PETA has sunk to a new low. "If the Border Patrol Doesn't Get You"? Is that supposed to be amusing to people so desperate they are willing to put their lives on the line to cross over to the US? I realize PETA does this stuff to draw attention to themselves by stirring up controversy in liberal communities, but all they are doing is trivializing their own cause - which is awful, in my opinion, because animals really do need us to stand up for their rights in vigorous, non-problematic ways.

I can't even believe this. Honestly, beyond the actual images used in the posters, how can PETA be so callous? As if people who are crossing the border are really going to be thinking about their DIETS?
This only reinforces how superficial american popular culture is becoming and how much ridiculous emhpasis is put on being "healthy" (eg skinny). And i agree about trivializing the PETA cause. Animals deserve real compassion and protection, not an organization that loves causes controversy just to get its name out there.

If I recall correctly the literacy rate (Spanish and English) for people crossing the border illegally is incredibly low (something like 50%, I thin Schlosser mentioned in FFN). Making text-based messages really seem like a stupid waste of money.

Also these folks are not usually leaving a very healthy lifestyle behind them. Coming to the U.S. is most often a "less-bad" choice. My brother in law is a legal Mexican immigrant, his family had it relatively good in Mexico. Compared to his neighbors here he's poor as hell, but it's still better for him here, the average person who comes here illegally has it much worse than my brother and his family did.

PETA is just dumb.

"let's begin with the images on the ad, which are borderline racist..."

Intentional? ;)

With the really impractical and stupidly offensive stuff like this (and the proposed Greyhound bus murder ad) I don't think PETA is being serious. They're just taking advantage of the people's justifiable outrage to get themselves talked about in the mainstream media and in blogs (like this one). It's the old "Any publicity is good publicity" play. They don't even have to actually go forward with the fence ad campaign, they've already got what they wanted.

We think that Mexicans and other immigrants should be warned if they cross into the U.S. they are putting their health at risk by leaving behind a healthier, staple diet of corn tortillas, beans, rice, fruits and vegetables

Is it just me or does this seem to infantilize the Mexican people? Have they been to Mexico? They do realize that the diet, the diet IN Mexico, this diet includes pork, chicken and beef already? Or do they think of Mexican as innocents who's "staple" diet is about to be corrupted by the evul fast food nation of America? They do realize these animals aren't something "new" that Mexican people just haven't been introduced to?

Dear gawd, the racism, the stupidity, it burns.

I also have to second Rhowan's comment. PETA's intended audience is almost always the controversy-hungry press (and now blogosphere.)

The immediate audience is just a pretext.

What upsets me the most about PETA's shenanigans is that it gives vegetarians and vegans a bad image. People associate being vegan with PETA and that isn't the case at all. There is an active dialog going on within vegan groups and a lot of us are angry at PETA's sexist attention getting ad campaigns. I guess some people just can't see above a single cause. If they could they would see that feminism and food and animal rights all intersect.

Who's the green toothy dude eating the burger? I want to be his friend.

And honestly, PETA, even knowing that the immigrants here aren't your actual audience, do you really think that if things were so idyllic south 'o the border as portrayed in the ad, people would be risking their lives getting out?

In response to Miriam, PeTA hasn't cared for years. They're left wing nutters who've lost sight of what really matters and are so caught up in their own little world of self-righteousness they wouldn't know decent, reasonable, sane behavior if it came up and slapped them.

Yet ANOTHER ironic thing is that the corn based diet of Mexico is terrible for health and Mexico's actually second in terms of obesity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_Mexico)

PeTA doesn't surprise me but what does is the fact that they're selling ad space on the border wall? That seems so twisted I can't seem to wrap my brain around it.

My sister sent them a long email telling them why they were fucked up (we take this VERY personally as Chicanas living in a soon-to-be-border-walled area). They sent back a long form letter sounding much like the ones explaining their sexist crap.

But yeah, there's a wildlife refuge near where we live, plus the birding area. Not only will the wall mess up migratory patters, but it'll cut off the mating AND water routes for some of the endangered species in the wildlife refuge. It's downright animal cruelty concerning the wall being built at Big Bend National Park; they'll be cutting off the water supply for animals living in a DESERT.

THESE are the things peta can be focusing on. But no, utilizing racism is sexier.

What's up with this shit? Please, PETA. Just stop.

Surely one would think they'd realize a fence to keep humans from migrating in order to better their conditions in life is the most ignorant thing ever. The very idea that people are as easy to control with a fence as f'n deer and animals is absurd. You cannot keep people "out" like you can keep deer or rabbits out of your yard because PEOPLE ARE NOT DEER OR RABBITS. PETA. You might keep this in mind the next time you put naked women in cages.

Also, need people really be reminded of the great success of the Berlin Wall.

And, as others have mentioned, I have no doubt there are plenty of people in Mexico who do not have enough food OF ANY KIND to eat AT ALL, who could not give two shits about being vegan.