Apr30
Lettuce Ladies Give Away Gasoline!
Posted at 11:09 AM | Permalink
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Comments (12)
Any good Marketing professional knows their “ABCs of Marketing”* — Ability to persuade, Businesslike demeanor, and of course, Coercion through bribery. Well, yesterday, in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Beckley, West Virginia, PETA’s Lettuce Ladies rocked all three of these important guidelines as they gave away free gas and vegan sandwiches to 100 people in exchange for a brief chat about the benefits of a vegan diet.
According to the Ladies, there were huge crowds gathered to take advantage of the freebies and find out what all the fuss was about after a news report announcing this unique demonstration, and they gave away hundreds of vegetarian starter kits to a very receptive audience, who were stunned to learn that eating just a single pound of meat is the environmental equivalent of driving more than 40 miles in a Hummer. Here’s what my friend and professional Lettuce Lady Colleen Higgins had to say about the experience: "In a time of rising gas prices and rising concern for the environment, we're going the extra mile to help Americans fill up on vegan fuel for their tummies and gas for their tanks." Good stuff.
*I just made these up.
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Comments
FANTASTIC!!!!!
LOVE IT!
This is great Jack.
Beautiful ladies.
Peace, for all animals!
Posted by: Judith, Freedom Fighter for Animals | April 30, 2008 01:08 PM
Perrrfect timing, lol!!
Posted by: Carla | April 30, 2008 02:02 PM
Who's the PETA hottie with the brown hair? I'd go vegan for her!
Posted by: Hugh Jastic | April 30, 2008 05:30 PM
While the intenion is good I really do not think this is very useful.It demeans women.I doubt that many of the folks approaching these ladies were interested in vegetables and animal rights.I doubt that people drawn to young women in very little clothing will seriously consider veganism.Using females as sexualized attention grabbers in the name of animals only creates more abuse.
Posted by: Annalena | April 30, 2008 07:29 PM
-eating just a single pound of meat is the environmental equivalent of driving more than 40 miles in a Hummer-
I would like to see your logic on that PeTA.
Posted by: Alex | May 1, 2008 05:52 PM
Fabulous idea! How creative! Many people don't make the connectiong between global warming and a meat based diet. Keep up the wonderful effort!
Posted by: Catherine Kayser | May 1, 2008 09:04 PM
IN DEFENSE OF LETTUCE LADIES
Great point, Annalena. I struggle with this type of thing all the time. But if someone asked you, would you show a little skin to fight AIDS, or child slavery, or genocide, would you?
You might, you might not.
You might fire back, "What does me showing some skin have to do with those causes?"
The answer: Nothing, directly. But "taking some it off" would draw attention, which means media coverage, which means that it would get a message out there that might otherwise get lost or overshadowed in today's world of information overload.
PETA strikes me as very media savvy. I assume that: a. these women are willing to "demean themselves" because stopping the suffering of animals is a cause they feel passionate about, regardless of how they're perceived; b. the message isn't just for the guys at the gas station, it's also for the folks who caught the piece on the news -- something that most likely wouldn't have been broadcast without the lettuce hook.
In fact, to probably dissect it too much, the only thing demeaning about the episode in question was that a professionally dressed woman delivered the real message to the camera, in effect saying, "They're the eye candy, I'm the substance." But even in that instance, I imagine PETA is so scrutinized that they have to be very deliberate with selecting PR spokespeople.
If someone asked me to strip for peace -- real peace -- and I thought it would help, demean my naked ass all day. Maybe that's the answer: get PETA dudes to wear lettuce loincloths. Gets rid of the "demeaning women angle."
Whaddya think?
Posted by: Hugh Jastic | May 1, 2008 09:43 PM
I think it's great. Most of us weren't raised vegans. Something started us on the path. The generosity of Peta's Lettuce Ladies could be just what it takes to start the ball rolling for some individuals.
Posted by: lynda downie | May 2, 2008 01:03 AM
I've never understood the anti-sex sentiment that would consider this demeaning. I think it's great that they love their bodies :)
Posted by: Liza | May 2, 2008 09:25 AM
Hello Hugh Jastic
Great points. I would certainly like to see men in loincloths for a change. Yes I would strip for peace. However it makes me a little sick so see men by that truck gawking at the girls. It seems to me that many of the people attracted to such displays will not seriously consider going veg. I was a little harsh. I am glad that those girls are able to show skin and confront people about injustice. I get a little fired up when I see nearly naked girls used for press because of all the blatant sexism I have encountered. I hear degrading filth being spewed from the mouths of teenage boys at my school constantly and it bothers me.I would love a lettuce dress.It was nice to see a woman reading their handouts. :)
Posted by: Annalena | May 2, 2008 12:27 PM
These women have made a choice to speak for those who don't. The lettuce ladies are a wonderful way to use the body as a means of expression. It gets people to stop and listen to the message. There is no shame whatsoever in baring skin for the tortured and ignored.
Posted by: Ollie. | May 2, 2008 06:57 PM
Annalena
Which brings into question the effectiveness of these campaigns.
Posted by: Dr.Breen | May 8, 2008 03:32 PM