PETA wants to help Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin keep the street lights on. All the mayor has to do is let PETA hang banners from the city's light poles. PETA would pay for the space. But the anti-meat banners could upset some ranchers.
This is how PETA describes the banners: "The banners would feature a photo of a bikini-clad PETA Lettuce Lady and the caption, 'Get Lighter: Go Vegan!'"
City spokesman Michael Lukens gave this response from the mayor:
"She said (the idea of) looking for sponsors for light poles isn't a ridiculous idea. We've already made our city buses available for commercial advertising. However, if we would look for sponsors for light poles, there would need to be a formal public and competitive process -- we simply can't just move forward on a letter we've received with a general concept.
"Also, the Mayor has no problem with banners on light poles, but her preference is that they contain a message that's unique to Fresno. She also said that messages on buses can go by as the bus moves away so if you don't like the image, it's gone in seconds. Whereas, banners on light poles are stationary and will always be there, which is why there would need to be healthy public debate about whether this should be done and what the parameters should be."
PETA spokesman Michael Lyubinsky said the offer was e-mailed to the mayor's office today, and Lukens confirmed that it has been received.
Swearengin has proposed reducing the number of street lights that are illuminated in Fresno as part of her budget-cutting proposal. This would be an interesting way to help close the city's budget gap.
But I doubt the idea would get the support of agriculture, especially from the Valley's cattle ranchers.
Here's the PETA letter to the mayor:
June 7, 2010
The Honorable Ashley Swearengin
Mayor of Fresno
Via e-mail:
Dear Mayor Swearengin,
I am writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 2 million members and supporters to offer a little help in keeping Fresno in the black--or should I say, out of the dark? When we read about your plan to turn off the city's streetlights in order to reduce the budget shortfall, we had a bright idea: We could pay the city to hang banners on its streetlights featuring one of PETA's lovely "Lettuce Ladies" along with text that reads, "Get Lighter: Go Vegan! PETA." This proposal could help defray the cost of keeping Fresno bright and safe while sending a valuable message that might also make its citizens and visitors lighter and radiantly healthy.
A vegan diet--which is free of fiberless, cholesterol-laden meat, eggs, and dairy products and full of fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains--is a natural form of weight control. Most plant-based foods are naturally low in fat and calories. As a result, vegans weigh, on average, 10 to 20 pounds less than their meat-eating counterparts. They also have better overall health: According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters are.
In addition, every vegan reduces water pollution, helps prevent deforestation, reduces methane emissions, and saves more than 100 animals a year from the horrors of filthy factory farming and slaughter. In today's industrialized meat and dairy industries, millions of chickens and turkeys suffer broken wings and legs while they're still conscious, piglets have their tails and testicles cut off without being given painkillers, fish are cut open alive on the decks of fishing boats, and calves are dragged away from their loving mothers within hours of birth.
Allowing us to place our pro-vegan banners on city streetlights will help keep the lights on and the flab off Fresno residents while providing a green and humane message. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
I say the mayor holds out for other PETA high visibilty activities. For example, PETA regularly places scantily-clad young women in cages around cities to protest the treatment of animals. I say place about 20- 30 of these displays downtown and not only will the lights stay on, but downtown redevelopment will be a slam dunk success.
Any takers?????
Scantily-clad women in cages is demeaning toward women, but I respect the freedom to express themselves. As should others who wave the flag and Constitution in everyones face.
Personally I do not feel there should be banners hanging from streetlights advocating a certain lifestyle. I believe these are owned by the taxpayers. As far as the bus advertising, anyone else find them to be unattractive besides me?
"Scantily-clad women in cages is demeaning toward women, but I respect the freedom to express themselves." Rich
Well, I've often thought that libs were seriously conflicted in their mental processes. Just can't quite bring yourself to say plainly and specifically without equivocation that "scantily-clad women in cages is demeaning," without qualifying it, can you?
To allow such an organization as PETA who's tacktics can be as lothsome as some of the irreputable ranches and\or farms would be a undisputed mistake! I am an enthusiastic animal rights activist and lover, but in a valley that's known and depends on its agriculture, farming, and ranching communities would be like a botinist destroying the very plant that has provided the oxygen to an all carbon ecosystem. If this is a poss source of bringing money in our city then maybe when should look into ads that support what makes Fresno that ag capital of California and not such contriversial parties.
Rich-
Talk to PETA about it. They're the ones who actually do it- I only satirically suggest it. Which of us is more demeaning of women?
TC seems you have serious conflictions and challenges when it comes to the US constitution, more specifically respect for it's meaning.
I shouldn't expect you to understand.
I can understand why Octomom sold out to PETA. I think we can hold Fresno and Mayor Ashley to a higher standard.
That normal people have to preface comments on a subject by declaring first that they also are caring individuals illustrates that environmentalists have achieved the psychological control that has them in the drivers seat of a discussion.
Tonight will be the first step in reversing that order. America is about to take the keys away from some very irresponsible drivers.
Not at all; Nobody is more of an advocate of free speech than yours truly - defending even the free speech of libs and dummies (sorry, that's redundant) - and it is kinda cool that I get to say so!
My thoughts should not be taken as an anti-free speech comment, but simply a comment on the mental gymnastics that a lib must go thru to arrive at their latest erroneous distortions. Believe me, the illogical contortions of liberalism is a force capable of delivering migraines. I can readily see why some think liberalism is a form of mental illness.
