Written by PETA
OK, this one's from a few years ago, but these things are so damn popular that I thought I'd post it. A little context—this is the letter that PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich sent to Michael in 2004 to ask him to reconsider his anti-animal stance. The sad truth is that Bruce’s decidedly less sensational letter never received any attention at all—least of all from Michael Moore, who refused even to acknowledge receipt. But it's a cracking good letter, nonetheless. You can check it out here.
Sorry Canadians. I know I'm a day late on this one, but hopefully you'll forgive me since I'm bringing you this amazing shot of PETA activists Lucas Soloway and Andree Silcok, after they snuck into Montreal's Canada Day Parade yesterday. They look like they’re having a blast, and check out the people in the crowd; they can't take their eyes off of them. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I think the guy talking to them is asking if there is room inside the banner for him too . . .
The coolest thing about this picture is that despite not having permission beforehand, the two were allowed to complete the whole parade, reminding thousands of Canadians that it's time to stop the cruel seal hunt.
Way to go Lucas and Andree!
For those that want to get in on PETA Europe's annual Running of the Nudes festivities but can't make the trip to Pamplona, Spain, here is the next best thing to being there. PETA Europe is holding a contest to give away 10 of these cool pens featuring supermodel Annamarie Lytle, along with a signed poster.
OK, so the pens look pretty cool, eh? Well they're even cooler in person, because when you flip them upside down, Lytle is wearing nothing more than plastic bull horns and the traditional red scarf they wear in Pamplona . . . Man, is it getting hot in here or is it just me?
You can enter the contest here, and for more information on bullfights, which is where the bulls that are run through the streets of Pamplona wind up, click here.
Much as it pains me to pamper the egos of those too-cool-for-school scene queens over at peta2, I was really impressed with this interview that my friend Dan (who runs the show in PETA’s Youth Outreach division) just did with MTV Canada. I’ve been trying to get on MTV since I dreamed of auditioning for MTV’s The Grind in the early '90s (if you haven’t heard of that show, don’t worry about it. You’re better off.), but it looks like I’m going to have to settle for living vicariously through Dan’s achievement. Watch how he reels off hip bands like he’s Carson Daly or something. You can click the screenshot below to watch the video on MTV’s site. Enjoy!
According to its website, the Telly Awards “ . . . is the premiere award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions” so we are thrilled to have won three “Tellies” this year.
Each of the following spots took the bronze in the Public Service category:
Country music icon Loretta Lynn donated her classic song “I Wanna Be Free” for this PSA reminding everyone that "Life on a chain is no life at all."
John McEnroe—winner of three Wimbledon singles victories and four U.S. Open singles championships—offered his famous voice to push spaying and neutering in a humorous play on his famous temper.
The third winner takes a decidedly more somber tack. This ad is shot from the point of view of a dog stranded in flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and pleads “Have a plan. Save your pet."
A big shout out goes to PETA’s Communications and A/V departments for making these, and the rest of our PSAs, happen. Congrats guys.
There is little in life I hate more than being scooped by the hipper-than-thou scenesters over at the peta2 blog, or “blizzy,” as they call it. But, it happened here in a big way, and I’m man enough to admit it. They reported on the PB&J Campaign, oh, like a month ago, but it’s so cool I wanted to give it a shout out here too.
I love the PB&J Campaign’s mission statement. So simple and to the point: "The PB&J Campaign is working to combat environmental destruction and improve animal welfare by reducing the amount of animal products people eat. The PB&J Campaign approaches positive change one meal at a time by illuminating the differences one single dining decision can make."
What's the best reason of all to make a PB&J instead of, oh, say, a chicken breast? As their Web site states: "Saving water, fighting global warming, and preserving habitat are all great reasons to have a PB&J for lunch, but, if you like animals, there's the added benefit of not killing them. It takes about 16 PB&J sandwiches to save a chicken's life, for example."
To read more, check out their Web site here.
Our media maid got a call yesterday from ING, you know, the bench people. They called to ask us—ever so nicely—to remove their logo and the ad we made with Ingrid Newkirk sitting on a bench with a cat looking up at her in the style of their iconic “Life’s Easier on the Bench” ads from the web. We’re all a bit sad to take it down, as we still get a lot of positive remarks about it, but alas, down it shall come.
