another way of not wasting fur that already represents farmed and killed animals would have been to have these coats turned into a form of sleeping bag (with the fur on the inside)
That way the homeless would receive some benefit, and yet the fur would not be conspicuous and target these people for attack.

it feels to me like PETA is using the homeless in D.C. like props for their theatrics. i think the furs and the clashing cups of "thank you for not wearing fur" gives off the vibe of: "only homeless people wear fur. do YOU want to look homeless?"

is it just me?

I'm with you, Kate Gordon, except that to me, PETA's theatrics have the happily indadvertant effect of reminding us of the cavernous gap between haves and have nots in our world. As a new president takes office, that's the big issue. So I'm glad that PETA - whose animal rights issues are miniscule in comprison - is keeping our biggest problems front and center. Even if they've done so accidentally.

Yeah it's just you.... the cups of soymilk are for anyone - not just the homeless (as far as I gathered).
I don't think the homeless will be turned into props at all...I think that PETA genuinely wants to put the coats to some good use.  It will be very cold outside and the coats are better served as a charitable donation to the homelss then collecting dust in a warehouse, don't you think?

I say - GO --- The message is loud and clear ... there are far too many people (homeless people) on the streets in the United States of America.  Let the send their message visually to the powerful. 

I hope the George Bs will be watching. 

Nice gesture. 
Drawing a poverty line on the coats is degrading to the recipients of good will, however.  It's like asking them to wear a scarlet "P" for poverty. That is heartless.
cl

Way to go PETA!  I had a fur coat given to me as a gift.  A few years ago, I donated this coat to PETA.  I hope it is used to keep someone warm while reminding people of all the little animal lives taken just to make ONE coat!

It is unusual, but since the furs cannot be sold, and is providing needed warmth to the homeless, what the heck!  It will be an interesting visual for the media and we can all see the huge numbers of homeless who live in Washington D.C. 

Inadvertantly (or is someone quite wise) by the poor having the fur coats it is taking away the fur as a status symbol, how sneaky!  Kudos to PETA for thinking outside of the box!!!!

PETA is a ridiculous group that quite honestly does more damage than good.  Once again PETA has proven that unless you are crazy, humans have more rights than a dog or any other animal for that matter.  It would be nice if they actually tried to help people instead of exploit them. 

This seems really odd and dehumanizes homeless recipients, IMO.  If they're thanking people for NOT wearing fur, then what are we supposed to make of the fact that only a certain subpopulation IS wearing fur?

I don't get it, honestly.

I like the sleeping bag idea above. Smart.

Sorry Vaughn, but I don't get your point.  Although you may not agree with all of PETA's methods, their message remains the same: abusing and neglecting animals should not be tolerated by society and those that commit heinous acts against animals should be scrutinized and prosecuted by the law; and their actions made known to all.

Put yourself in the position of a homeless person - take a coat and stay warm, regardless of where it comes from, that's one less obstacle for you while you are on the street.

What's going to happen to all the coats when the weather is warm? Will PETA recollect them off the streets?  sounds like an odd idea, however I support recycling and they should keep folks warm... so go figure... it will look like an army of slaughtered animals and warm people beneath...

I think until consciousness and awareness is raised about the horrors of animal cruelty we have to trust the important work of organizations like PETA who have been leaders in this area - and certainly raising the visibility of the homeless might have some positive impact as well.  Far too often people are able to walk by without noticing that a person may be cold or in need.  It seems to me while parts of this demo may make us uncomfortable - isn't that the point.

for all the naysayers:  Look, why don't you ASK a destitute person at the inaugeration whether they even care where the coat is comming from? Or ask if they think the donation has any implications? My bet is they'll be very happy just to GET a warm coat for the winter.  So, if they wouldn't care, what is it to you?

This is a digustingly exploitative campaign led by PETA. They are turning the homeless into walking billboards. There is no reason that PETA staffers could not do wear the coats and carry the cups other than PETA wanted what they thought would be positive PR. This is nothing more than a pretense of providing service to the homeless. This is elitism at its worst; on one hand to accuse people buying fur of exploiting animals while simultataneously exploiting people.

How is providing a warm coat to a poverty stricken person exploiting them?   I don't think the recipient of the coat will agree with you there, Ms. Mason.

Won't the homeless people just cut off the painted-black (not to mention the question of if this part of the happening was an intentional reference to the Rolling Stones) parts and patch the holes with unpainted parts of other coats so that they could sell them to meet their own ends anyway? 

PS Mizz Mason I would like a fur coat if I could get one and Id wear it around regardless of how exploited I was being.

When you're homeless and cold to receive any coat, is a life saver. I applaud Peta for doing a kind thing for people while raising awareness. It seems like a oximoran but lets not forget the homeless people and their needs for right now.

I am against buying and selling fur coats and I am for making people aware of the torture and cuelty involved in the fur industry.

Starting by knocking the homeless for wearing a donated fur is wrong.

Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.  

For those of you who think PETA’s actions are meant to be helpful to the homeless rather than exploitive, consider this: 

Many parts of the country are in the midst of a brutal deep freeze that has homeless service workers scrambling to open shelters and get people off the streets [read more here: http://tinyurl.com/7bfzrq]. So why is PETA hoarding these warm coats, waiting until next week to distribute them to those in need? Why not give them out now, when they could potentially save lives? 

Or why not quietly give them to a cause that is relevant to PETA’s mission, like the Humane Society’s Coats for Cubs program [http://www.hsus.org/furfree/campaigns/c4c/]? 

See, I have nothing against PETA’s mission. But I have a real problem with exploiting the vulnerabilities of homeless people to further their message. @VanessaMason is right, PETA is using homeless people as nothing more than walking billboards during the inauguration.

How is this any different than “Bumvertising?” [read more on that here: http://tinyurl.com/8pmr86]

I think it's a good idea. If the coats aren't being used, what's the problem?

