People gathered in the Business School Auditorium last Wednesday evening to voice their opinions of the recent Animal Liberation exhibit. During the SGA-led forum, a four-person panel answered questions and responded to comments from the audience.
Matt Prescott, a panelist representing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, defended the exhibit, saying animals and humans have similar feelings and emotions.
“Everybody likes to think (their) own suffering is unique,” he said.
Prescott said the goal of the Animal Liberation exhibit was to expose the similar injustices humans and animals go through.
“It’s all the same type of prejudice, just a different victim,” he said.
The presidents of two student groups also acted as panelists for the discussion.
Alisha Ward, president of the student group Africana, said racism does not need to be exposed by PETA.
“We’re not trying to sweep it under the rug,” she said. “We still live that history.”
Tiffany Townsend, president of Black Caucus, said there is a reason humans are not the same as animals.
“Our people have made a difference in this world,” she said. “Animals have not.”
Senior Jamal Batts altered a recent quote by rapper Kanye West to reflect his thoughts on PETA’s exhibit.
“After seeing this protest, PETA doesn’t care about black people,” Batts said.
Ward said because of the images selected and their underlying racial theme, PETA’s message was lost.
“No one’s talking about the animals. The campaign doesn’t work,” she said.
Henry G. Rhone, vice provost for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, said it was refreshing to see students coming together to speak about issues in a peaceful way. Before the discussion began, Rhone read a statement from VCU President Eugene P. Trani, who was unable to attend.
“The recent display sponsored by the VCU chapter of the Students for (the) Ethical Treatment of Animals was very offensive to me personally, and offensive to me as the President of Virginia Commonwealth University.
“We are an institution which takes great pride in our diversity, and it is very unfortunate that this display was mounted on our Monroe Park Campus,” Trani wrote.
Andrea Sydnor, president of Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said PETA is absolutely necessary to further the animal rights movement.
“One of the main goals of PETA, and consequently SETA, is to bring attention to the issues, not necessarily to make you believe … in our ideals, but to let you know what is going on,” she said.
A question was asked about the necessity of the police presence at the Animal Liberation exhibit as well as at last week’s discussion. Rhone replied that officers were there to ensure safety.
“Police presence is there to make sure people don’t get hurt, not to prevent demonstration,” he said.
Eddie O’Leary, president of the Student Government Association for the Monroe Park Campus, was a panelist at the forum. He said that PETA had the legal right to put up their exhibit but that VCU students also had the right to protest.
“(PETA) came here to cause unrest,” he said. “They have a right to come back, but they don’t have a right to be welcome.”