PETA2

Another group whose work I'm passionate about is PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Street Team Program (http://www.peta2.com/), aimed at teens and college students.  By joining the street team, every action you take for animals, earns you points which can be exchanged for cool merchandise...sweatshirts, notebooks, DVDs, books, stickers, etc. can all be found in both their store and on the Street Team prize list (http://streetteam.peta2.com/public/team_view.cfm?option=redeem&actionid=531).

Some more reasons I love working on PETA2's website:
-  they give you all the tools you need to be a DIY activist  (http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t-diyact.asp)
-  you can chat with others on the boards (http://streetteam.peta2.com/public/folder_view.cfm?pageid=341&option=view_topics&actionid=531)
-  they have an area specifically for college activism (http://www.peta2.com/COLLEGE/index.asp)
-  they have their own cool games (http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/index.asp)
-  they are backed by TONS of celebrities (http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/index.asp)
-  they have a section for those with only a little time to spare for activism (http://blog.peta2.com/minute_mission/)
-  they have a section for those who live online (http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t-onlineact.asp)

Some common misconceptions about PETA:
-  members throw pies (or fake blood) at people in fur...actually, PETA as an organization always preaches politeness and legal means of switching people off to the idea of meat/ fur/ etc.
-  all members are vegan (no meat, eggs, or dairy)...actually, PETA understands that there are different paths to the same place, which is the ETHICAL treatment of animals.  Maybe you like eating out, but you want to know that your meat was killed humanely...you could help sign a petition to get McDonald's or KFC to kill their animals using Controlled Atmospere Killings (CAK), which is WAY more humane, and still enables you to eat meat.
-  PETA members are out to shut everything down...actually, PETA only strives to make conditions for animals more ethical.
-  members are irrational and close-minded...for this one, I would invite you to check out the PETA2 Street Team boards and see for yourself that members are as diverse as any other organization.  You get people from all genders/ walks of life/ countries who are passionate about helping animals.
-  we all push hot button issues...if you call wanting humane conditions for animals a "hot button" issue, then yes!  We do and I'm proud of it!

So, come and check out PETA's site, and if you decide to join the Street Team, use me (Jessica Hopkinson at monalisa8664@yahoo.com) as your referral, and we'll both win!!!  :)

<3 and peace, Helena

GET YOUR FREE PETA GOODS AT:  http://www.peta2.com/livevegpak.asp
see my PETA2 profile at:  http://streetteam.peta2.com/public/folder_view.cfm?option=view_profile&pageid=341&folderid=5140&postid=3319556&personalid=612790