Althouse: PETA appeals denial of roadside memorials for cows that died in the wrecks of 2 cattle-hauling trucks.

January 21, 2012

PETA appeals denial of roadside memorials for cows that died in the wrecks of 2 cattle-hauling trucks.

"The state previously denied the application, saying the [Illinois] Roadside Memorial Act specifies that only relatives who lost loved ones in highway crashes may request memorials."

So, it's not that the dead were not human. It's that nonhuman animals have relatives who are incapable of requesting a memorial. PETA says "the cows suffered and are 'worthy of remembering.'" But Illinois can't be accused of discriminating against nonhuman animals, which seems to be the issue PETA is pushing. Roadside memorials are for relatives who request them, and no relatives of the dead have applied. And let's be sensible, even assuming cattle remember their dead relatives, symbolic displays don't jog their memories.

21 comments:

traditionalguy said...: I believe that it is traditional to inscribe Eat Mor Chikin on Cowlacaust memorials.

And imprisoning cows for milk is the unforgivable Sin of Wisconsin.; 1/21/12, 12:02 PM
Toad Trend said...: Udderly ridiculous.

What is PETA's stance on cowplop bingo? Do they feign outrage over cows being used for the amusement of humans?

Oh, the bovinity...; 1/21/12, 12:07 PM
dhagood said...: sensible? peta?; 1/21/12, 12:12 PM
Trashhauler said...: There are no rights in nature. The concept of rights is a human (and the Creator's) construct. A cow will have rights when it learns enough to enter a ballot box and vote.

What the PETA people want is the power to influence and change human behavior. Nothing wrong with that, of course. That's what all political groups do.

But when we pass laws protecting animals from various behaviors, it isn't animal rights we are protecting. It is the human desire to not be annoyed or grossed out by others' behavior. Unfortunately, there is no Constitutional right to not by annoyed.; 1/21/12, 12:31 PM
Anonymous said...: There are plenty of roads that would be overwhelmed with shrines to possums, raccoons and armadillos.

wv: exessesch-- what PETA is known for; 1/21/12, 12:32 PM
Cedarford said...: In a sense, their reputation is as low as can be with most folks.

Some animal lover says"I'm with PETA" -translation most people make is - "I'm an idiot"; 1/21/12, 12:42 PM
rhhardin said...: The cow is already memorialized on a US postage stamp.

Starting to the left of the earlobe.

The cow is of the bovine ilk:
One end is moo, the other, milk; 1/21/12, 12:52 PM
Chris Arabia said...: Back on July 4th of 2010 I drove past the scene of a bad accident (from the night before) in rural Nevada -- a very dead, feet-up black cow on one side of the road, a (quite possibly) totaled minivan on the other. On my return trip, there were about 20 black cows, many of them blocking the highway, milling around their fallen comrade. I suspect that they don't return every July 4th for a memorial service.; 1/21/12, 1:01 PM
Hagar said...: Isn't "cow" an offensive term for a female member of PETA?; 1/21/12, 1:19 PM
Michael said...: Stories like this make me hungry.; 1/21/12, 1:57 PM
edutcher said...: Ingrid Newkirk has limitless pity for animals, even though her shelters seem to specialize in euthanizing, but none for humans.

Sounds like she supports ZeroCare.

And, yeah, I can see this in a heartbeat.

PS On the road from Cheyenne to Laramie, The Blondie and I saw several semis and a horse van blown over by the wind.

(yeah, it really is that strong)

The owner was trying to get his horses out of the van.

On the way back, there were no memorials, so either the horses all lived or he's on PETA's drop dead list.; 1/21/12, 2:03 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: ....

These people are insane.; 1/21/12, 2:33 PM
LilEvie said...: It's easy to laugh, but animal advocates less ridiculous than PETA, even Cass Sunstein, are trying to push us to the point that any animal can have an appointed lawyer to represent their rights.

Once you become your dog's "guardian" not owner (and that language is being implemented in many places) you lose the right to control all decision-making.; 1/21/12, 2:49 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Eh, I hate to engage insanity, but...

If PETA got their way within 20 years domestic animals would almost all be feral. The cost of caring for them would be too high.

No livestock on farms, pets only for the privileged few, and droves of strays that no one would adapt or euthanize. Too expensive and legally dangerous to adapt, and too illegal to kill.

Imagine packs of feral dogs and cats everywhere. Feral cattle ravaging the landscape.

PETA is insane.; 1/21/12, 3:05 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I think that elephants do a memorial-related thing that you are saying animals do not do, and that memorial-related activity does appear to jog their memories.

The herd comes upon the picked over sun-bleached bones of a previous member of the herd and they linger there mystically and touchingly on the site and pick up the bones and move them around. They step around the bones and commune making rumbling intonations that humans do not hear but nonetheless makes their shirts vibrate, then the herd moves on. <--97% not made up. I saw it on Animal Planet so that makes me, what?, like a biologist or something.

So PETA might be on to something here. Now, there would be no irony whatever, just one natural development that follows another, if we were to one day come upon a roadside marker reading PETA.; 1/21/12, 3:14 PM
Carnifex said...: Holy Cow!! It comes down to this, anyone who endorses this non-sense is bat shit crazy, and needs to be locked up.

The best part is that Peta is so grating to normal people that they do more damage to their cause than I ever could.

I forget who said, and exactly how he said it, but it had to do with "when your enemy is making a mistake, don't interrupt him" I'm too lazy today to look it up.; 1/21/12, 3:31 PM
Wince said...: Hey, I'd vote against it just to possibly instigate a nude protest.

And they said same sex marriage opponents who argue people will will eventually argue they should be free to marry a goat are nuts.; 1/21/12, 3:57 PM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: The best possible memorial for PETA is a steaming pile of bullshit.

But none of them would understand because they're all non compost mentis.; 1/21/12, 4:18 PM
gail said...: Chip Ahoy, I think the 60 yr life expectacy of elephants may have something to do with their memories.

Dairy animals are usuually taken away from their momma within 24 hours so momma can be milked, so no family ties.

I have noticed in some breeds of sheep, and in individual animals, the semblance of family ties over multiple generations. Usually it's the younger animal staying close to mom.

But, those family ties appear meaningless when a new bale of hay is put out or corn is fed. Then, it's each animal for it self.

Hopefully the animals that died in the accident didn't suffer too much. PETA...not worth the manure that sticks to my barn boots.; 1/21/12, 7:02 PM
Rusty said...: "the cows suffered and are 'worthy of remembering.'"

I'll say a little prayer over my next cheeseburger.; 1/22/12, 8:41 AM
n.n said...: PETA has jumped the cow. They have prioritized the interests of animals over humans.

Some emotional appeals are more effective than others. PETA will have to do better if they want to preserve their revenue stream.; 1/22/12, 10:35 AM