Ernnt wrong... no ads on street lights period. Remember several years ago when a newspaper in San Francisco took a photograph of Blackstone Ave. with a lens that made it look like all the business signage was right on top of each other? In essence they claimed Fresno looked like a junkyard. Fresno was in an uproar about the photograph saying Fresno was being misrepresented. A city that yearns to be considered classy, that wants to revitalize downtown, would be stupid to allow PETA or anyone else for that matter, put advertisements on street poles. Fresno would start to look like a low budget circus. Besides that, it is hypocritical. When citizens and businesses move into a city they agree to accept the CCRs (codes, covenents and restrictions) of the city or neighborhood. The CCRs sets the standards that allows us all to cohabitate in a clean city and not a cesspool or junkyard created by a few lazy, careless citizens. I hope the city doesn't break their own rules with this one. It would show that Fresno's yearning for respect and class is just lipservice.
That said one can't complain about an issue without suggesting an alternative. Fresno needs to cut costs. Supporting our right to bear arms and turn off a few more street lights sounds like a fair trade to me.
Rich: "Scantily clad women..." is not demeaning toward women; only the women that are scantily clad. In fact, not even to them since they chose to do it. It is a reflection of PETA only.
TC: I do believe you respect the right to free speech. My problem with you is that you claim to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what everyone else is thinking. You speak FOR libs, FOR environmentalists, FOR democrates... Who made you God? Speak only for yourself and you would have more folks listening to your words. Just some free advice but on this one I'm not wrong.
Tell PETA to go get a steak.
I feel that there is nothing wrong with the mayor to wave any flag she wishes to. When she hangs those flags from our light poles, it is as though we are waving them. So long as it offends one person, then it should not happen without a public vote. I abhor cruelty to animals but I also eat meat and wear leather. I am sure others disagree with me that is why I would not wave my flag on there front lawn.
Kim at least TC has some remote entertainment value. At least give him that.
Rich-
I feel slighted by your comment about TC's entertainment value. It's as if my effort on this blog is wasted. I'm saddened.
I wouldn't use an urchin to measure anything requiring higher than a primary level of intellectual development.
As a point of reference, I am not God (far, far from that) and have never claimed to be so. One of the mistakes libs frequently make is mistaking strong convictions for egotism or in this case, "godhood." My opinions are mine alone.
And BTW, as detailed in these blogs more than a few times, I am a former lib (and all that goes with it, environmentalism, Dem votes, etc.), and nobody knows libs better than a "converted" lib - I speak from experience. Been there, done that, repented!
Amen brother.
That is sweet that you shared your journey with us TC; several times in fact. But your journey demonstrates that people change through time, every one is an individual. Yes, you do speak from experience, YOUR OWN experience. I was a member of the girl scouts yet I have no right to speak for them and tell everyone else what they believe. I was the member of an orchestra yet I can't speak for all violinists. I am a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution yet I do not speak for all women nor their descendents. I don't have an issue with your strong convictions. You say your opinions are yours alone and yet you say that nobody knows libs better than a converted lib. You say you only speak for yourself but then say "one of the mistakes libs make is mistaking strong convictions for egotism". I made the comment to you, libs didn't. Why are you characterizing libs? From time to time you should read what you write and see that you tend to speak for others frequently.
My condolences on your repentance from environmentalism. Our environment supports the human race and it is important that we husband the resources we depend upon. Extremists have given environmentalism a bad name and apparently you have had a rather naive reaction to that.
P.S. I didn't really think you were God TC. I was using a figure of speech, an "expression of language, such as simile, metaphor, or personification, by which the usual or literal meaning of a word is not employed." I'll try not to be so confusing in the future.
To go back to where I started. I am against advertisements on city flag poles.
Kim...how about ads on man-hole covers?...in regards to your "TC" topic, I believe the idolatry of my opinions damages my spirit and obstructs my ability to be merciful to others.
"I am against advertisements on city flag poles." (Kim) As I am. My whole complaint was on an individual who couldn’t quite bring himself to saying it was wrong without qualifying it. Thus the extended discussion on 1st Amendment rights - which is probably not that bad of an idea.
Noted: That the eco-wackos have given the word, "environmentalist" a bad rap. Environmentalists have only themselves to blame, having made common cause with extremists and the enemies of America.
For all of my rants about the eco-wackos - and there is plenty to rant about - I regard myself as a conservationist. This is wholly consistent with conservatism - who want to "conserve" the values of the Founders - and that includes the country they left us. It would probably pleasantly surprise you on what I choose to give myself to on my annual vacation in the high Sierras.
And yes, I do speak from MY experience. Where else could I speak from? And yes, I do have the right - Obama willing - to speak on any subject that I so choose.
When I talk of "liberalism," I know from first hand experience of what I speak. I know - having been there at one time - that libs basically look at the world thru a distorted lens, have an entitlement mentality (at my expense) and are twisted in their concepts of morality. Conservatives are more likely to look at the world thru the lens of the writings of the Founders and more importantly thru the light of the holy inspired Scriptures.
I understand that a lot of cities, like Fresno, are desperate for ways to replenish the city coffers. The idea of ads on street lights is off putting for many residents. Thus, to begin this practice with an organization as polarizing as PETA, is likely to cause a firestorm.
In terms of the diet that PETA advocates, shouldn't people be more focused on a complete lifestyle change, where physical fitness is the catalyst for good health?