PETA Seeks Rights to Michael Jackson's Song "Ben" to Save Rodents

by SamirJ | June 30, 2009 at 09:29 am

1820 views | 28 Recommendations | 13 comments

A film was released in 1972 with the name 'Ben' which was about the friendship between a lonely boy and a rat named Ben. Michael Jackson's song with the same name 'Ben' was written for the same film.

Following the sudden death of pop legend Michael Jackson, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has asked for the rights of the singer's solo hit 'Ben' to raise awareness about rats and other rodents used in laboratory experiments.

Written in 1972 for a film with the same name, 'Ben' is about the friendship between a lonely boy and a rat named Ben.

'Michael Jackson's hit has always been a moving testament to the power of empathy for animals,' Tracy Reiman, executive vice president of PETA, said in a statement released here Tuesday.

'If more people could be inspired by his song to stop supporting the cruel and ineffective animal-testing industry, it would be a fitting and enduring tribute to this talented performer,' she added.

Rodents comprise vast majority of animals used in laboratories, but because of their exclusion from the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), they are denied the minimal protections provided under the law to other animals.

The song would also be used to spread the message that rats are frequently misunderstood. In the song, Jackson sings, 'Ben, most people would turn you away. I don't listen to a word they say. They don't see you as I do. I wish they would try to.'

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Amy Judd

at 12:13 on June 30th, 2009

I loved that movie! And the song is really great too!

Peter W (not verified)

at 11:25 on July 1st, 2009

Why was Micheal always feeling himself on stage - its absolutely disgusting! But I suppose because he's a "musical genius" and an "inspiration" people don't mind the fact he was morally bankrupt.

Animal lover (not verified)

at 15:00 on July 1st, 2009

Its ironic to use a song by a man who kept so many pets for his own selfish pleasure. I hardly think a python, tigers, a monkey and all the other animals were kept by MJ for their benefit. I suppose the man felt at more at home in a zoo, as he doesn't seem to have been able to relate to humans very well.

bps (not verified)

at 15:14 on July 7th, 2009

So tell me how was he ever given oportunitity to. Animals have unconditional love, unlike some people.

Samantha NgHung (not verified)

at 12:44 on July 3rd, 2009

I totally agree with Animal Lover! Just three months ago MJ was planning to ride an African Elephant on stage at his England concerts and PETA rightly accused him of cruelty to animals. Lets not forget the animals he kept in pitiful conditions for his own personal amusement at Neverland Ranch. Wasn't PETA outraged by that too? Just because MJ is dead PETA shouldn't betray their values! I'm sure PETA can find better songs about the humane treatment of animals than Ben!

Disappointed,

Samantha

158

at 06:29 on July 4th, 2009

good story

bps (not verified)

at 15:10 on July 7th, 2009

Man all I can say is all the comments abut animal abuse is hideous unless the animal is mistreated. People ride on elephants in Africa and South America. And I am confident feeling any animal in the care of MJ was well cared for.

doctrove (not verified)

at 17:07 on July 7th, 2009

I hope PETA doesn't get the rights to the song at all! I can't stand PETA and their disgusting ad campaigns which ironically demean women while trying to promote animal rights. Testing on laboratory rats and other rodents SAVES HUMAN LIVES by the way.

And riding an animal like a horse or an elephant IS NOT ABUSE! The people commenting on here need to chill out.

Samanth NgHung (not verified)

at 05:40 on July 9th, 2009

LOL of course riding an animal is abuse. People have to "break" an animal before they can ride it. Then they hit it with a riding crop to make it run faster. If you break a human down and whip them continuously it's called abuse, right.

There are many animal rights groups and ethicists who agree with this. PETA doesn't have a monopoly on the issue. In fact I'm disappointed with PETA that they would work so adamently to reveal the apalling conditions at MJ's ranch - and the fact that he was unable to even pay for medical treatment for his sick and dying animals when he abandoned the ranch to live in Bahrain http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/jackson%20accused%20of%20animal%20cruelty - and then go and try to get the rights to a lame song of his.

And testing on animals is redundant now anyway but you have to be a speciesist to think that testing on rats or any other animals for that matter is okay just because it saves human lives. Maybe if we tested on humans to save animal lives as well there'd be some balance but since that will never happen we should stop testing on animals.

Steve Reason (not verified)

at 07:16 on July 16th, 2009

You are an idiot...animla testing DOES save other animlas lives. The President of PETA is a diabetic, her life saved by testing on dogs. You fucking moron.

Samantha NgHung (not verified)

at 06:41 on July 17th, 2009

I saw that episode of Bullshit too. It was pigs not dogs, smart guy. Too bad Bullshit is also Bullshit. Lol. Diabetes meds now use synthetic insulin - no animal byproduct. In North America insulin derived from animals is outlawed. Most diabetics in the US - 79% - haven't used insulin derived from animal product in YEARS. PETA's President certainly hasn't.

Bullshit is well known for using seriously out of date data (http://www.de-fact-o.com/fact_read.php?id=62) so you should do your own research you very skeptical critical deep thinker you.

Patricia for save all creatures great and small (not verified)

at 09:36 on July 9th, 2009

Ben is a song that clearly conveys what a beautiful and caring friend a rat can make. I own 2 rats which I adopted thru sheer accident as my daughter's boyfriend bought them and when the novelty was over he was not prepared to give them the time or attention they require. I have become very attached to them because they have given me their unconditional love and trust and I feel terrible that such altruistic and caring creatures are treated in the most abominable manner by so many humans who think of them as vermin and are therefore happy for them to be used in animal experiments. Animal experiments DO NOT SAVE HUMAN LIFE but quite the opposite because they throw results that are relevant to their own species and not to humans. Scientists and GP's are calling for experiments to be based on human biology because currently the FOURTH largest human killer after heart disease, cancer and strokes is ADVERSE REACTIONS TO DRUGS. We humans are the ultimate guinea pigs because currently drugs are tested on us during clinical trials and then when they are put on sale in the open market. IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON not only for animal's sake but for humans sake too.

GREAT FOR PETA TO USE THIS SONG! I do not know how Michael Jackson treated his pets but I do know that this is a positive song with a positive message and that is what we should focus on.

Louie H (not verified)

at 05:33 on August 3rd, 2009

too say that the animals michael jackson had at neverland were abused is so stupid, all michael cared about was help saving the world, listen to the lyrics in the earth song and it is about how we can help save elephants, whales, ect. there is two types of animals enclosuring, there is keeping an animal, not feeding it correctly, not looking after it, or there is the way michael did it, he had a zoo ? so does that mean every zoo in the world is morally wrong, or is it nothing to do with conservation ? you people are so small and pathetic to acuse a loving man of animal abuse after all the things he was accused of while he was alive.