If All Else Fails, Harass the Pet-Related AIDS Charity

Back in January I mentioned protests by animal rights activists against stores in Guerneville, California.

In response to the protests and threats of a general boycott by the activists against a Guerneville stores, supporters of the stores selling fur rented out a local gay bar and held a Furrr Ball event to satirize the protests and raise money for a good cause.

Initially the money was going to be given to local group Pets Are Loving Support — a volunteer group that helps care for the pets of about 100 AIDS patients in Sonoma County. But PALS turned down the donations. According to the Press Democrat,

The nonprofit has fielded complaints and name-calling from animal-rights fanatics outraged that it would accept money from people poking fun at the Guerneville fur protest. PAL’s board decided it cannot be pulled into politics.

The money was instead donated to the National Animal Interest Alliance (gee, the animal rights activists must be happy to see NAIA get the money rather than some local animal charity).

Anyway, I tracked down this story because I was curious what had happened. Had activists managed to force the stores to stop selling furs? According to a Press Democrat story from mid-February (emphasis added),

But Stefan Howard [one of the leaders of the anti-fur protests], a Guerneville man reached by phone Sunday, spoke on behalf of the critics of fur sales: “It’s sad that our town actually held an event celebrating a product of pure cruelty.”

Animal rights supporters have halted the protests and are seeking mediation, Howard said.

“We have really focused on trying to call for a resolution of this, and sort of heal the rift,” he said. “We’re willing to consider a compromise proposal.

Willing to consider a compromise? It was just last December that Sonoma People for Animal Rights activist Alex Bury compared vintage clothing store owner Mikki Herman, who is Jewish, to the Nazis. According to the Press Democrat,

. . . Herman said the chance for dialogue ended when Bury compared Herman’s used fur coats to the Nazi lampshades made from the skin of Jews.

Herman is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust.

“There is no conversation that can be had with someone who thinks bunny fur is the same as the skin of a Jew,” Herman said. “I come from a long line of people who act on their conscience, and I’ve got not choice but to continue what I’m doing.”

Bury said she didn’t know Herman was Jewish when she made the lampshade comment but would not back away from the description.

“Animals have the same nerve endings. They feel the same pain,” Bury said. “If Hitler made things out of skin . . . and sold lampshades, I wouldn’t want them in my business. That’s how I feel about fur. Total pain and suffering.”

But now, the activists want to reach a “compromise” with people they have compared to the Nazis? Besides, what happened to Bury’s claims that they would not stop the boycott or protests until all the fur was gone.

Source:

‘Furrr Ball’ draws 150. Katy Hillenmeyer, The Press Democrat, February 2005.

Fur protests threaten to split Guerneville. Carol Benfell, The Press Democrat, December 23, 2004.

Perhaps David Cross Should Take His Own Advice and Shut Up

David Cross, one of the actors on the hilarious Fox comedy Arrested Development, is the latest Hollywood type to go naked as part of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ anti-fur campaign.

In the ad, Cross appears naked accompanied by the cut line, “Wear your own fur. Let the animals keep theirs.”

Except, between this ad, the bizarre Dennis Rodman ad (those were vegan tattoos, right Dennis?), and the pictures of Lisa Franzetta going naked, frankly I’m beginning to understand why humans have been using furs to cover their bodies for millenia.

A press release announcing Cross’ ad included a passage so bizarre I still don’t know what PETA is referring to. According to PETA,

Although he drew the line at being genitally electrocuted [damn — now that I would pay to see!] like animals on fur farms are, dedicated David did try to better understand the pain of these animals by using double-sided tape to cover his naughty bits when he worked the runway for our cameras. Youch! (Sorry ladies, the discarded tape was promptly sold on eBay).

I think I’d much prefer a fur-fringed coat over tape with David Cross’ body hair stuck to it, but maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, since Cross is apparently not a vegetarian, much less a vegan, he doesn’t appear to have any problem with killing animals for any number of other purposes, so perhaps it would be best for Cross to take his own advice, and shut up, you fucking baby.

Sources:

Wear your own fur. Press Release, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Undated.

PETA Features Dennis Rodman in New Anti-Fur Ad


Former NBA star/freak Dennis Rodman is now appearing in a new People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals anti-fur ad.

The ad features Rodman showing off his many tattoos with the tagline, “Think Ink, Not Mink: Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin and Let Animals Keep Theirs.” Rodman told The Associated Press, “I’m very against people mistreating animals in any fashion.”

