Recently, U.S. News and World Report ran an article on a radical PETA activist’s decision to “change” his name to circuseshurtanimals.com—another warmed-over publicity stunt by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Dan Carron, an outreach coordinator from PETA, apparently changed his to protest circuses’ inclusion of elephants.

What U.S. News failed to mention (or research) is that no fewer than three other PETA hacks have pulled the name-change stunt before: In 2005, PETA staffer Chris Garnett “changed” his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com. Another PETA staffer supposedly “changed” her name from Karin Robinson to GoVegan.com. However, just as Carron is no doubt likely to do himself, Robinson reportedly didn’t actually go by her adopted moniker.

More recently, PETA intern Jennifer Thornburg “changed” her name to cutoutdissection.com, serving as the inspiration for Carron’s performance. However, as she also acknowledged, rather than using her new name, she continued to go by Jennifer. These PETA activists change their names long enough to get a new driver’s license, before sending out a press release. We’re not sure how long they take to change it back once they get their one-day news story.

The article is largely an exercise in wasting time and space. It does however, provide valuable insight into the minds of PETA employees. PETA works to portray itself as nothing more than an animal rights organization that’s eager to help animals in need, but the group’s words and actions have shown that it is anything but.

U.S. News quotes Carron as saying, “My goal in life is complete animal liberation…I want to work every day – all day, every day – constantly toward that goal. This is my life.” What does total animal liberation mean? It means no animals to use to find cures for deadly diseases, no meat or fish to eat, no pets, no zoos, and no aquariums. Liberation means liberation.

Here at the Center for Consumer Freedom, we briefly considered changing our name to petakillsanimals.com—but we’re indisputably rational.