow (not crow) https://t.co/4p2htgMfrc— PETA: Bringing Home the Bagels Since 1980 (@peta) December 5, 2018
