- PETA’s distortion tactic fails - losses another lawsuit.
Published by -NAWA News Feed- in - Animal Extremist - · Tuesday 12 Apr 2022
More people are becoming aware of PETA's tactic of taking publicly available information and distorting its context and meaning in order to gain support. Judges and Lawmakers are seeing this as well - and its caused PETA to lose yet another lawsuit.
The precedent created by this verdict has strong positive implications for researchers, zoos, farms, and animal owners.
PETA launched a lawsuit against UC Davis in January 2019 in an attempt to compel the institution to produce unpublished research-related information, including videos and photographic data obtained as part of the California National Primate Study Center's research program (CNPRC).
PETA stated that UC Davis was retaining these documents illegally because the university was scared that releasing them would "be the beginning of the end, just like it was at the NIH." (Importantly, the intramural program at the NIH did not stop primate research.)
PETA and other activist organizations have a long history of re-purposing publicly available information and distorting its context and meaning in order to gain support for their activist campaigns. PETA and other activist organizations routinely take advantage of openness and transparency regulations to obtain recordings from publicly funded organizations and use them in fundraising campaigns that purposefully mislead the public and legislators.
The Honorable Daniel M. Wolk, in his January court opinion, saw right through PETA's deception. According to a press statement issued by UC Davis today, the judge reached the following conclusion based on the preponderance of evidence given by UC Davis:
Releasing the videos would undermine academic freedom and the scientific process.
In fact, the judge determined there was a substantial risk that releasing the videos to PETA could cause the public to misunderstand the purpose and methods of the research at the California National Primate Research Center.
PETA declined the opportunity to appeal the ruling.
As a result, the decision has far-reaching repercussions for society and everyone who benefits from medical and scientific progress. The complete range of ramifications will be discussed in depth.
But a few key immediate ramifications. UC Davis researchers can continue their vital job without fear of harassment or attack. Researchers performing publicly-funded research at other California schools can also breathe easier thanks to the precedent created by this verdict.
Because of the precedent set here, researchers, zoos, farms, animal owners and institutions in jurisdictions with similar public records laws will likely be safeguarded from future anti-animal research litigation. And, most crucially, the scientific process can continue, despite the fact that it has been disturbed and hampered by the resources spent on this pointless conflict.
