During an interview with CNBC, President Obama shooed a fly because it bothered him. And when it refused to stay away, he sent the fly off with an untimely and sudden death. Naturally, PETA was not as pleased as Obama seemed to be with himself. Said Obama, “That was pretty impressive, wasn’t it? I got the sucker.” (See video below)
PETA then sent the president a device known as the Katcha Bug, a humane insect trap that collects, not kills pesky insects.
PETA, however, still finds Obama to be a positive leader in terms of animal rights issues, especially in regards to his opposition to Canadian seal hunting and his wife’s refusal to wear fur (though she seems to have absolutely no problem with wearing leather).
While PETA’s own ethical standards have been called into question (see the countless reports which note the 97% of adoptable companion animals they euthanize in their care), they appear to be on task in promoting the rights of insects.
Which begs the following questions:
- How should vegans treat insects?
- Should vegans follow the Buddhist ideas that declare all creatures big or small should be protected?
- If you are out camping and being attacked by a mob of bloodthirsty mosquitoes, do you keep your composure or do you kill every bug in sight?
- Should PETA even involve themselves with matters pertaining to insects?
What are your thoughts on the matter?
Sources:
Huffington Post and ABC news
Comments
I am an Obama fan, however he suffers from an all to common misapprehension by some Christians and others that animals are less important than humans. This poor fly had no intention of harming Obama and certainly no ability to harm Obama. It was not a fair fight. If Obama's dog barked at him, would he likewise kill the dog? There is no difference. Why was Obama so afraid of the fly that he had to execute him? This puts into question Obama's state if mind, his lack of mental composure and compassion. I guarantee the Dalai Lama would not have willfully and pridefully executed this small defenseless and harmless creature of God.
Where do you idiots come from?
If we're going to be consistent, we should stop chlorinating our drinking water and killing all the protozoans. It's not a fair fight!
According to the Bible, all men and women are created in the image of God. Not animals. Therefore, animals are less important than humans. Do I think pets should be loved and not mistreated? Yes. But they are in no way human or close to being so. Therefore, there is no need to treat them "humane." Bugs are bugs...I kill them if they bother me. I think Obama was right in killing the pesky little thing.
GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! It was a fly people. How can you..... Nevermind....
I love our country, Killing unborn babies is ok but swatting flies is not. God bless the USA!!!
Steven Dalos ....you are free to go live with the Dalai Lama! Go ahead, you are free to come and go in this great country where we kill flies.
next headline: Obama picks up pen.
A bug? Are you kidding me?????
You PETA idiots need to get a life!
This is a group that need to be completely IGNORED! How about first showing concerns for the most important animals - HUMANS!!!
We have much more important things to worry about (Economy, Poverty, AIDS, Nuclear Weapons, Extremists like Iran,etc.)
You are like kids screaming in the backseat of the car about nonsense (e.g. "He's touching me, "Are we there yet?") while dad is driving, trying to safely to get the family to their destination.
YOU ANNOYING, WORTHLESS IDIOTS!!
I hate flies, roaches, silverfish and other such. KILL THEM ALL!! thats what I say!
I can't believe bugs are more important than our unborn babies!
I have a new idea for a reality TV show. The first show should be some PETA supporters locked in a room with ticks, scores of mosquitoes, and pine beetles to see who
"Supports compassion for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals" the best.
Steven Dalos and all the other PETA Idiots need to get a reality check. They obviously have deep rooted mental and social issues. The best place for them is a 5 by 5 padded cell, and like from above filled with mosquitoes that carry the west nile virus. Bugs carry many hidden and deadly viruses and diseases. Let one of those wackos loose a child to a virus and see where they stand.
Help me!
PETA is only harming itself in the minds of sane people. If they want Obama to catch and release flies more power to em.
...it's a FLY people. Your acting like little kids going on about how the fly was helpless and not doing anything wrong. Grow up.
All beings are beings and as such part of the Alaya (Sanskrit: The basis of everything) or what Christians call God. As such we should avoid killing. Why? Because it develops good tendancies of restraint, loving kindness, and compassion.
It is possible that as a result, we won't become completely enlightened until that fly eventually reincarnates to become president. That would be a long wait.
Personally I'd rather not kill things, because it doesnt feel good.
Grasshopper! you must learn to read between the lines: Steve Dalos did not state he is a PETA fan, he mentioned HH the Dalai Lama, so that implies he is a Buddhist.
Where do you think unborn babies come from? Other creatures die and take new forms. Flies become frogs, frogs become dogs, dogs become humans. There now do you feel good about the fly?
I've delt with PETA in the past. I can see their point about fur, senless killing of animals, poaching (personally i belive if your hunting/fishing, you eat it). But come on, there are at least 10,000,000 flies per human on earth (or something like that). If there is any group that will campain for the rights of Zoolophiles (yess it is a word) to marry their pets, PETA will be on the front lines.
On the other hand, there are more important issues right now in the counrty such as the Economy, Abortion, the Wars on Terroist, and Attacks on Religous Leaders.
I can't see what all the fuss is about. When we owned our restaurant, if a fly came in the door, it had to be killed for health reasons.