When I asked Ingrid if this turn of events would sway her from her staunch support of the ING/Renault Formula 1 team, she was adamant that “it most certainly will not” and admonished me for even thinking such a thing. She said the “very polite lad” from ING was complimentary of our work, and that the company will actually consider sponsoring our doghouse and SNIP programs. With beloved dogs in many car commercials these days, and a duck working out investments for another company, that would fit perfectly.
And of course it doesn’t hurt that among the drivers she roots for are Renault/ING’s Giancarlo Fisichella (who she once let take her taxi in the rain) and Heikki Kovalainen, who recorded the difficult pronunciation of his name for her website, and that she still fantasizes about running off to Magny-Cours to change tires for a living once this whole animal rights thing is taken care of.
OK, I had to admit that I had my doubts when I heard the first rumblings about a giant “fish quilt” we were making to raise awareness about the fact that fish are intelligent, intriguing animals who feel pain just as all other animals do and that they don’t deserve to be violently killed for food, painfully hooked for “sport,” or cruelly confined in aquariums. But now that I see the finished product, I have to admit that it’s pretty cool.
Each square was handmade for the quilt by PETA members and supporters across the country. Some people also submitted stories about why they no longer support cruelty to fish, including the following:
The giant fish quilt is now on a nationwide tour a la the aids quilt, so keep your eye out for it. Click here to see the full quilt. Here’s a shot from its opening display in Manhattan last week.
Unfortunately, there is no punch line; I am not kidding. The reporter thought this was a fine example of Romney’s “emotion-free crisis management” style, but who knows. Here's what PETA’s president, Ingrid Newkirk said to an enquiring press:
“First, as a charity we can’t and don’t endorse or oppose any candidate for public office, but I can say (and not just as a person who grew up with an Irish Setter!) that any individual who does something like that may have what scientists term the absence of the mirror neuron, i.e., a pin-pointable absence in the brain of the characteristic which allows the individual to feel basic compassion. The implications are frightening. Anyone who suspects that they are not able to feel empathy for others needs to be aware of the existence of this condition. What is also worrying is that Mr. Romney seems to hold the very old fashioned idea that he needs to actively show he is heartless, hence the hunting claims he has made. Not subsistence hunting, but pride in killing defenseless animals for sport, for fun, for show. In the case of the dog on the roof of the car, if this is true, quite remarkably it obviously wasn't for show as only his own children were watching, a lesson in cruelty that was also wrong for them to witness. There was also the obviousness of the situation. Thinking of the wind, the weather, the speed, the vulnerability, the isolation on the roof, it is commonsense that any dog who’s under extreme stress might show that stress by losing control of his bowels: that alone should have been sufficient indication that the dog was, basically, being tortured. If you wouldn’t strap your child to the roof of your car, you have no business doing that to the family dog! I don't know who would find that acceptable. Mr. Romney needs to tell the world he realizes this was not humane. People do stupid things and one day realize it, so better late than never."
Thanks to Ana Marie Cox, founder of Wonkette, now Time.com’s Washington Editor, for noticing the story on Boston.com and jumping on it.
I’m pretty excited about this one, as it’s the first time PETA is dipping its toe into Second Life. On July 12, we’re teaming up with cruelty-free designer Stella McCartney to co-host an event on a specially created island in the virtual world. Visitors to the island—which is inspired by the English countryside, with stables, picnic tables, and a Linda McCartney veggie burger stand—will be able to show support for PETA in virtual terms. All visitors will receive a bunch of cool anti-fur gear for their Second Life character to wear; you can donate money in Linden dollars, the community's currency, which PETA will be able to exchange for real U.S. dollars, and you’ll be able to dress your character in a sweet T-shirt with the slogan "I'd rather be pixilated than wear fur."
And check this out; there are real-world prizes to be won as well. We’re holding a competition on the island from July 12 - July 19 for a new PETA slogan based around the iconic tag line, "I'd rather go naked than wear fur." Prizes include two tickets to McCartney's spring 2008 show in Paris, one of the designer's Appaloosa bags and her entire Care skin care line.
For those of you already on Second Life, I’d be glad to email you when the island goes live. Just send me an email so I have your address.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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