Despite his apparent fondness for animal, Rodman has never had a problem with abusing human beings. In November 1999 he was arrested for assaulting his wife, Carmen Electra (who was also charged with assault). According to the police report of the incident,

Co-Def. (Rodman) became agitated when Def.’s (Electra) ex-boyfriend appeared in a video. Co-Def. (Rodman) stated “You fucking whore; get the fuck out, go with ‘Fred’.” Co-Def. (Rodman) then grabbed Def. (Electra) and threw her on the bedroom floor. Co-Def. (Rodman) continually yelled and screamed, grabbing Def. (Electra) again and throwing her (Def.) outside the room on the concrete walkway.

If Rodman had treated a cat that way, PETA would have complained that he was on his way to becoming a serial killer. Since he only treated a woman like that, however, he’s good to go for their anti-fur campaign.

PETA unveiled the ad featuring Rodman in time for New York Fashion Week, and, in cooperation with the Fashion Week’s organizers, was displayed near tents that house the runway shows. According to PETA spokesman Michael McGraw, PETA and the New York Fashion Week have “an indefinite true,” which presumably means the Fashion Week allowed PETA to erect its billboard, and PETA agreed not to send its activists to crash the runways.

Sources:

Dennis Rodman debuts PETA ad at New York Fashion Week. Bruno J. Navarro, Associated Press, February 7, 2005.

The Smoking Gun. 1999.

Start ‘Em Young

No word on whether or not People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has appeared at the school the young girl mentioned in the item below from Decatur Daily columnist Ken Retherford,

Although only 9, a Decatur girl is well on her way toward becoming an animal-rights activist.

While leaving a restaurant with her family, the child saw a lady with a rabbit-fur stole on her shoulders. The girl glared at the woman.

Outside she grumbled, “Dad, if I become president, I am going to make it a law that animals can wear stoles made out of people.”

Well, she’s learning about animal rights compassion young (assuming the anecdote is true).

Source:

You Don’t Say. Ken Retherford, The Decatur Daily, February 2, 2005.

Simon Cowell Joins PETA Anti-Fur Efforts

American Idol judge and celebrity Simon Cowell recently joined People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ anti-fur campaign.

Cowell is pictured in an advertisement holding a dog with the text,

If you wouldn’t wear your dog, please don’t wear any fur.

An unnamed PETA spokesperson told the BBC,

We’re thrilled to have Simon on board. This advert brings home the reality that . . . the fur trade means animals have been cruelly trapped or beaten to death.

Source:

Simon Cowell shows his soft side. BBC, January 11, 2005.

Activists Protest New Jersey Fur Store

About 20 activists affiliated with Caring Activists Against Fur protested on January 8 oustide of Steven Corn Furs in Paramus, New Jersey. According to the Bergen Record, the activists were,

. . . shouting at customers and holding signs showing bloodied, skinless animals with the words: “Here’s the rest of your fur coat.”

The Record managed to obtained some interesting quotes for activists. For example, Julie Bolkin O’Connor told the Record why she was there,

We need to be out here connecting the dots between the fur coat and the murder of the animals. Our presence educates people.

Fur is made from dead animals? Who knew?

Steven Corns Furs manager John Paul attempted to defend the killing of animals for fur, telling the Record that mink raised for fur live 5-7 years before being culled compared to the average life span of mink in the wild which he pegged at 2-3 years before, “They die from starvation, disease or being eaten by another animal.”

Animal rights activist Debbie Kowalski was ready for that line of reasoning, telling the Record,

Breeding minks can live up to five to seven years . . . that’s in a prison. The ones they actually use for the coat, that they skinned, are 8 to 10 months old, and they’re killed.

In prison and presumably without a jury trial (shades of Gitmo).

And I know that, as anti-animal rights activists, I’m not supposed to keep repeating that line that activists care more about animals than human beings, so forgive me in advance for repeating what activist Bill Triglia told the Record,

I like animals. They don’t kill nearly as much as humans.

Triglia might want to familiarize himself more with some of the more rapacious and murderous of the animal kingdom. For example, during its primary feeding season the blue whale consumes upwards of 40 million krill each day in order to secure adequate nutrition. That’s 40 million cute little crustaceans whose lives are snuffed out without a second thought by those vicious whales.

Source:

Protesters hot under collar over furs.