Wearing dead animal skin?  Yuck!!

Peta......we love everything that you do.  Putting fur coats with black paint on the homeless is funny  and yet makes such a radical statement.  Trading the luxury idea to one of people throwing out their furs like trash and poor and homeless people putting them on to ward of the cold is brilliant.  The animal abuse issue is one in the same with the homeless issue.  In fact, all problems in this world are centered around the same greed and self-centeredness that people gravitate toward in the name of luxury.  It is disturbing on so many levels that there are farms right now in this country and around the world, where animals are being killed in the most violent ways.  We can comfortably sit at our computers talking about this issue, but it is the animals that are suffering as we leisurely have our discussions about their futures.  Killing animals for their skins and fur and their muscle and body fluids has to stop.  Likewise, killing animals has to stop if we are to ever be able to attempt a peaceful world.  Peta, we visit your website regularly and we are grateful that there are groups such as yours that are vocal about the endless cruelty and murder that animals experience every minute of every day, all around the world.  Thank you.

PETA's Mission Statement
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 2.0 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world.

PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds and other "pests," and the abuse of backyard dogs.

PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.

______________________________

I included the Mission Statement because I think it speaks to the main concern/complaint that some people have: Why would an organization that does not want people to wear fur be distributing furs, even to the homeless?

I think it is a valid question and one only PETA can answer, though I imagine not to the satisfication of some. As a person who has worked with the homeless--from soup kitchens to actually living on the streets with them for a week, I think I should point out the obvious. The animals are already gone. Is there any eco-friendly way to dispose of the fur short of, well, disposing of it? If not, I say let the homeless have them. It is extremely cold in certain parts of our country (I'm in sunny S. Florida, so warm here). If giving a homeless person a fur coat warms them up so that they can take part in the festivities, which are meant for ALL AMERICANS, then give it to them.

I am for the ethical treatment of animals AND HUMANS.

Why is it so hard to believe that it is possible to have good intentions?

Is each individual so scewered and inwardly violent in their cynisism that they can't believe Peta is trying to help?

How is it even possible to make this world any better and try to do things that benefit people as well as animals with so many who can't comprehend goodness..."there must always be a spin on it"?

As someone who was homeless for 22 months here in LA. Someone battling cancer, sickle cell and HIV as well other medical issues. NOT MENTAL ILLNESS, and knowing first hand about services that we all think are in place for homeless people, I think what PETA is doing is great and I applaud their efforts. At least they are giving them away, unlike the salvation army that would just resale them or keep them.

I saw a comments where people were comcerned about homeless people being targets. They already are targets and fur lined sleeping bag or fur coat wont be the reason.

i wish furs were made from politicians then i would want one

I like the idea of giving the coats to the Homeless but I like the idea of turning them inside out..making a sleeping bag..I am sure this has been tried before, but maybe sell/auction the coats, build or acquire shelters to accommodate more people.  PETA does great things to bring awareness to the plight of animals, but this is a little off-base..

It's going to be a fancy occasion, and the weather will be cold.  I'd be surprised if the homeless will be the only ones who will be showing up in fur coats.  They could actually blend in more than you think.  Time will tell.

And I'd rather think that people are wearing second-hand fur, than supporting the "demand and supply" of trappers and fur-farmers who profit from the unnecessarily egregious animal cruelty for the obliviously self-indulgent nouveau riche.  

Are they serious? Now this is a desperate attempt to once again dehumanize our fellow Americans. Normally I wouldn't say anything against the poor having coats but this is going so far over the edge it isn't funny. Who's bright idea was this to take the homeless and make them into their walking billboards. Do  they really think by giving the homeless fur coats thats going to solve the homeless problem? The homeless do not need  fur coats. They need homes and jobs and  in some case medical treatment, a boost in their self confidence. At least 1/2 to 3/4 of all of our homeless people are vets , which says alot about what our own government feels about the men and in some caes women that have given so much of themselves. Message to PETA: You should be ashamed of yourselves...... Bad PETA no doughnut!!!

Judging from the comments I would guess that none of you have ever been homeless. The problem is this. TOO MANY PEOPLE who dont even have a clue about homelessness, homeless people or what they are up against are making laws, passing silly ordinaces and talking about homeless people and whats best for them, but fail to see that no homeless person was ever asked.

I was homeless for 22 months and I would have loved a coat. I am sure the homeless there in Washington will love them too. Sometimes we think way too much about something that is so simple.

AGAIN, BRAVO PETA. AWESOME JOB. Maybe if place we all flock to on thanksgiving to volunteer ONE A YEAR and donate money to were doing more to make sure homeless people get what they need, PETA would no longer have anyone to give the coats to. Consider that before you jump all over an organization who is keeping a HUMAN warm, while the ones you give your money to let them walk the streets.

HELLO SOMEBODY

 PETA knows that fur is worn primarily by the narcissistic wealthies.  Anybody still wearing fur in this day and age is unreachable, hence the homeless strategy.

 By taking these donated furs and giving them to the homeless, they not only help the homeless stay warm, but in return it helps to deglamorize fur.  The more fur is deglamorized, the less appealing it becomes to the aforementioned narcissistas with affluenza.

This is a win-win solution. Help the animals, help the homeless and put a stick in the eye of the shallow foo-foo elite.  Anyone who has a problem with this clearly hasn't thought everything through.

Genius idea PETA! Too bad there are some humans commenting that think animal cruelty means nothing and the shock! the horror of using homeless folk to make fur look bad.

Animal cruelty is the ROOT of all cruelty. It is EASY! Animals have NO rights. If they did, they would not be used to make fur coats and hotdogs. After all it is easiest to torture and mutilate animals because they resemble us the least. How unlucky for them! They do not understand that we are all interconnected on this planet and that cruelty to animals is the platform for humans being cruel and selfish to each other. These morons who can not see the good in keeping homeless people warm with donated fur coats. These morons who are stuck-up tunnel vision human centrists. It doesn't matter if PETA is making a statement by doing this because:

a. It helps stop horrific animal cruelty.

b. It keeps homeless people warm.

c. How do you know the homeless aren't also disgusted by animal cruelty? and would be willing to be a walking display to make fur look bad.

