Don’t forget, this Thursday, March 15th, is the fifth annual International Eat a Tasty Animal for PETA (IEATAPETA) Day, the day on which we annoy vegans the world over, and PETA, which is right here in my state of Virginia.
This year, Sarah and I are taking the twins to lunch at Brock’s again, so we can take pictures and contrast and compare.
Go to PETA Is Full of Crap for meat-up, er, meet-up information.
From the original IEAFPD post:
PETA has started yet another offensive ad campaign. This one really reaches bottom—they are using Holocaust terminology, quotes, and pictures to liken the “slaughter” of animals to the slaughter of the Jews by the Nazis.
I’ve already received a letter from a child of Holocaust survivors who is, of course, extraordinarily offended. But here’s the thing: PETA is known for this kind of outrageous publicity stunt—and that’s what it is, an outrageous publicity stunt—and while I am also offended and outraged, there is absolutely nothing we can do that will make PETA change their ad campaign. I’m sure they knew exactly what they were doing, have a plan in mind, and, if they withdraw the campaign, will do it according to their deadlines and their decisions.
So let’s make up our own outrageous publicity stunt. Let’s designate Saturday, March 15th, as International Eat an Animal for PETA Day. Everybody set the date on your calendar, and either go out and enjoy a great steak, or cook one at home. Or cook up some chicken or fish or anything else that PETA wouldn’t want you to eat.
From last year’s Shire Network News podcast:
The Holocaust is regularly invoked in improper and offensive ways. The one that hit my outrage button the hardest three years ago was an ad campaign titled “The Holocaust on Your Plate.” It was created by the radical animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals, or PETA.
The PETA ad campaign compared the slaughter of chickens for food to the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. They traveled the country with a series of billboards that used Holocaust imagery next to images of animals. They lied to the American Holocaust Museum to obtain permission to use these pictures in their ad campaign.
It’s a well-known fact that PETA has always chosen sensationalism in their ad campaigns. They’re usually stupid and offensive, but this campaign caused enough pain that a child of Holocaust survivors wrote me a letter asking if there weren’t something we could do about it. That’s why I created the first International Eat an Animal for PETA Day (IEAPD).
The fourth annual celebration is coming up again on March 15th. On that day, I ask everyone who thinks PETA is offensive and over-the-top to eat meat or animal products like cheese in at least one meal. It’s the exact opposite of what PETA wants, and is our little protest to their offensive ad campaigns. Our theme (besides eating lots of meat that day) is “don’t get mad, get even.” IEAPD is gaining strength and notoriety every year.
Don’t get me wrong. I am utterly against animal cruelty. But I am also utterly against cruelty to humans, and especially against the misuse of Holocaust imagery to get a point across.
During the first IEATAPETA, a few friends and I actually gathered outside PETA headquarters in Norfolk with protest signs. It was a Saturday. Nobody was there. But we were.
For my second IETAPETA, Sarah and her children joined me for lunch at Brock’s. Her daughter Rebecca refers to all beef as “Yummy cow.”
There are plenty of posts from the past. Just Google IEAPD and this site.
I would like to be perfectly clear. Animals like this are not on the menu. In fact, this particular animal (and her brother) will be treated to tunafish on March 15th. It’s a good thing to include your pets in International EATAPETA Day. PETA doesn’t like us having pets, either.
Don’t forget! And for you vegetarians out there, if you’re not strict vegetarians, there’s always cheese and eggs.
Why am I still doing this? Well, PETA is still offensive. When they stop, I’ll stop.
Update: I should just like to point out that Lair Simon and I have been publicizing EATAPETA for a while now. We couldn’t get any of the big guns to link us until today. Just sayin’.
Gracie wants tuna … and I want to pet Gracie!
I’ll be celebrating IETAPETA, too.
Comment by Rahel — 03/12/2007 @ 4:47 pm
We will be having a steak supper in honor of my granddaughter’s birthday (though it is Wednesday). PETA actually makes people more cruel rather than less by equating animals and humans. If they had a campaign to get people to practice kindness by also being kind to animals, it might be acceptable. However, because they are saying that it is better to be kind to animals than to humans, they are causing a decrease in moral behavior.
Remember, they objected to Arab terrorists using a mule to carry a bomb but not to the use of the bomb to kill human beings.
Comment by Sabba Hillel — 03/12/2007 @ 5:17 pm
A tasty steak sounds delectable ; however, PETA’s behavior is absurd and insulting !
