THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310011
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 29 lines
I am an employee of PETA who has just relocated to Norfolk. I have yet to spray paint a fur coat or blow up a fisherperson's boat or vandalize a meatpacking warehouse - or even ``force my views'' on anyone else.
What I have done is become the sort of unofficial animal expert in my neighborhood. People are coming to me (not the other way around) when they need help with animals. I helped a person down the street rescue a stray kitten. I helped another person with an injured bird.
When I went to a party in my apartment building recently, I was engulfed with questions from people curious about PETA and interested in learning how they can help animals. No one was angry or afraid or even unfriendly.
In fact, my being a ``PETA person'' doesn't seem to have harmed the human-animal population here in Hampton Roads one bit. If anything, people seem to be genuinely glad I'm here. ``Oh, so I can come to you if I see an animal in distress,'' is usually what I hear upon telling people where I work.
No one has said, ``So you're going to poison my hunting dog,'' or ``You're going to steal the meat off my barbecue grill.'' They know perfectly well I am not going to do those types of things. What I will do is tell them why I'm an animal-rights activist. But apparently, that alone is terrifying to some people.
MINDY GREGG
Norfolk, July 19, 1996 by CNB