If you don't think what they do to animals to make a fur coat is horrific then you do not have your priorities straight. And BTW aren't you lucky it isn't you getting your skin ripped off.


PETA EXPLAINS THE WHY HERE:
Yes. Although we can’t give the animals’ lives back, we can at least offer warmth to those who are not able to buy warm synthetic coats, those who might otherwise freeze in the cold this winter. PETA has received thousands of fur donations from former fur-wearers who had a change of heart after learning about the appalling cruelty involved in fur ranching and trapping. Our giveaways to needy people who might otherwise die of exposure on the streets allow former fur-wearers to clean out their closets and their consciences.

Fur giveaways also counteract furriers’ efforts to portray fur as an upscale, trendy status symbol. In fact, the overwhelming influx of fur into our office shows that fur has hit rock bottom. PETA has also sent hundreds of donated furs to help freezing Afghan refugees, used coats in educational displays in schools and libraries, redecorated them as “bloody” props for street-theater-style protests, and given them to wildlife rehabilitators to use as bedding for orphaned animals. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation of an unwanted fur.

See the video here:
http://www.furisdead.com/feat_anti-fur_video_vote.asp

God G-d people, this makes no sense.  The PETA crowd needs to "chill" on 20 JAN and let what will be take place. The homeless will take any coat given. I know this personally as I have done coat drives in Fort Worth and gone to the Family Center / Presbyterian Night Shelter to pass them out.  Cowboys fans will wear a ratty Philly Jacket.  Grown men will wear pink and purple, etc.

um...You mean the PETA haters need to chill and just let the homeless accept the free coats.

BTW, looking at the photo you can see that fur coats are hideously ugly but homeless people who want to be warm do not care!

I actually like it, since it serves such a necessary purpose. Plus, I have to admit that I'd like to see the faces of the upper eshelon (who actually CHOOSE to buy & wear these things), when they see that "fur isn't for the elite anymore" - HA!
I rather like the idea of those things serving a purpose other than vanity!

I really like the idea of the sleeping bags made from the coats too - not bad at all. However, I'm sure that's a matter of cost, and they DO need coats too.

Besides, it's going to be bloody cold there people! Do you really think it's appropriate to debate whether the WAY we prevent people from freezing to death is "PC enough" or not? I say that this would only be appropriate if they were all being bought for this purpose. Some of you in here are arguing against it as if PETA is doing that, as if they would kill animals to help people - this is beyond absurd!

Bully to those that think this is insulting to homeless people, that doesn't make any sense to me. I'm pretty sure that there will be no complaints from them, and would find it FAR more insulting if nobody cared they were freezing.

And what would come of these coats if not given away like this anyway? Would you seriously want them to just go to the garbage instead?
I say it's perfectly sensible recycling!

PETA should PROVE that it is about compassion for the homeless. The forecase for DCA early next week is for temps that are near freezing.  However, there are many cities that are going through some sever global warming, oops...cooling right now. Temps are far belows that. Why make the homeless wait?  Pass them out now, and do it in various cities.  Not just in places that will have cameras on site!

Will all those who are feeling high on their attitudes please look at the comments of Kengi Carr.  Nobody has more experience than Kengi here and absolutely NO opinion could possibly be more valued.

Shelagh, brilliantly stated.

Shannon Moriarty;  Peta gives jackets away every winter.  As you can see in Shelagh's posting, they have not only been doing this for years, they have been doing this globally.  This question is based on nothing but mistrust and very little truth or information on this topic.  Rather it is a passion against Peta.  If you truly stand by the homeless, listent to their thoughts and ideas.

You won't find a homeless person disagreeing.

Hello

This isnt new for PETA, so where was your protest and outrage before? Where was your compassion for homeless people before?

Homeless people arent stupid and they have causes and things they care about as well. I speak from 22 months of being homeless and from continuing my work with homeless people even now that I am no longer homeless because too many people are talking and no one is asking homeless people what they want, how they feel, what will help them.

If a homeless person doesnt eat meat, guess what? they wont take your bag lunch with a salami sandwich in it, if they dont eat grapes, they wont take your fruit and if they feel tey cant wear white, they wont take your white jeans. If a homeless person doesnt think a fur coat is cool, then they wont take it. PERIOD.

Missions and Shelters serve food that is ost times spoiled or far beyond expiration dates, it also goes unregualted by the health department. Where is your protest? Does it offend you that homeless people are getting fur coats?

The bottom line is this. HOMELESS PEOPLE WILL BE WARM.Get off your soap box and pay attention. PEOPLE WILL BE WARM, HOMELESS PEOPLE WILL BE WARM. We should all HELP PETA pass out the furs. Oh, but that would be too much like right.

 John Knight, what makes you think PETA has to "PROVE" anything- let alone to you of all people? Your "global cooling" comments say a lot about you.

 Had you had any memory, or ever had paid attention to either issue (homelessness or the fur problem) you would know that <B> PETA has been redistributing donated fur coats to the homeless for YEARS. </B>

 Furthermore, I'm calling you out Shannon Moriarty.  At best you've been intellectually lazy, like Knight and a few others here.  Doing some simple reasearch (that's what we did in the days before Yahoo and Google search engines) would have quickly revealed that PETA has been handing out coats this way since at least the 90's.  Now, if you don't have access to the net for a quick search, maybe a phone call to PETA would have answered your "questions:.

 At worst, you've been intentionally misleading.  Why do i say that?
 
