There were two items on the menu at the Great Animal Rights Debate Friday: vegetarian wraps on recyclable trays and Arby’s roast beef sandwiches.
Bruce Friedrich, vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, debated with the UF College Republicans about the importance of human rights versus animal rights in front of a crowd of about 130 in Fine Arts Building B.
The College Republicans, represented by the club’s president Johnathan Lott and Florida Federation of College Republican Executive Director Bryan Griffin, said they were in favor of banning abuse to farm animals as long as it didn’t raise the price of food for humans.
But Friedrich said raising farm animals actually hurts the environment and makes food more expensive for humans.
“If you wouldn’t hurt animals, take food from the poor or hurt the environment, don’t pay other people to do it for you,“ Friedrich said.
The UF College Republicans also debated the tactics PETA uses to promote its message. They said PETA uses emotional arguments and propaganda.
“Animal rights extremism is one of the greatest threats to our liberties and freedom,” Griffin said.
The UF College Republicans played an audio clip in which Friedrich said he wouldn’t use violence himself, but “it would be great if all the fast-food outlets, slaughterhouses, these laboratories and the banks who fund them exploded tomorrow.”
Friedrich said the quote they played was 10 years old.
“I’ve changed my perspective, and PETA is against it,” he said.
Friedrich showed a PETA video narrated by actor Alec Baldwin. Supporters of both sides cringed as a farmer beat turkeys.
“If you choose to eat meat, you’re paying for animal cruelty, “ Friedrich said.