Comment by Paul — 03/13/2007 @ 5:25 am
Remember the Pesach (Passover) seder is April 2 (and 3). The meat that we eat on those nights should be a memorial for the Passover sacrifice, may it be brought again speedily and in our days.
We still have time to wish this year in Jerusalem.
Comment by Sabba Hillel — 03/13/2007 @ 6:42 am
My menu for March 15: only food that was cute.
Comment by Alex Bensky — 03/13/2007 @ 7:27 am
A question: if one goes to a eatery alone and gorges himself of (previously) live creatures’ bodies, but no one observes him: does that count?
Comment by SnoopyTheGoon — 03/13/2007 @ 8:11 am
There’s room for all of God’s creatures, right next to the mashed potatoes.
Comment by physics geek — 03/13/2007 @ 11:56 am
There will be kosher meat on my table, as PETA is against kosher butchering of animals. However, iirc, PETA does not object to halal butchering.
chsw
Comment by chsw — 03/13/2007 @ 3:39 pm
Thursday is also Meat Loaf Special Day at the Leesburg Restaurant. If you ask nice they’ll skip the veggies and give you double mashed potatoes and extra gravy.
Comment by Stretch — 03/13/2007 @ 9:25 pm
Alas my family will be unable to observe EATAPETA on the 15th this year … we’ll be celebrating early by eating “yummy cow” on Wednesday night.
Comment by aunursa — 03/14/2007 @ 12:40 am
As has become tradition, we’re having steaks tonight.
We’ve been celebrating annually since 2003: http://dorsai.livejournal.com/16683.html#cutid1
Comment by Matthew — 03/15/2007 @ 8:26 am
We can’t afford good cuts of Yummy Cow but we will certainly find some meat to eat tonight even if it’s road kill. Does road kill count?
Comment by Katablog — 03/15/2007 @ 5:04 pm
Good thing! I had very tasty bar-b-que for lunch today! Mmmmmmm pulled pork….
Comment by paul — 03/15/2007 @ 5:13 pm
I may have to thaw the elk steak out and slice up some deer sausage to do this properly. mpw
Comment by mpw280 — 03/15/2007 @ 5:22 pm
I’ve been celebrating daily since 1993.
Comment by DanLV — 03/15/2007 @ 5:23 pm
I took my 15 year old son out last weekend for our first rabbit hunt. Shot three of those pesky varmits.
Planning to try our first taste of rabbit tonight at dinner (tastes like chicken, I was told!). Didn’t know this was IEATAPETA day when dinner was planned, but it sure worked out well!
Comment by Darin Starr — 03/15/2007 @ 5:23 pm
For me it’s a 2-inch thick pepper-crusted medallion of aged tenderloin, Crimini mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. And lotsa yummy BOOZE. Mmm, sweet, beautiful, life-giving booze.
Comment by David Gillies — 03/15/2007 @ 5:25 pm
Due to the Instapundit link, comments have been thrown open to the winds.
Have at it, people.
Comment by Meryl Yourish — 03/15/2007 @ 5:29 pm
It’s one thing to eat meat, which I do frequently. It’s quite another to eat an animal specifically to annoy others, or out of some type of vengeance. Eat meat and enjoy it. But don’t kill an animal to frustrate someone else — that really is cruelty.
Comment by Daniel — 03/15/2007 @ 5:39 pm
Yeah, but everyone knows that PETA kills animals
Comment by Bruce — 03/15/2007 @ 5:42 pm
I grew up on a cow-calf farm and watched the cattle being treated more humanely than some some people are.
To celebrate this AWESOME occassion, which is a first for me, my husband and I will be dining on grilled BBQ pork chops tonight with about one hundred other people.
PS. My cats don’t usually get tuna, but tonight – Word!
Comment by Michelle Quinn — 03/15/2007 @ 5:44 pm
Fogo de Chao or Texas de Brazil: the all-you-can-eat meat buffet! My personal favorites. And I’m always surprised that PETA doesn’t have picketers on permanent duty.
Comment by SDN — 03/15/2007 @ 5:57 pm
Venison roast I hunted this past December. Had a ham steak for breakfast and didn’t even know today existed. Hope peta chokes on this day.
Comment by Jon — 03/15/2007 @ 6:06 pm
Well I just polished off my personal sandwich masterpiece…a thick,crunchy, BLT replete with 4 (count ‘em) thick slices of slow pan fried thick sliced Blue Ribbon Bacon (it’s Bum Phillips’ favorite)….the satisfaction I got on so many levels from slowly savoring that sandwich on this day of all days,can only be described as ‘culinary semi-nirvana’…and in keeping with the tradition of serving a non-cola drink with pork, Canada Dry Ginger Ale….it may get more expensive in some midtown eatery in NYC, but it doesn’t get any better
Comment by Lord Locksley — 03/15/2007 @ 6:15 pm
Beef stew for lunch and pork chops for dinner. Yummm!