  The image you posted is not what the coats look like (as already noted by others, the coats have been modified to both spread an anti-fur message and reduce their value so that nobody gets mugged for them).   The photo you posted, in fact, comes from a "style" web site called FeelGoodStyle.com and the bogus imagery misleads people, hence the "what if they get mugged?" kinds of  impressions and questions above.  

 Specifically, you got the photo from http://feelgoodstyle.com/2008/11/27/peta-to-give-away-fur-coats-to-the-homeless

Now Ms. Moriarty, you said:  [I]  "For those of you who think PETA’s actions are meant to be helpful to the homeless rather than exploitive, consider this: Many parts of the country are in the midst of a brutal deep freeze that has homeless service workers scrambling to open shelters and get people off the streets [read more here: http://tinyurlcom/7bfzrq]. So why is PETA hoarding these warm coats, waiting until next week to distribute them to those in need? Why not give them out now, when they could potentially save lives?" [/I]
 
 Again, had you been intellectually honest you would have done some research before misrepresenting PETA's actions.  But in fact, you already knew the answer, didn't you?

  I say this because the very page you got that image from mentions other giveaways by PETA.
 
  In that piece, it clearly notes another giveaway taking place in November of last year, in NYC.  But you didn't bother revealing that little nugget despite clearly having spent time on that page.  That information would have headed off any "Gee why don't they do that in other places other times of the year?" kind of impressions and the subsequent questions.

 But worst of all, YOU were one of the people asking the question. 

  Even though you clearly know (or should have known) that the question's premise is invalid because you'd already been to yet another page that has contraindicating information.

 Now, either you have a reckless disregard for the facts, or you are intentionally misleading people here.  And don't think it's not going unnoticed, especially given the irony of your avatar photo with a fur-bearing animals.

Ariel Rose has nailed you for having a hidden agenda Ms. Moriarty.  Here's more evidence: 

 You said that PETA should instead donate the furs to the HSUS programs.  Direct quote from you: "Or why not quietly give them to a cause that is relevant to PETA’s mission, like the Humane Society’s Coats for Cubs program [http://www.hsus.org/furfree/campaigns/c4c/ ]?"
Interesting that you want them to be "quiet".

  Do you not know what PETA does? They already do give out donated fur to rehabbers and sanctuaries.  Maybe if you did a 5 second search before posting this twaddle you wouldn't end up looking like a FOX News wannabe from the FreeRepublic.

 But this is not a case of a person just shooting their mouth off. 

   It's worse, because here, for the 3rd time, is evidence that your question was invalid and that once again, you KNEW IT TO BE INVALID when posing the question.  In your original posting you provided a link to PETA's site called "fur coats" that goes here:
http://blog.peta.org/archives/inauguration/ 

  Had you bothered to read it (and i think you actually did), you might have noticed the line:
 "We send donated furs to animal sanctuaries so that rescued animal orphans can be comforted by them. We also cut them up for refugee children in war zones and use them in educational displays."

 So which is it? Intellectual laziness and a careless disregard for the truth, or intentional intellectual dishonesty? Three strikes Shannon.  You're out.

Pat, what I was stating in my post above stands.  Regardless of any past distribution of coats by PETA, there are areas in the CONUS that are going through weather that is much more harsh than in the District.  With that being said, why wait to make a "public statement" and the inauguration of the next CIC?  Go ahead and pass them out (since they already have them) in Chicago, MSP, International Falls, Flint, etc?  I also find your lambaasting of Shannon to be comical.  According to her bio, she has worked with the homeless and is currently pursuing studies in that area.  I do have an idea though, and I am sure that since PETA and it's members are all compassionate, that it will be met with a resounding "YES YES YES".  A fur coat, marked or unmarked, will keep one person warm.  Instead of marking it, PETA should accept the donations and then sell the coats.  Proceeds from one fur that is sold could garner several jackets.  This would keep even more people warm! 

I agree with you Shannon.

It is exploitation of the vulnerable. It is rather manipulative to stage a campaign of this nature. Yes, some homeless people will receive warm fur coats that will undoubtedly be useful this winter.
PETA is capitalizing on a unique opportunity to put their message at the forefront and then shielding themselves behind a supposedly good intentioned effort to help the homeless. Yes some, if not many, people will benefit from the gesture but it is degrading because given the choice of freezing or serving as a walking billboard is an ultimatum the homeless cannot afford to turn down. It's shameful.

I never did agree with PETA's attempts at raising public awareness by destroying others' personal property with all the egg and paint throwing. It seems analagous to pro lifers storming abortion clinics and in some cases taking lives. Education and good example seems to me the only way to go.  You can't force pesonal philosophy or morality. I love the idea of distributing these coats to the homeless, but nix on the exploitation in DC.  

It is exploitation for the mere fact that given the choice of freezing or serving as a walking billboard for a campaign that you could not care less about. It presents an ultimatum to the homeless that is degrading since survival is far more important than making a principled stand.

Is it conscionable because the apparent end result positively serves two neglected populations? It may be, but what price do you put on a persons dignity. 

There is no doubt that giving warmth to homeless people is now and will always be the right thing to do, however, winter isn't begining the day of Obama's inaguration. With that being said, how can PETA truly expect everyone to believe that they are giving fur coats to homeless people for the sole purpose of warmth? Im going to assume that this coats havent been collect this year alone and that they have possibly had them for several winters now, so why now? and why on the inaguration? I have nothing against PETA as and organization, i just think that when they are obviously using homeless people to create better PR for themselves they are leaving their organization no better off than before.

For all who are so fast to jump on PETA about the FUR coat and where they should pass them out, what are you doing besides getting on this blog blasting something that is awesome? How bout all of you who have such a problem with it simply go buy WARM coats and YOU pass them out. FOR FREE and match what PETA has done for a long time now. Furthermore for all of you who say there are other areas of the "CONUS" that need help, why dont you go do it? For who say it should have been a sleeping bag, well why dont you make it? For every person who has a problem, nomatter how small it is and believe me all the reasons for not giving the coats to homeless people are very, very small and pointless, but since YOU came to the table with your small thinking and great ideas, please tell me why dont you just do it? Why point the finger at people and organizations that are DOING SOMETHING?