Pasco County Food Examiner.
"YOU ANNOYING, WORTHLESS IDIOTS!!" Wow, "The Stern," you certainly have some anger issues. Why do you care that other people care about all living beings, no matter how small? Why do think you and your life are more important than that of an animal? Let me tell you something, buddy, it's not. You're not. The world needs less anger, not more. Calm down and get over yourself. Please.
I don't know who is the bigger joke, PETA or that Obama clown in the White House.
Just fixin' the typo:
"YOU ANNOYING, WORTHLESS IDIOTS!!" Wow, "The Stern," you certainly have some anger issues. Why do you care that other people care about all living beings, no matter how small? Why do you think you and your life are more important than that of an animal? Let me tell you something, buddy, it's not. You're not. The world needs less anger, not more. Calm down and get over yourself. Please.
Wow Ivy. Way to angrily tell people to calm down. For all those silly PETA comments I've heard about Buddhism recently, shows how hollow and minute there argument is, they probably just want attention. In reincarnation there is an absolute reason you get reincarnated as a fly. So people swat at you and you eat poop all day. I need to start a coalition devoted to throwing fur at PETA members.
I did not see the fly actually land on his hand. The camera cut away and then, as if the proverbial kitty, he swatted fly and then CNBC cut the camera to dead fly. Good job, stunt fly; good job CNBC.
I wonder what PETA's stance is on using anti-bacterial soap, or taking prescribed antibiotics. Or how about baking bread with yeast? Do they draw a line at which life forms can be killed and which cannot? Ironically, most of these ultra-liberals probably support abortion as well. What hypocrits!
Stop taking what is not about the president or the fly... its the president... he can do whatever he likes... and no matter what PETA or you may complain.. he will still in the white house and you stupidss will still in here leaving stupidss comments about a goddamn fly!
Respectfully,
The White House
Wow Finally a good comment Thanks " White House"
You're welcome
PETA GET A LIFE!!!....if your house became infested with cockroaches would you bomb it? What about our unborn babies. PETA is the real murders!!!!!!!!
SW, if you lived your previous lifeform as an idiot, will you also be a stupid animal? If so, you have my heart felt sympathy.
That fly was tresspassing, and the Presidents Life was endangerd, Obama took what ever steps deemed appropriate to preserve the most POWERFUl Man on Earth's Life... After an autopsy was done the fly was discoverd to be carrying angent orange, angent yellow and a few other agents we have classified as TOP SECRET. However The U.N. was unable to find any weapons of Mass Destruction on the Fly... but sources close to the President Swear they are there. We are Killing people everyday in Iraq, and are Men are being killed, and as you read this? there are Fly's laying larva on a dead Soilders body. Killem all let God / Allah sort em out
Do we really want a President who "wouldn't harm a fly?"
all of you who are against abortion but eat meat...will be reincarnated as FLIES!...DUH.
Get real, PETA! You're straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel! Well, at least you've had more than your share of 15 minutes national fame!
lmao at Mango (ok, calming down)
This is utterly ridiculous, I was hoping to read this was not actully true but alas as with everyone else in the country, their priorities are in the wrong place and they are jumping at the chance to feel offended AND now they are cashing in on the NOBAMA mania.
It was a freaking FLY. It's not like he killed a bald eagle or something...geez, get the hell over it
Unbelievable, when I first heard about this nonstory I thought it was a joke, instead it shows how ridiculous PETA can be. Now I respect them most of the time but a FLY!! Does that mean if a mosquito lands on your arm you're supposed to brush it off? You know I thought about the whole reincarnation thing and actually went a while without killing flies, but then I realized they are FLIES! I really think this was a publicity stunt, if PETA tells me I'm not supposed to kill roaches or mosquitos next, well that's just not going to work. I agree with not killing bald eagles, whales, seals, etc. but no one's going to stop me from killing a FLY!
Im sure that PETA supporters are all for abortion but GOD forbide we kill some bugs. I think they should all go live on an island together and resort to cannabalism.
If I was reincarnated as I fly, I would hope someone swatted me as soon as possible. How many flies can say they were swatted by POTUS?
It's inhumane to kill innocent flies. I care the U.S. people care that no only is Obama killing our country, but he is killing wild insects who were not causing harm to our president. I believe that this should be a newsworthy topic.
There is about 17 quadrillion flies in the world. i less isn't such a bid deal
When you wash you hands, you kill countless little living bacterium.
PETA should start a campaign against hand washing. Those poor, poor bacterium.
(In case you didn't catch it, my comment is entirely sarcastic. PETA is overreacting.)
I am making it my personal mission to kill every fly I see from now on.
Kyle Weaver, I agree with that comment about the nation. But really? A fly? You've never killed a fly? Or stepped on ants by accident? Your crazy. A fly doesnt have the mindset to be innocent or violent because a fly's brain is based on 100 percent instinct. And if I was getting interviewed and a fly was buzzing around me, god forbid, Id kill it too. Im not at all an Obama fan, but this is just stupid.
56
PETA now stands for People who Endorse Trivial Asininity
For every fly PETA does not kill, I'm killing ten!!!!
Dodge this.
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