Comment by joated — 03/15/2007 @ 6:16 pm
Nice thick-sliced apple smoked bacon for breakfast.
Pork shoulder coming nicely in the smoker for pulled pork sandwiches for dinner.
That for PETA.
Comment by Bill — 03/15/2007 @ 6:18 pm
My husband had to fast yesterday for a medical procedure, but by tonight he was back on track for some lo mein made with leftover steak. Glad to be able to show our solidarity.
I lean toward the vegetarian side, but PETA is one of the main forces that keeps me from giving up meat entirely. I refuse to grant those bullies that victory.
Comment by T Migratorious — 03/15/2007 @ 7:09 pm
How fortuitous. I had a roast beef sub for lunch and parts of a thick steak for supper.
Comment by Raindream — 03/15/2007 @ 7:23 pm
What never ceases to amaze me is that the media has an insatiable appetite for PETA’s BS.
PETA pulls the same ridiculous publicity stunts time after time, and reporters fall for it every time.
One of my favorites, is when they send a letter to the mayor of some city that has a name that somehow implies cruelty to animals — like Fishkill — asking him to change the name.
I’ve seen them repeat that one several times, and reporters just lap it up. I’ve even pointed out to reporters that PETA has pulled this stunt before, and they just don’t see to care.
Just goes to show you, reporters don’t mind getting rolled as long as the story is juicy enough.
Comment by jblog — 03/15/2007 @ 7:24 pm
NOW you tell me! I guess it’s not too late for a bacon double cheeseburger.
Then again, when is it ever?
Comment by Kenneth Noisewater — 03/15/2007 @ 7:38 pm
Kenneth: Well, I’ve been publicizing it. But the Big Guns took a while to get to it.
You should read my blog more often. ;-)
Comment by Meryl Yourish — 03/15/2007 @ 7:43 pm
It was pork chops for me today.
Comment by Netmarcos — 03/15/2007 @ 7:49 pm
This is as cool as the
People
Eating
Tasty
Animals
tshirts! I unknowingly participated today by having chicken strips for lunch and a Ballpark hot dog this afternoon. Hmmm, now that I know what day it is, how do I finish this off?
I grew up on a chicken and cow farm. I raised pigs mostly on my own as a teenager. I kept some of the leftover chickens in a pen and took good care of them. They rewarded me with eggs. I showed calves and pigs at the local and state fairs. Sometimes you get attached, just like having a pet. Other times, not so much. Oh I feel a quote coming up:
Pain is a fact of life that often cannot be avoided. Cruelty is a fact of life that almost always can be.
Fresh eggs. Fresh bacon. Fresh beef. Toss in some squirrel dumplings now and then. Mom’s pan fried chicken.
PETA who? ;-P
Comment by Šhard — 03/15/2007 @ 7:51 pm
Not only did I eat chicken, I licked my fingers.
Comment by Mexipol — 03/15/2007 @ 7:54 pm
Bacon (& toast & juice) for breakfast.
Chicken (& noodles) soup for lunch.
The rest of the really yummy pot roast for dinner.
And the leftovers of the leftover pot roast to the cat.
TAKE THAT, PETA!
(PETA = People Eating Tasty Animals. Right?)
:-D
Comment by Barbara Skolaut — 03/15/2007 @ 7:56 pm
Daniel, none of us is killing animals just to annoy the PETA folks. We kill animals to eat them. Annoying PETA is a pungent and slightly tangy bonus.
Comment by Alan — 03/15/2007 @ 8:05 pm
Found this site after returning from our favorite restaurant. Must have been inspired because we had the special, which was ostrich (passed on the venison), and brought some leftovers home for the cat and dog. Glad I celebrated correctly!
Comment by Leadhead — 03/15/2007 @ 8:15 pm
Doubled up with a 1/2 lb. burger for lunch, and a 20 oz. t-bone for dinner. (the steak was just for you #19. Daniel)
Thanks Meryl Great Blog
Comment by Count — 03/15/2007 @ 8:25 pm
Today’s lunch: barbeque beef sandwich.
Today’s dinner: pizza with some old friends, all of it with meat.
I didn’t know today was Special, but happy to participate all the same.