Get off your computer and YOU do it and stop trying to block, and bring down people and organizations that are part of the CHANGE that most of us voted for, but few of us really want to work at making happen.

Please dont tell me you feed homeless people at Thanksgiving, that aint nothing, a preschooler can come up with that. In order for Obama to bring change to this country and the world, WE have to change. WE have to BE THE CHANGE and until WE change the way we think and act and judge then this country will always be in the shape it is in and no matter who gets in the white house, there will be no change, because people like YOU had a problem with it.

Wake up......because your thinking smells far worse then all homeless people combined and that disgusts me

We all need to carefully listen to Kengi Carr's opinion, since he has been homeless, we haven't.  If he saids the homeless just want to be warm and each person (the homeless are still people with individual opinions) decide if they want to accept a fur coat or not, end of discussion.  When you are literally freezing to death, I bet you would take the fur to save your own life. 

The fur industry represents such cruelty and death, now PETA is making fur represent compassion and life.  If Kengi (cool name) is willing to pass out the fur coats to the homeless, I will stand next to him and help!

Kengi, thank you so much for your words of wisdom.  They are very much so appreciated.  Yes, any preschooler can fed the homeless on Thanksgiving, heck..they may even be strong enough to pass out coats!

I am sure you will appreciate the fact that I am very involved with volunteer organizations that assist a wide array of causes ranging from the homeless (passing out coats, mittens, socks, scarfs, hand/toe warmers, etc.), support organizations for people killed in catastrophic manners, NF,MS, and Toys for Tots (not just buying a toy, volunteering 6 hours a day for 3 weeks in a row after getting off of work).  I admit I was a bit of a slacker in 2008.  I only logged 348 hours of volunteer service when I had done over 500 in 2007.  Heck, I was even named the National Volunteer of the Year (2006) by my company. .  It resulted in a $6,000 grant for the charity of my choice.  So yes I HAVE and WILL CONTINUE to search for ways and partake in them to assist those that need it.

The whole PETA thing is fishy due to the fact that they are targeting a high profile event.  Why not do it at events without cameras? And again, why not trade the coats for many more to assist additional people on the streets?  That, in combination with the efforts of people such as myself and many others, can make a world of difference and be the CHANGE that people seek! 

I don't think it's a bad idea to give furs to the homeless. I do think it's a bad idea to make a spectacle out of it. 

John

You dont need to tell me what you do, how you do it and who you do it with, for, or any of this.

I commend, applaud and appreciate the efforts of PETA to give homeless people a fur coat and so should everyone else.

Homelessness is pretty much a crime in this country or have you taken the time to find this out? Since I know you havent let me drop some fact on you and everyone else who has a problem with homeless people being WARM.
-------

The housing and homelessness crisis in the United States has worsened with many cities reporting an increase in demands for emergency shelter. In 2007, ten of the 23 cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors reported an increase in the number of households with children accessing shelters and transitional housing. Six of these 23 cities also reported an increase in the number of individuals accessing these services. Even while the requests for emergency shelter increase, cities do not have adequate shelter space to meet the need. In the 23 cities surveyed in the U.S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Survey for 2007, 12 cities noted that they had to turn people away because of a lack of capacity often or always. [1] The lack of available shelter space – a situation made worse by the Gulf Coast hurricanes - leaves many homeless persons with no choice but to struggle to survive on the streets of our cities. Over the course of the year, 3.5 million Americans will experience homelessness,[2] and this number is only expected to increase in 2008 due to the foreclosure crisis, increases in poverty, and a pattern of steady increases in family homelessness. [3]

AN UNJUST RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM

An unfortunate trend in cities around the country over the past 25 years has been to turn to the criminal justice system to respond to people living in public spaces. This trend includes measures that target homeless people by making it illegal to perform life-sustaining activities in public. These measures prohibit activities such as sleeping/camping, eating, sitting, and begging in public spaces, usually including criminal penalties for violation of these laws.

TYPES OF CRIMINALIZATION MEASURES

The criminalization of homelessness takes many forms, including:

* Legislation that makes it illegal to sleep, sit, or store personal belongings in public spaces in cities where people are forced to live in public spaces;
* Selective enforcement of more neutral laws, such as loitering or open container laws, against homeless persons;
* Sweeps of city areas where homeless persons are living to drive them out of the area, frequently resulting in the destruction of those persons’ personal property, including important personal documents and medication; and
* Laws that punish people for begging or panhandling to move poor or homeless persons out of a city or downtown area.

Criminalization Measures Have Increased

City ordinances frequently serve as a prominent tool to criminalize homelessness. Of the 224 cities surveyed for our report:

* 28% prohibit “camping” in particular public places in the city and 16% had city-wide prohibitions on “camping.”
* 27% prohibit sitting/lying in certain public places.
* 39% prohibit loitering in particular public areas and 16% prohibit loitering city-wide.
* 43% prohibit begging in particular public places; 45% prohibit aggressive panhandling and 21% have city-wide prohibitions on begging.

The trend of criminalizing homelessness appears to be growing. Of the 67 cities surveyed in both NCH and NLCHP’s last joint report in 2002 and in this report:

* There is a 12% increase laws prohibiting begging in certain public places and an 18% increase in laws that prohibit aggressive panhandling.
* There is a 14% increase in laws prohibiting sitting or lying in certain public spaces.
* There is a 3% increase in laws prohibiting loitering, loafing, or vagrancy laws.

Another trend documented in the report is increased city efforts to target homeless persons indirectly by placing restrictions on providers serving food to poor and homeless persons in public spaces.

While cities are cracking down on homeless persons living in public spaces, according to the latest U.S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness report, cities do not have adequate shelter to meet the need.

