Article about the PETA request for Hunters and Collectors to change their name.

Author:  Alina Rylko, The Northern Star.

Date: 4 March 2017.

Original URL: https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/animal-activists-label-social-media-backlash-absur/3150811/

Article Text

Animal activist group PETA Australia has labelled the social media reaction to their calls for band Hunter and Collectors to change their name “absurd”.

The well-known organisation called on the band to change its name to “discourage people from hunting animals”.

“Your name may … make hunting seem appealing to your fans,” they stated, in an open letter.

“Nearly 300,000 Australian waterbirds face an agonising death during hunting season, which opens in Victoria and Tasmania next week.”

The band’s fans vehemently disagreed with the organisation’s attempt to rope Hunters and Collectors into an anti-duck hunting campaign.

On Twitter, Peter John said: “PETA, go away you ridiculous bunch of boneheads. #hunters and collectors”.

Juddy LPK said: “Peta asking Hunters and Collectors to change their band name and making all of us vegans look like a total bunch of … idiots. Thanks.”

In response, Associate Director of Campaigns Ashley Fruno penned a letter to The Northern Star, featuring some of the band’s song titles.

Ms Fruno said it was: “inspiring to see the mixture of outrage, disbelief and laughter filling the media since PETA sent our request”.

PETA has called for Hunters and Collectors to changed their band name.

“Of course, Hunters and Collectors are not themselves out there with high powered rifles and a taste for blood, but when hugely popular bands are Talking to a Stranger it is easy for people to get the wrong idea, and think that because the music is great, the words in the band’s name must also be admirable.

“An Easy change of name won’t put the band Back on the Breadline, but may well make some fans think about the fate of animals who, going peacefully about their business, are blasted from the sky by hunters, just for some sort of twisted fun.

“People love to laugh at PETA and our media releases, and we encourage everyone to do so.

“We’re laughing too, at the absurdly disproportionate outrage of some commentators who took the story a little too seriously, and of course at the fact that this simple request is still, days later, getting people laughing, shouting, commenting and most of all thinking about the exploitation of animals.

“Any response is better than to Turn a Blind Eye.

“When the River Runs Dry, PETA will still be there, fighting with weapons of laughter and tears against animal abuse”.

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