PETA sends President Obama a humane bug catcher

[BirminghamExaminer]

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) issued a statement on the recent killing of a fly by President Obama during an interview with CNBC after numerous news organizations contacted them for a statement.

PETA issued a statement saying that their position on the event of the fly killing was this:

He isn't the Buddha, he's a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act.

The organization sent a "handy-dandy bug catcher" to President Obama to use in case of future insect incidents. I can't help but visualize what the fly incident during the CNBC interview would have looked like had President Obama said, "Excuse me," left the room and come back with a humane bug catcher and tried to chase down the fly with it.

It's admirable to care enough about all living creatures to go to the trouble of using a humane bug catcher to set it free instead of killing it but where does one draw the line? If you find a black widow spider or a brown recluse spider in your home, should you humanely catch it and set it free? To do so would be putting someone else at risk.

Having been the recipient of a brown recluse spider's bite as well as a scorpion's sting, it is hard for me to imagine "rescuing" either type of insect with humane intentions.

Read the entire article here.

[Towlie]

1. Spiders and scorpions are arachnids, not insects.

Somebody was going to tell you sooner or later, so it might as well be me. :)

[BirminghamExaminer]

4. Thanks...lol

[BirminghamExaminer]

5. How about "bug"....I think I'll change it to read bug....

that seems to be general enough to keep me out of trouble :)

I have a couple of crazy freepers who subscribe to all my articles and they don't need any extra ammunition so thanks!

[BobRossi]

2. A noble gesture.

I'll eat a juicy hamburger in their honor!

[BirminghamExaminer]

6. You probably already have....

My helpful son was reading trivia things to me from his iPhone on a recent trip and one of them was something like, 'there are an average of 12 insect legs in every chocolate bar.'

This is the same son who once said to me (in the car on a trip again), "Mommy, you could be in the circus." When I asked why, he replied, "Because of your mustache."

[provis99]

3. what the heck is a handy-dandy bug catcher?

Is that a butterfly net? I think the last thing the country needs to see is the President zooming around the White House trying to catch bugs in a butterfly net.

[TheMadMonk]

7. Shoulda kept it for themselves to catch the bug up their arses. nt

[burning rain]

8. It isn't admirable to worry about a fly.

It's idiotic.

[marmar]

9. PETA needs a collective life......

n/t

[spiritual_gunfighter]

10. PETA does a lot of good work

but they do a lot of ridiculous shit as well, this falls under ridiculous.

[mwb970]

12. This makes them seem silly and buffoon-like.

How do they expect to get respect from anyone when they indulge in gratuitous self-parody like this? Ridiculous behavior like this makes them look like fools and undermines their actual message.

:shrug:

[madamesilverspurs]

11. The PETA People (ooo, that sounds like a scary movie title)

totally missed the most awesomest part of that swat. Really. He went completely still, narrowed his eyes as he focussed on his target, then, with swift and precise motion dispatched the critter. But the best part is, he did it with his off hand. The man is left-handed, and he still controlled that motion with supreme aplomb. Gotta tell you, had that been me trying to swat something with my off hand, I'd be in the ER trying to explain my two black eyes and bloody nose. The fly should be a warning to those who think they've got him all figured out. They might be next. Heh.

[Towlie]

13. So what makes an animal worthy? Size? Endangeredness? Intelligence? Cuteness? Utility/danger to man?

Why are cats more worthy than rats? Would PETA protect a mosquito like they protect a fly? What are the rules?

[The Traveler]

14. PETA diminishes a worthy cause

by ill considered stunts like this. Sorry, but I am just not able to compare the plight of the housefly (there's one now ... where's my swatter ...) to that of, say, the great whales. Or dogs raised to fight other dogs. Or the victims of Canada's seal hunt. Or ...

Frackin' morons.

Trav