The Meanest Cities

Although some of the report’s top 20 meanest cities have made some efforts to address homelessness in their communities, the punitive practices highlighted in the report impede progress in solving the problem. The top 20 meanest cities were chosen based on the number of anti-homeless laws in the city, the enforcement of those laws and severities of penalties, the general political climate toward homeless people in the city, local advocate support for the meanest designation, the city’s history of criminalization measures, and the existence of pending or recently enacted criminalization legislation in the city.

1. Sarasota, FL
2. Lawrence, KS
3. Little Rock, AR
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Las Vegas, NV
6. Dallas, TX
7. Houston, TX
8. San Juan, PR
9. Santa Monica, CA
10. Flagstaff, AZ
11. San Francisco, CA
12. Chicago, CA
13. San Antonio, TX
14. New York City, NY
15. Austin, TX
16. Anchorage, AK
17. Phoenix, AZ
18. Los Angeles, CA
19. St. Louis, MO
20. Pittsburgh, PA

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If PETA was passing out roses to homeless people you and others would ask "why didnt you do something else" If they passed out coffee, Starbucks would cry foul ball.

Since you do so much helping with some many different places why dont YOU ask those organization to write PETA and ask for some fur coats to pass out in your area? How bout that?

PETA is making a very brave and thoughtful choice here and someone who was homeless for 22 months and only off the street since Nov. 2008 let me tell you and all other this. Those coats mean more then warmth, they mean more then the lousy meals shelters pass out, they mean more then you sitting here trying to block something that is good because YOU want it done another way so that YOU are cool with it and damn the fact that homeless will be cold while YOU sit and plan and think and meet and talk and sip coffee in your warm house, office and car and damn near run over, walk past and flip off every homeless person you come past because you need to think of a better way.

I look at this very site and see places like the UNION RESCUE MISSION in LA and I say "why are they here?" if people knew an ounce of what takes place in those walls all funding will come to a stop. I am not saying this because I read it some place or heard someone mention it. I saying this becuase i still have the 5 bed tickets issued by the URM that were not honored. I still have the CEO ANDY BALES personal cell phone number. "Call me anytime Kengi, I guarantee this wont happen again." Bullshit, it happened four more times and it still happens.

BRAVO PETA for taking those coats and giving them to homeless so the ENTIRE WORLD can see just how full of shit this country is. 700,000 or more people in this country are HOMELESS on any given night. Maybe this will change because PETA has now put a HUGE spot light on the homeless problem in this country. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Politicians wont even speak about homeless and Obama is no different, because it isnt "sexy" and America and people like you dont want the world or the rest of this uninformed country to really see what is going on with homelessness.

Why dont you ask the heads of places like the URM, Salvation Army and places that say they do so miuich good, to stop paying their CEO's so much money. Ask them how many programs for the homeless have been slashed and CUT, while their pay checks get fatter, houses get bigger.

The problem here is NOT PETA or those coats or how and when they pass them out. The problem here is think like yours and all others who find fault with PETA for doing it. The problem is that people like you and all others who have a huge problem with PETA passing out fur coats is that people who think like this are running places, getting rich off the very people they are supposed to be helping.

The PROBLEM JOHN is people like who and anyone else who finds fault with PETA giving coats away is that you're too busy IGNORING the elephant in the room, because you are talking about the flies around its ass. Consider this,if YOU paid more attention to the elephant, there would be no flies.

Since none of you can walk two minutes of the shoes of a homeless person, I think you should be the very last people in line saying "NO" to a fur coat.

I am done with this debate, because it is silly. I have to get to the Aids Service Center to sign papers for them to get paid, but be told I am not sick enough from my HIV to qualify for medical because some dumb dumb made up some rule about me having an AIDS dianoses and damn near death before i can get medical support and IF my T-cell climb that will be cut off, I then have to make my way over to the welfare department to ask them not to cut my 221.00 because I still have cancer and I still have HIV because some "thinker" made some rule about HIV and how it expires ever 30 days and if i dont come back in to get HIV, i cant have $221.00. Sounds stupid doesnt it? Well so does your whole fur coat problem, then only people your thinking affects and hurts are people like me. But since I am stupid and cant think for myself, i need YOU to make these choices and rule and pass laws that ONLY HURT people like me.

Thanks John
You're number one

Very smart move on their part.

I don't think this is best way for Peta to help the homeless. I think they could come up with a better idea. It seems to me they are more concerned about animals than people.

Look at you bunch of useless judgmental jerks putting down PETA for giving coats to homeless people. How would you like it if we tore apart every detail of what you do (or don't do) in your life. How many of you have ever given a coat to the homeless? Let them stay at your house? If anyone can point fingers, it's PETA at those of you who cause horrific animal cruelty because you are not vegan. Killing animals is a far worse crime than giving coats to homeless people.

PETA is concerned about animals more than humans because PETA IS an animal rights group, duh!

Why is there so much confusion over this?  It says that Peta will mark these furs with black paint.  Of course fur is digusting and should be burned, but using the coats in this way sends a very powerful message.  Fur needs to be downgraded from luxury to second hand street use.  The way that fur company's are selling their furs is to encourage people to consider making a luxury purchase.  And they target any age group with their ridiculous ideas about "fashion" tied in with "luxury".  There is obviously nothing fashionable or luxurious about wearing a tortured, murdered, skinned alive animal's skin or fur. 

I cannot imagine how it must feel to be working for a group like Peta, who is well aware of the large amounts of cruelty and murder that exists in this country and around the world.  They focus on this subject matter every hour of every day, and if they think that painting a fur with black paint and offering them to homeless people is useful, then we cannot begin to second guess their motives behind this.  Peta is very dedicated to ending animal torture and murder and so should we all.  Protecting animals is a huge undertaking and having to put up with people's 2-cent opinions that don't try to understand what Peta is trying to accomplish, is maddening. 

