The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals shot itself in the foot with an anti-burger post made just before the Fourth of July holiday.
As everyone knows, the one thing you don’t do before Independence Day is mock Americans for grilling burgers.
Unfortunately for PETA, this is exactly what the group did Tuesday in a post on the social media platform X.
The post featured a picture titled “meat-eater logic,” a smug and ham-fisted attack on people who would choose to eat burgers this holiday.
In the image’s sequence, people are horrified when offered burgers made out of horse, dolphin and puppy.
The last panel has a man looking more than happy to eat a “dead cow burger.”
THEY’RE ALL EQUALLY BAD 🤦 just eat a veggie burger this #FourthOfJuly. pic.twitter.com/dKcTgzMGnD
— PETA (@peta) July 2, 2024
It’s hard to imagine how PETA saw this post succeeding, but user responses proved the group made a huge mistake.
The replies were flooded with photos of burgers and meats, and unlike Sen. Chuck Schumer, it’s clear these people can cook.
I’m making a brisket this 4th of July. The cow was named Buttercup. Buttercup will taste delicious. pic.twitter.com/qqzTnCtsa6
— Thomas Everhart 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 (@ThomasEver71065) July 2, 2024
My heart is with you pic.twitter.com/Z6XaFEgLLG
— CBas 🎒 (@Crypto_CBas) July 3, 2024
— ❷❺❻ (@256HODL) July 2, 2024
This isn’t the first time PETA has blundered while trying to get people to eliminate meat from a meal.
On International Sushi Day, the group posted a picture of a “sad” crab begging not to be eaten.
Will you be grilling this Independence Day?
Yes: 100% (1 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
The crustacean was depicted thinking about sushi, and the post said, “He doesn’t belong on your plate.”
The post was quickly fact-checked as the sushi pictured contained no crab.
He doesn’t belong on your plate. #InternationalSushiDay pic.twitter.com/LzdvZOJ5fU
— PETA (@peta) June 18, 2024
It appeared PETA also used a font reserved for Apple and Apple app developers to make the post.
Independence Day is not the only American holiday exploited by the group.
The activist organization’s account targeted Thanksgiving last year, posting an image of a group of anthropomorphized turkeys gathered at a dinner table preparing to eat a cooked human.
“We’re lucky turkeys would never do this to us — you don’t have to do it to them, either,” PETA’s post said.
We’re lucky turkeys would never do this to us—you don’t have to do it to them, either.
Art by @freebison pic.twitter.com/StSJlbxgte
— PETA (@peta) November 22, 2023
This post was also called out by a fact check pointing out that turkeys are not vegetarians. The birds eat mice, lizards, frogs and other small critters. It’s reasonable to say if humans were only a few inches tall, we’d be on their menu as well.
The trend against PETA is clear. If the group wants to keep pushing an anti-meat line, it must prepare to be grilled.
