Have you seen the PETA billboard?

While I disagree with the dope-legalization folks, I can at least see why they use the Michael Phelps case to promote their cause. A little more unexpected is the very local, specific way that PETA has used it to promote its agenda.

I think I mentioned before that PETA was putting up a billboard locally. Well, they say it's up now, over on the outskirts of Shandon, or Old Shandon, or whatever. I haven't seen it. Have you? That's it above, and below is the release about it:

IN WAKE OF MICHAEL PHELPS BONG INCIDENT, PETA'S NEW ANTI-POT (ROAST) BILLBOARD RISES NEAR USC

Meat Is a Bigger Health Hazard Than Marijuana, Says Group
 

Columbia, S.C. — The infamous photo of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps as he tokes a bong has now given rise to more than just a few million eyebrows—namely, a brand-new PETA billboard. The billboard—which shows a cow's face next to the tagline "Say 'No!' to Pot … Roast. Don't Be a Meathead. Kick the Habit!"—aims to warn students about a substance that can be even more hazardous to their health than marijuana: meat. Click here to view the billboard, which is located at the intersection of Millwood Avenue and King Street in Columbia.

Bongs and needles aren't the only place drugs are found; meat often is loaded with drugs — including hormones and antibiotics. Consumption of artery-clogging meat and other animal products has been linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and several types of cancer — not to mention other hazards, such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. So while smoking marijuana is illegal, eating meat can be deadly.

Not only is eating animal flesh responsible for the horrendous suffering of billions of chickens, fish, cows, and pigs, it also wreaks havoc on the planet. A recent U.N. study found that raising animals for food creates more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, trains, and planes in the world combined and contributes to water pollution and land degradation.

"While Michael was busy apologizing for smoking pot, millions of Americans should have been apologizing for eating pot roast—to animals, to the planet, and to their own bodies, " says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "We want to remind USC students that while smoking pot might land them in front of the dean, eating meat burgers and chicken nuggets could land them an early date with their maker."

To view the ad, go to PETA's blog. For more information about the benefits of going vegetarian, please visit PETA.org.

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You know, for my part I've been eating less beef lately. I've eaten a lot of turkey burger instead, so I don't think PETA's going to be proud of me on that score.

So you can assume I am NOT sharing this with you in order to endorse the PETA agenda. But I do hope that if you pay enough attention to PETA, with its campaigns for the rights of George the Lobster and so forth, you'll turn back to me and see me as reassuringly moderate and sensible...

You know, if these folks stuck to vegetarianism as a health and environmental issue they'd gain more traction -- and they're wise to emphasize those points. It's when it's all driven by a view of animals as having RIGHTS akin to those of people that they lose me.

Comments

[KP]

I heard on the radio this morning that unsupervised cats are responsible for hundreds of small animal deaths each year. "Where's the outrage, PETA? Where's the outrage?" the announcer asked.

[bud]

Actually Peta makes more sense with this someone who proposes outlawing something as benign as pot. Meat does have long term health consequences. So who's the moderate here, the person who wants to outlaw a very benign plant or the person who is ok with a legal substance (meat) that kills hundreds of thousands every year?

Brad what your problem is is you simply cannot see outside your own safe, preconditioned world. The only reason pot is illegal is because that is the traditional way to view it. It's hardly dangerous when used in moderation. It's most deadly effects are far less so than alcohol or cigarettes. If you just could look at the world without so many preconceived biases you'd see a whole new array of situations that really make no sense. Open your mind and you'll be amazed at what seems reasonable and what doesn't. Perhaps a bit of pot would help in that regard.

[Mab]

bud said,

"Open your mind and you'll be amazed at what seems reasonable and what doesn't. Perhaps a bit of pot would help in that regard."

:)

Do it as a research project! The worst thing that could happen is hallucinating that the Guv. is not the enemy, but a fellow pilgrim.

Who started that war anyway?

[Damien K Quick]

I only partially agree with PETA on this case. I still eat beef because my body type works well on it. Plus not all meat is loaded with chemicals. Same can be said for vegetables. There are other cleaner options available such as organic, no preservatives, no hormones etc. Cant say much on the animal creulty side of things. just be aware of where your food comes from and be thankful for what you are provided. Life for life. same goes for vegetables.

[End the Prohibition]

There's a BIG difference between banning something and educating people to stop using something.

Eating meat may be harmful but if we banned it it'd be sold illegally and that'd throw all standards of quality out the window and introduce violence into our neighborhoods.

That's what happened with cannabis. Maybe it is harmful maybe it's not, but banning it has encouraged drug dealers to operate in our schools and empowered the Mexican drug cartels so they now control the entire illicit drug market in this country.

End the marijuana prohibition and educate people so they can make good decisions!

[Monica]

Just Don't Swallow

[Adam Haartez]

> PeTA says:
> So while smoking marijuana is illegal, eating meat can be deadly.

Let's see... there's the recent Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter. Last year's a Salmonella outbreak linked to cilantro, peppers and scallions. Salmonella in Metz Fresh, California spinach.

Oh, and the recall of Bolton Farms 100% Carrot Juice due to botulism toxin.

Seems to me that there are Killer Vegetables, too.

BTW PeTA, if you love plants, why do you eat them?

[Anton]

Monica,
Chances are, all of those outbreaks can be traced back to factory farming in some way or another. I know that the spinach and the cilantro/peppers/scallions ones were traced back to fecal matter from nearby farming. Although the peanut butter one is baffling currently... they can't figure out how it's happened... yet. I hadn't heard about the carrot juice.

[Anton]

Oops, meant that to go to Adam. Sorry Monica.

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