Peta: we like that you have marked the coats with black paint.  People need to see ugly fur on the street, instead of fur worn to be fashionable.  "Fashionable" fur is not only ugly, it is evil.  Thank you.

What's better 10 warm people or 50, 20 or 100, 30 or 115, etc.
I still think that it's ok to donate the furs to PETA, but I think that PETA could help far more people if they SOLD the undamaged furs and took the proceeds to buy regular coats.

One of the comments above mentioned having difficulty even thinking of working for PETA with all of the murder that exists in the country/world.  Imagine working for a Jail.  You truly see the worst of the worst. 

How funny this day has been. I just left APLA after having a great talk with my case manager, since I am formerly homeless she and I had nothing do to but laugh and that was great. We talked and laughed about this very blog and how off base so many people are. As we were talking i got a call from someone who reads my blog and has been reading it and watching my youtube channel. The cool tink about the call was that they too wanted to talk about this PETA issue and I giggled, but they also wanted to offer me two tickets to the Inauguration, but I would have to get there.

I get home and ask a few people if they could help me get there, but no one is able, but everyone wanted to tell me about this blog anad how they feel about homeless people getting fur coats. I laughed at these folks becuase while they said no to helping me, they also asked if they could have the tickets.

So while i am so hnored that this person even thought to ask me to see something that is a once in a lifetime chance that i will not be able to see in person, but I couldnt help but laugh when people had the nerve to ask me if they could have the tickets. Almost like these coats you guys are so pissed off about.

Homeless people dont belong at the Inauguration and they sure as hell shouldnt be warm if they happen to make it there. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}   Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

John Knight, once again you miss the obvious ethical problem in your "suggestion".  PETA is anti-fur.  Ideally they'd like to see these furry skins given a proper burial.  But if they can help reduce human suffering while getting out an anti-fur message, then it's the closest thing to turning lemons into lemonade.

 Now, you, who is *obviously* a great financial philathropist for the homeless, has no doubt been active in many campaigns to liquidate all kinds of items (regardless of the ethics problems or blood money) for maximum return on investment.  The problem with selling the coats is that it would run 100% counter to PETA's values to sell fur.  You know, it's called "blood money" for a reason.  How it escapes you that an anti-fur group cannot morally sell fur, is beyond belief.

   And there's the obvious PR problem if PETA did as you suggest.  There are all kinds of people (cough cough, not you of course, oh no) who would jump all over PETA if they were to *sell fur*.  The CCF, and various fur industry groups (to say nothing of the "sporting" groups, trappers and vivisectors) would be shopping the story of PETA's "hypocrisy" to every major newspaper and media outlet they could find, and hitting the op-ed/LTTE forums of every major web site they could find.  But i'm sure we'd never see you enjoin that debate or pile on.

 Admit it John, you kill animals, don't you.  What is it?  Deer? Fish? Birds?  Because the only time i've seen comments like yours are when they're coming from "sportsmen".  I try to use kid gloves with them though, what with all their exposure to lead in the shot and sinkers.

 I am ten and think that giving the homeless dead animal coats is a great idea. It will give a point that fur is dead and should not be fashionable. If the homeless get coats, great, that will keep them warm. But, espeacilly it makes the point that fur should start moving out of this world and back on the animals. Black paint on the coats says basically that fur is gross, mean, not fashionable, and just plain weird. I pledge for all my life to be vegan, and not to wear fur.
PETA: I highly support you and groups like you. 

Actually, I don't hunt thank you Pat. 
See, there is always a first.  A person CAN make comments such as I do without being a sportsman! About the closest I have come to hunting was in Brazil, and yep...on a mission trip, when I was asked to "point to one".  I asked what they meant and they said to point to a chicken.  I did and later that afternoon, it was served. 

And yes, I know tha PETA is anti-fur.  However, by them passing them out, aren't they still being used?   My main point is that since they are already "out there" (the furs) turn them into more coats for more people (but selling them and buying not furs). If it's beyond belief, so be it.  Hell, in only 4 days time, an event will occur in The District that many of us thought was "beyond belief" only months ago. 

Here's a compromise.  Those that have a change of heart, or those that are given a fur and do not want it, can sell the coat themselves.  The proceeds can be split 75/25.  75% to buy non fur coats and 25% given as USD, GBP, etc. to PETA.

You say you don't hunt. What about aquatic hunting, John? IE., fishing.  You are of course correct in pointing out the problem that in donating the furs, they're still being used (and not everyone is comfortable with this).  But coming from a guy who eats meat, this seems a pretty hollow indictment. When you saw the Sarah Palin Turkey video on TV, did you get a sense of deja-vu? Anyway, i address the other problem with selling the furs below.


>The whole PETA thing is fishy due to the fact that they are
>targeting a high profile event.  Why not do it at events
>without cameras?
 
 (Rolls eyes) As has already been pointed out here multiple times, they do indeed give out coats under less media-fixated events.  But even if they didn't, what's wrong with that?  They're an outreach group(!) that happens to be the only one which has repeatedly gotten their message out into the media -- the same media which avoids animal rights issues like the plague (it might have something to do with who many of their advertisers are).

 And so PETA has, over the years, had to go with some pretty odd tactics in order to get the media to cover their issues at all.  Considering that the coats are modified with anti-fur slogans, why do you have a hard time understanding that getting a little publicity would help further their goals?  Aren't they entitled to do so?  All non-profits try to get PR, with varying degrees of success.  Many of PETA's tactics aren't understood by those with limited experience in activism and media relations.  And by those who are generally anti-animal.


