May 14, 2005

PETA's latest; Free Speech and Dirty Politics

Have you heard the latest PETA pitch? They are starting a campaign, aimed at school kids, to tell them about animal abuse. I think we can all agree that animal abuse of any kind is sick and cruel. I have no problem with that aspect of their campaign. But, I do take offense at their next pitch, that being that eating meat and drinking milk (!!) is inhumane.

Mothers out there know that kids can be pretty finicky when it comes to eating. Son wouldn't eat meat. Oh, he'll drink his milk, he likes it, but as for any kind of meat, he mainly stuck to chicken nuggets. It wasn't until about, oh three months ago or something, that he started eating hamburgers and other beef products. I'm NOT joking, and this kid is almost six years old. Now, do I really want someone to tell my son, who is pretty thin, that eating meat is going to hurt a cow? He likes cows, but hasn't yet made that cows=hamburger, nor has he made that chickens=nuggets connection either. He's five, for Pete's sake.

I know there are people out there who eat no animal products at all, and that is great. If they are happy and healthy, more power to them. But my son really needs to eat more, and meat is about the only way he can get any kind of weight on him. I sincerely hope he doesn't come home with any of the PETA stuff...I just may have to address the school board in that event.

And drinking milk is inhumane? What are we to do, keep our kids on the boob forever? Sheesh.

Perhaps I don't fully understand PETA's aim here, that could be, but I'd much rather have my kids eat meat and grow and bulk up than remain thin and turn their noses up. Can any mom out there see what I'm trying to say???

MOVING ON...

I read in my former hometown paper yesterday that certain members of city council are getting pissed about a website that throws criticism at them. To be honest, I didn't follow city council politics, because I lived out in the county, and I wasn't too crazy about the mayor of said city, but I will give the man credit for one thing: he said that, while he didn't like the website, there is such a thing as free speech. Hoooray for Mr. Mayor, the first thing he (and a Democrat, at that) has said that I applaud.

So what if city council members and mayoral candidates are coming under scrutiny? Do they honestly think they're the first and only ones to suffer criticism? My goodness, look around you, Councilman.

Hey, we all have to "face the music," as it were, but what I'm getting angry about is the Councilman who has a bug up his rear has called in the FBI to investigate this website. Well, hey, dirty politics is just that, no one likes to be called names and put down, but how about those First Amendment rights everyone is so quick to invoke? That's what is at the core here, really, one person's take on city politics, and they make a statement about it. Like it or not, this person does have the right to say it.

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