Comment by E. Nough — 03/15/2007 @ 10:54 pm
Dinner: Chili’s Baby Back Ribs!
Comment by kimsch — 03/15/2007 @ 11:17 pm
Umm, Chicken…
Comment by navydad — 03/15/2007 @ 11:37 pm
my girlfriend made liver tonight..it was delicious. And we made up chopped liver pate for sandwiches and appetizers. Maybe we can get a PETA representative over for drinks and snacks…
Comment by iconoclast — 03/16/2007 @ 12:17 am
I celebrated EATAPETA day with sirloin steak and poached eggs.
Comment by barry — 03/16/2007 @ 1:25 am
For every animal they don’t eat, I’m going to eat three. Even if it has to come in patty form.
Comment by Dave — 03/16/2007 @ 1:37 am
I grew up in Norfolk and know exactly where that PETA building is located. I’ve always wondered why they located in Norfolk which is just about as far from the centers of power as possible. Anyone know why? Cheap real estate? People in Norfolk especially cruel to animals? What?
I remember when PETA moved in, the first thing they announced was that fishing was cruel and they were going to try and put a stop to it. IIRC the Virginia legislature instantaneously passed a law making it a crime to interfere with a fisherman in the lawful pursuit of his/her livelyhood. Legislators are not idiots ALL the time.
Comment by Locomotive Breath — 03/16/2007 @ 6:28 am
During Lent? Who picked this unfortunate date for this excellent feast day?
So a positive suggestion. First, it seems especially in tune with the concept that on this festival day, one should not only eat meat, but should make a special effort to kill something and eat it. However, if you can’t eat it, go ahead and kill it. Fast if you must, but put something in the freezer for the morrow when we may all eat, drink, and make merry.
Comment by toolittle toolate — 03/16/2007 @ 7:46 am
I had forgotten but luckily, by chance, I happened to have leftover pork for lunch yesterday. YUM!
Comment by Skeptic — 03/16/2007 @ 7:48 am
Not only did I eat an animal, I ate it raw! Delicious Kitfo (spicy steak tartar) at my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. No utensiles, either. Ate with my fingers.
For dinner, I think I’ll have a nice foie gras stuffed veal chop.
Comment by lostingotham — 03/16/2007 @ 8:06 am
Didnt Sam say, “Beef, its whats for dinner” But pork chops are my favorite. Why dont these folks go back to the instruction book of life, the Bible? There its stated that all animals are for the good of man. It also teaches us not to abuse them, and to kill them humanely for eating.
Comment by bill strickland huntsville alabama — 03/16/2007 @ 8:45 am
http://elliottback.com/wp/wp-content/anti-peta-billboard.jpg
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/wheat1.gif
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/bigpot6.jpg
I would really like a T-shirt of the last one…
Comment by Kenneth Noisewater — 03/16/2007 @ 9:46 am
Oh wait, there _is_ a shirt of the last one!
http://store.theworstpageintheuniverse.com/shirts.html
Comment by Kenneth Noisewater — 03/16/2007 @ 9:53 am
I missed the celebration, but I am planning to eat at Hudson’s On The Bend tomorrow night which features the following treats on the menu:
Elk, Rattlesnake, Venison, Rabbit, Buffalo, Kangaroo, Alligator, and other yummy critters.
Comment by Matt — 03/16/2007 @ 10:00 am
Had Veal parmesan for dinner.
My son had pizza with peperoni and lots of cheese.
The wife had the seafood pasta dish.
Meat. It’s what’s for dinner!
Comment by EJ Smith — 03/16/2007 @ 10:01 am
We’re having cows and chickens for Shabbat dinner tonight! Hot & Sour soup with real beef, and roast beef and chicken as main courses.
And it’s all legal and kosher!!!
Shabbat Shalom!
Comment by expatriate owl — 03/16/2007 @ 10:44 am
Do you people understand the concept of “reactionary”?
Comment by Jason — 03/16/2007 @ 11:06 am
Finally! A pro-PETA commenter!
Took you long enough.
Why, yes, Jason. I do get the concept of being reactionary.
Do you understand the concept of “offending Holocaust survivors by comparing the slaughter of food animals to the slaughter of human beings”?
You didn’t click through the links, did you? There’s plenty about PETA’s offensive tactics, which included lying to the owner of the copyright of the famous photo of Elie Weisel in the barracks of Auschwitz. They never told them it was for the purpose it was used.
But then, PETA’s pretty good about lying.
Comment by Meryl Yourish — 03/16/2007 @ 11:10 am
Mmm….the #12 three-piece chicken dinner at Top Notch Burgers in Austin was delicious.
