As crowds rallied outside the Supreme Court while the justices heard arguments on landmark cases regarding California's Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), members of PETA were there to make the point that as Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Like other victims of oppression, animals shouldn't be mistreated because they are different from those in power. We can all stand up to corporate bullies by refusing to buy anything that comes from cruelty. PETA will be outside the Supreme Court again tomorrow as arguments are heard against DOMA.  

vivatier/CC by 2.0

Who says bipartisanship is dead? Legislators on both sides of the aisle have at last found something they can agree on: So-called "crush videos" depicting the crushing, burning, drowning, or impaling of animals have no place in a civilized society.

After the Supreme Court struck down a previous law banning such videos, one of the sponsors of the original law, Rep. Elton Gallegly, immediately got to work writing a new one. In order to avoid the free-speech hurdle that tripped up the previous law, the new law is more narrowly defined to apply solely to non-educational videos depicting certain specific acts that violate cruelty-to-animals laws.

A House version of the bill was overwhelmingly approved in July, and the Senate version passed on Friday. It now moves on to the president for his signature.

Written by Alisa Mullins

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Just three months after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down as "overly broad" a law intended to ban the distribution of videos depicting illegal cruelty to animals, a new bill aimed at stopping these vile videos has passed the House of Representatives in a landslide.

This bill, called the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act, would outlaw "obscene" depictions of acts that violate cruelty-to-animals laws, such as "crush" videos—in which women kill puppies, kittens, and rabbits by stomping on them with their bare feet or in high heels. "These videos have no redeeming value and clearly fall outside the realm of protected speech," says Rep. James P. Moran, D-Va., one of the sponsors of the bill. "Not only are they viciously inhumane to the animals involved, but they also teach behavior that can lead to other violent crimes against animals and humans." Thank you, Rep. Moran!

Please get everyone you know, today, to urge their senators to do the right thing and approve this bill.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

PETA Files readers know that we adore Ellen and Oprah for their endless efforts to help animals. Today we're throwing some love—and sending our thanks—to another daytime talk-show host, Dr. Phil, who earlier this week turned his viewers' attention from cheating spouses to the seedy world of dogfighting.

When he confronted a dogfighter during the show, Dr. Phil didn't mince words: "I think dogfighting is wrong. I think it is despicable. I think it is sick. I think it is disgusting." The good doctor also blogged about the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the sale of porn for pup torturers, declaring, "I was sick to my stomach."

We'd also like to point out that Dr. Phil's other guest, Paris Hilton, whom we've taken to task in the past for her own bad behavior, chimed in: "I kind of want to punch [the dogfighter] in the face."

After you thank Dr. Phil for taking on dogfighters, tell us what you think should be done to stop them?

Written by Karin Bennett

Just about everyone has an opinion on who President Obama should nominate to the Supreme Court. Should the nominee be a mother? Should religion be a factor?

I say appoint a vegan for the post. A vegan Supreme Court justice would be another historic first and a clear indication that our nation is continuing to progress.

Cass Sunstein, the president's pick for "regulatory czar" of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, supports strong animal protection laws and has encouraged people to reduce animal suffering by refusing to eat meat.

By putting a vegan on the bench, President Obama could help discourage animal abuse and bring about a more equitable society. We'd likely see more factory-farm and slaughterhouse workers held accountable for stomping on turkeys, hitting pigs with metal rods, or dismembering cows while they're still conscious.

All decent people, including conservatives such as Matthew Scully, a former speechwriter for President Bush and author of Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy, believe that animals should be treated justly. A vegan Supreme Court justice could help ensure that there truly is justice for all.

Written by Heather Moore