Getting the Word Out—and the Story Straight

In his review, David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle says that Apology, narrated by Lily Tomlin, is “impossible to ignore because of the irrefutable arguments made by its savvy combination of testimony from animal experts and images of elephants being abused.”
Since HBO began working on this project more than two years ago, PETA has been on board offering information and documentation. The documentary features pictures and video footage provided by PETA, including photos from a whistleblower that document the shockingly cruel way in which Ringling Bros. circus breaks the spirit of baby elephants and video footage from a Ringling elephant walk showing bullhook abuse. Viewers will see elephants Maggie—who suffered alone for years at the Alaska Zoo before being sent to a sanctuary following a lengthy PETA campaign—and Nosey, in whose behalf PETA has been working for years.
Among the experts who participated in the documentary are Dr. Mel Richardson and Dr. Joyce Poole. Also appearing is passionate young animal advocate Rose McCoy, who once schooled McDonald’s execs over their failure to reduce the suffering of chickens.

How You Can Help

Besides watching An Apology to Elephants yourself, encourage others to tune in, too—and tell them never to buy a ticket to any circus that uses animals.

Read more: http://www.peta.org/blog/hbo-elephant-doc-premieres-earth-day/#ixzz2lcktLUZ7

Ikea Tries to Stay Neutral on Gay Rights and Fails Miserably by Mindy Townsend November 23, 2013

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The furniture store Ikea has come under fire for omitting an interview with a lesbian couple from the latest issue of the store’s magazine.
The interview they removed was with an England-based couple, Clara and Kristy. According to The Independent, the interview featured Kristy saying, “We’re two mums bringing up our baby boy in Clara’s loft. We’re not your average family in your average home, but if my nan can raise two sons in a tiny caravan, we can make it work in our little loft.”
Oh my gosh. This interview sounds as boring and trite and uninteresting as what you’d expect from a magazine from a furniture store, but apparently  it’s too scandalous for a Russian audience. Ikea removed it and instead is featuring an article about a single Chinese designer.
According to an Ikea spokesperson, the company is just trying to follow the law against promoting homosexuality to minors. She also said that it was an effort to “remain neutral” on the issue.
I can’t fault a company — or a person, for that matter — for trying their best to stay on the right side of the law. Had that been Ikea’s only justification I’d still be angry, but not at the international furniture chain. I’d be angry at Russia for being such awful bigots. However, because Ikea took out this interview in an effort to be neutral on the topic, I have to be angry at them, too, for doing neutrality so, so wrong.
Here’s the thing about neutrality when it comes to systemic discrimination and oppression: It doesn’t exist. Ikea took affirmative steps — removing the interview — to appease a homophobic culture. That is taking a position.
Look at it this way. There is the world as it is currently; the status quo. It didn’t just pop into being out of thin air. It’s built on the past, and that past was dismissive and downright hostile to gay men and lesbians. Gay people hid in the shadows. Social pressures effectively erased them from history. (This is of course true for people of color and women, as well.) When a group is devalued in society, their contributions are not credited, and suddenly it looks like gay people just popped on the scene very recently, when of course they’ve been around the whole time. We just weren’t looking for them.
Burying oppressed groups doesn’t make their problems go away, it just hides them from people who don’t want to think about them. By taking part in that erasure, Ikea is actually promoting homophobia in Russia.
It’s such a shame, too. Ikea used to be very progressive on this issue. Back in 1994 they featured a gay couple in a commercial. In 1994, people! Gay people in a commercial seems like the least a company can do, but in 1994 that was kind of a big deal.
Ikea may have removed the interview for legal reasons, but, given the history (and present) of erasing gays and lesbians, they cannot argue they are doing it because they want to be neutral.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/ikea-tries-to-stay-neutral-on-gay-rights-and-fails-miserably.html#ixzz2lci9wyDh

Rabbi's Commentary

Hope Amid the Devastation

November 22, 2013

Dear Friend of Israel,
The recent typhoon in the Philippines has caused large-scale devastation. Thousands have died, many more have been injured, and millions have been displaced.
The humanitarian response has been swift, and one of the first nations to send aid was Israel. Dubbed “Operation Islands of Hope,” the Israeli relief effort, spearheaded by the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) National Search and Rescue Unit, has already provided medical assistance and aid to thousands. The IDF repaired a school so that classes could go on as usual in the midst of the crisis. Israeli doctors have been treating hundreds of patients a day, including those with chronic illnesses who are seeing a doctor for the first time ever. Shortly after opening the doors of their field hospital, they even delivered a baby – the first among several they have delivered in the Philippines to date – and the grateful parents announced that they would name the boy “Israel.”
In fact, Israel’s response in the Philippines should come as no surprise. The Jewish state has a long history of reaching out to the world in the event of severe storms, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu put it after dispatching a relief team to assist survivors of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, "This is the true heritage of the state of Israel and the Jewish people. This act joins similar actions we have taken in the past in Mexico, Kenya, and Turkey. We may be a small country, but we are a country with a big heart. This is the expression of Jewish ethics and heritage – to help others."
This is a side of Israel the world sees far too little of, not because it’s not there, but because world governments and media choose so often to focus on Israel’s faults – real or imagined – to the exclusion of all else. But, as Netanyahu so eloquently said in his quote, the real story of Israel – of what Israel is as a nation, and who Israelis are as a people – differs greatly from the portrayal of Israel in the media. With Israel’s humanitarian efforts in the Philippines, the world is seeing that Israel is a nation that seeks to reach beyond its borders to make the world a better place – to be the “light unto the nations” mentioned in Isaiah 49:6.
In the wake of this tragedy, let us pray for the people of the Philippines who have suffered so greatly, and who face such formidable challenges as they seek to recover from this disaster and rebuild their country. And let us also give thanks to God for aid workers, including those from Israel, who have gone to the Philippines to help the victims – for those who give hope and comfort to those in dire need. May their efforts be successful, and may we all see the day when God blesses our world with His most precious gift of shalom, peace.
With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Founder and President

You know that circuses such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus beat, chain, and electro-shock elephants, right? Do all your friends know?

Ringling doesn’t want photos like this of its baby-elephant “training” to get around.

The circus wants to continue saying that it’s “saving” elephants by breeding them, only to chain them for up to 100 hours at a time and force them to perform tricks. Well, too bad, Ringling—we know better!

Elephants never forget—and with your help, your friends won’t either!

August 3 is Elephant Awareness Day in Los Angeles, but you can help from any city on any day in the world by sharing the photo below online!

 Share this pic and submit a screenshot for 1,000 points!

Don’t forget to submit your screenshot! Once you submit it, you’ll score 1,000 Street Team points that you can use later to get FREE peta2 swag like T-shirts, books, and more!

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/achievements/sharing-saves-baby-elephants/#ixzz2lccYkUKR