>Pat, what I was stating in my post above stands.  Regardless of any
>past distribution of coats by PETA, there are areas in the CONUS
>that are going through weather that is much more harsh than in the
>District.So, does that mean the capitol of, say, New Hampshire has as large a homeless population as DC?
>With that being said, why wait to make a "public statement" and the
>inauguration of the next CIC?  Go ahead and pass them out (since
>they already have them) in Chicago, MSP, International Falls, Flint

  Had you bothered to read the links I supplied, or read any of the other posters' comments you'd see that PETA does indeed distribute these coats at other times and in other locations.  Some people belong at the FreeRepublic, not here, I suspect.  You're given information to correct your misperception but you say your comments still stand.  Whatever. 


Susan Heyward wrote:

>I never did agree with PETA's attempts at raising public
>awareness by destroying others' personal property with all the
>egg and paint throwing 

  Now clearly we know which side you would have been on when John Brown was kicking the abolitionist movement into high gear, but what i really have a problem with is your libelous claim that PETA eggs people.  PETA is opposed to eggs because of the horrendous conditions that even "humane certified" and "free range" chickens suffer.  Like the killing of all of the males, the debeaking, etc.  Details here:
http://animalrights.change.org/blog/view/proving_humane_certifications_meaningless


 To bottom line it for you, PETA would never egg anyone. They're opposed to buying eggs and view veganism as the ideal goal.  Your egg-throwing claim is laughable on it's face.  Paint and flour, sure.  But eggs?

Sorry to be a fact-checking nazi.

It's bad enough to be homeless in a society as rich as ours, but I find it insulting that they would stoop to using people who are so disadvantage as a publicity stung. It's disgusting.
See my website about poverty, homelessness and addiction at...
http://downbutnotout.synthasite.com/

Its hard to take the PETA posters completely serious when you read articles like this: http://www.newser.com/story/47501/rename-fish-sea-kittens-peta-urges.html 

Renaming fish sea kittens? I understand that they are using humor to portray a point and to evoke thought and conversation in the masses, but isnt that what Miss Moriarty is doing here?

It seems to me, PETA, that you pick and choose.

Shannon Moriarity:
I am sure that you are dedicated and compassionate toward the homeless issue, but why in the world would you want to do a disservice to the animal protection cause?  Presenting the Peta event of passing out fur coats painted with black paint but NOT showing an accurate depiction of what a fur with black paint on it, presents unnecessary confusion.  The picture shows two people walking around in furs that don't show the black paint.  This is very confusing and looking at the comments from others, people are obviously confused.  The picture needs to be changed to show what this blog is about.  Or else you need to add a caption that says "two women WITH homes, walking in their fur coats". 

Peta relies on shock value to some extent, in order to get people to listen to the things that they would otherwise turn away from.  The horrors that animals are exposed to in the name of: food, fashion, testing and entertainment is not a simple subject.  I can only imagine how deeply stressful it must be to work for an organization such as Peta.  Knowing the widespread violence that animals experience is not an easy job and most people could never do that job.  If we care about people, animals and the environment, we have to be very careful how we judge the people who work on their behalf. 

Shannon, please change this picture or put an accurate caption on it, we do not like the message that it is sending.  Ultimately, it does a disservice to the animals that are savagely killed for their skins/ fur. 

Peace to the animals.  Peace to the environment.  Peace to the people of the world.

Someone suggested PETA should sell the coats… Sell them to whom… and who ever would buy them would do what with them? Wear them I guess… The only thing that would right this wrong (which was taking to fur from the original owner in the first place) is putting it back on the original owner which is impossible. To take this and use it as a PETA bashing session is hypocritical in itself. Change.org or better Shannon is using her privilege of being able to run a blog here that can bee seen by thousands, to further her agenda which is bashing PETA. Obviously she has no use for that organization. Never mind thousand of people do support PETA efforts, and never mind that if the facts were presented in a neutral and objective fashion, it would also mention PETA has and is doing lots of good to bring animal abuse to the forefront and in to  the media and mass attention. Not to mention their past fur drives.   This blog topic strikes me as having the underlying agenda of satisfying the poster Shannon desire to smear PETA, she using the plight of the homeless to do so, and that in itself is exploitation. So it would be good to remember not to throw stones when you’re sitting in a glass house.
I know it says Shannon has worked with the homeless, which is why it is even more baffling. But maybe it’s simply a lack of wisdom often a side effect of exuberant youth. Time and circumstance hopefully will fix that.   Kengi I think your contributing is extremely valuable and I appreciate hearing from someone who actually was homeless and knows what it is like. I have never been homeless and God forbid I never will. I have a roof over my head and right now it is freezing in Georgia. I don’t have central heat but I have a little space heater and it’s blowing on my legs as I write this. Considering that even though I am inside and have a space heater blowing on my legs, I still am cold. But I feel blessed to be inside, away from the wind and wind-chill, have food, my pets and a sense of security. My heart goes out to the homeless and if PETA wants to take donated coats, even FUR to give to them at this time of need, and do it in a way that also raises media attention to the whole fur issue once again... go PETA.
And I am not a blind PETA supporter far from it.
Hypocritical use of the issue to smear PETA and distorting facts and truths is lower in my scale of morals, then giving a warm coat to homeless people.

FINALLY. I WAS AFTER PETA AND OTHERS TO DO THIS FOR YEARS!
DONT WASTE the already made and sold coats BY BURNING or TOSSING IN THE LANDFILL
REUSE /RECYCLE USE THEM TO help KEEP THE HOMELESS WARM !
and THIS ALSO HELPS help make the coats PERMANENTLY UNFASHIONABLE.
yeah! to whoever made this happen.

may i also say -Asking how well PETA WHO IS FUNDED TO HELP ANIMALS -helps the homeless,when the other organizations and persons Funded/paid to Help us Homeless -FAIL -MOST- MISERABLY-IS ASKING The WRONG QUESTIONs!

As a member of Peta I am embarassed when they do things that are stupid... so I'm so glad they did this! This is probably the best thing Peta's ever done! Spreading the word about animal cruelty, and helping homeless people at the same time. Now that is awesome.