And yes Jason, reacting against self-righteous tards like you is almost as tasty as the meat!
Comment by shockcorridor — 03/16/2007 @ 11:59 am
Well I really can’t stand PETA, and I do eat meat alot (Steaks in the frig at home at the moment), I find most of the comments here..well callous.
Yes PETA is insane – given.
But you say you want to eat animals (And yes cows are yummy) – so why don’t you eat cats like ones you own? China breeds dogs for food. India worships cows. An animal is an animal right? ( Someone mentioned rabbits on here.)
Cows, pigs – their not personalized to us so it’s easy to eat. Dog, disgusting to me, but others love to eat.
So while I understand the anti-PETA attitude and totally agree, I really don’t see any..well thankfulness for an animal giving it’s life so we can eat.
Comment by Nicholas — 03/16/2007 @ 12:47 pm
Okay, I know that crawdads aren’t kosher.
But they’re so darn FUN!
Comment by Laurence Simon — 03/16/2007 @ 12:56 pm
I missed it! Again!
I was even at the store a couple days ago looking at the exotic meats, they have elk and buffalo and rabbit and quail. And I said to my daughter that we’d have to be sure to try some of each for our eat a tasty animal for PETA feast. And I MISSED IT!
So is the date set? March 15th?
Certainly we ate meat yesterday but it was just our regular normal meals.
Oh, and I am thankful in a “thank the animal” sort of way. Animals should be raised as humanely as possible and butchered as efficiently and humanely as possible. I grew up on a farm where we often discussed just “who” we were eating by name and never with-held affection from animals that would be butchered. I’ve always knows exactly where my food comes from.
I also know that if we didn’t eat animals, it’s not just that they wouldn’t die, it’s that they would never have a chance to live at all, even for a short while. Better to live, I think.
Comment by Synova — 03/16/2007 @ 3:55 pm
Yes, every March 15th. Mark it on your calendar for next year.
Comment by Meryl Yourish — 03/16/2007 @ 4:55 pm
I think you’re wrong about almost everything you said. Maybe you don’t understand life the way I do, so I forgive you. I’m 13 and I think eating animals is wrong. I live on a farm and we have 3 chickens and a cow. They are my best friends. I can see their feelings through there eyes. What you are doing seems mean for no reason at all.
Comment by Madison — 03/17/2007 @ 1:33 pm
I’m 17 and I can tell when someone’s been brainwashed.
Comment by Eugene Chan — 03/17/2007 @ 5:21 pm
Eugene, I’m a lot older than 17, and I think a 13-year-old is entitled to make up his or her own mind.
Madison has as much right to an opinion as anyone.
And I’m here to tell you that I don’t think the same way now as I did at 13–or at 17.
Opinions change as we grow. Er, assuming we grow. Some people never do. (Don’t mean you two.)
Comment by Meryl Yourish — 03/17/2007 @ 5:24 pm
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying anybody doesn’t have a right to an opinion.
I only said what I said because I’ve been in a similar position before. I’ve seen people get brainwashed in front of me before. Heck, I’ve been brainwashed myself before. I was a vegetarian for parts of last year.
Comment by Eugene Chan — 03/17/2007 @ 5:34 pm
From a so called “food animal”.
Thats really great..some of these guys go overboard trying to save us and some others go overboard as a protest and eat more of us..
Comment by A cow — 03/17/2007 @ 7:51 pm
I missed it. Nobody told me till today that I missed Eat An Animal For PETA Day. Please remind me next year befor hand and I will let all my freinds (and nonfreinds) know. Also let me know of any other PETA related events. I try to get to all their rallys in our aria (I’m the guy who throughs things at them). I got you link from “Small Dead Animales” (http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/)and I am saveing into my favorites. I will be dropping in from time to time for a visit. Keep up the good work.
Comment by Tim Dyck — 03/17/2007 @ 9:35 pm
TUNA? Why is everybody so high on giving their cats tuna? That’s not REAL meat. I’m sure that PETA has a fit every time a fish is plucked from the water, but you and I know that dead BEEF is what gets PETA’s panties in a wedge.
So in honor of EATAPEAT day, I’ll be giving my cats many forms of beef scraps from my dinner plate tonight.
Comment by MPS — 03/18/2007 @ 8:29 pm
Um, because cats love tuna. Better than scraps of any kind of meat you can think of.
The only thing I’ve found them to like better than tuna is ice cream.
Comment by Meryl Yourish — 03/18/2007 @ 10:40 pm