Those wacky People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) people are up to their usual tricks, and now they’re dragging airlines into it. This time, they’ve sent a letter to Hawaiian Airlines asking them become the official airline of Sea Kittens. What the heck is a sea kitten? That’s how they want to brand fish in order to stop people from fishing. Seriously. 
Is there any way I could make up something so dumb?
PETA’s pitch is to have Hawaiian wrap an airplane to promote saving sea kittens, and in exchange, the PETA folks will sing the praises of Hawaiian to their fellow members. They’ve even mocked up the plane, but in doing so, they’ve proven that they have worse Photoshop skills (at left) than even the United/Continental merger team. You’d think they could have at least mocked it up on an aircraft type that Hawaiian operates and not a 737.
To counter such a silly proposal, I’m making my own pitch. Hawaiian, 
don’t do this and the rest of the world will not think you’re insane. And to help this cause, I’m giving Hawaiian some publicity of my own here. Fly Hawaiian!
I’m all for the ethical treatment of animals, but PETA goes way above and beyond. PETA thinks fishing should just simply stop. As someone who had a great day a couple weekends ago catching 27 delicious salmon (along with my brother, at right, and 7 others), I couldn’t disagree more. Fish tastes great and it’s good for you. Are there abuses in the fishing world? No doubt. Responsible, sustainable fishing needs to be encouraged, but a wholesale end to fishing? Gimme a break.
While I do support the ethical treatment of animals, I find it very hard to support PETA. This is the group that compares eating meat to enslaving black people 
and beating women. I’m never a fan of extremists, regardless of which side they’re on (unless, of course, it’s the pro-aviation extreme). People eat meat, and it’s not going to change. A lot of people like eating meat. A lot of Hawaiians like eating things that are supposed to be meat (spam). So this campaign isn’t going to fly.
The idea that Hawaiian would do this is just laughable. Fishing is big business in Hawai’i and it’s an important part of the culture. There are over 3,000 commercial fishers in the state and it brings a lot of revenue in. Would Hawaiian really want to do something that would hurt its core business of transporting Hawaiians? Uh, no. 
Maybe Hawaiian would do something to support the end of whaling or something, but . . . wait, no they wouldn’t. They’re starting service to Japan soon. That’s not a good business move either.
In the end, this seems like another desperate attempt by PETA to get press coverage. I suppose I’m obliging.
[Original cat photos via Flickr users brokinhrt2 and PJLewis]
35 comments on “PETA Offers Hawaiian Publicity if They Help Stop Fishing, I Give Publicity to Encourage It”
Hey, wait a minute…
There’s a flaw in this PETA concept. Don’t cats/kittens like to eat fish?
Or will that be banned, too?
I love it – so PETA is now supporting cannibalism?
Congratulations.
You just helped them accomplish their goal.
You would think they would grab news first by protesting at all McDonald’s, don’t they have a fish fillet sandwich? I believe I even watched a program once that had one of those factory type fishing boats that works to catch, prepare, package, and they ship that fish to McD’s.
Why would they think an airline from a state who’s people eat a lot of fish and that catches a lot of fish would do this? An island state/nation is not going to stop eating the only food item they can count on that mother nature provides.
Wait, the filet o fish is actually made from real fish? Crazy.
The fish=sea kittens analogy makes me want to eat regular kittens, since they must be delicious too.
What a bunch of bird brains. Oh No! PETA will be protesting me for calling them a bunch of bird brains. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I too support animal rights, and more specifically, the ASPCA and the Humane Society–but not these, uh, “folks” at PETA (People Easting Tasty Animals). What they can’t seem to fathom is that their historical tactics have been so “out there” they no longer have any credibility whatsover as an animal rights group and as such that’s why they have to resort to such PR-leeching activities on other organizations. Oh, yes, even “negative” attention is better than no attention, but they’ve become media parasites. Maybe one day they’ll remember it’s about the anmals–they sure seem to have forgotten.
mmmmm, I am craving sushi! Salmon or spicy tuna!?!?!?!
I’ll eat steak tonight as well, while reading more of the CF Blog!
As a loyal follower of Whale Wars I reccomend the the Sea Shepherd simply blows up all of the Jap fleet and hangs the Captains!
I rue the day that PETA goes after bacon
As a vegetarian, and someone who hasn’t eaten meat in years, I don’t necessarily have a problem with campaigning airlines to offer a wider variety of vegetarian options on B.O.B. or international flight services though thats not what PETA is doing, though I think its what they SHOULD be doing. I generally have to say that I’ve been pleased with my international flights where I’ve requested vegetarian menu options. Domestically B.O.B> programs usually offer atleast one “healthy”/vegetarian option, but I wish it would be more consistent across carriers.
Where I’m not pleased is airport concessions, which seems to believe that everyone at an airport is there to load up on greasy, bagged chain meals (and I’m not referring to fast food; in fact BK is my usual requirement in an airport, since they are often the only ones with an actual veggie burger). I’m tired of seeing Chilis and Applebee’s and other wretched chain sit down places clogging up terminal space. Why does getting off a plane have to be like the equivalent of getting off a highway exit? Can’t we get some local flavor up in some places? Hell, I have to applaud my local airport (CAE) for having local restaurants serving in the terminal, which more than I can say for some of the giant hubs.
Sean, I agree with you that there seem to be very few (none?) healthy options in US Airports.-Subway and Quiznos only options?
We have Sumo Salad and Healthy Habits chains in Australia-I would like to see more of them in airports. They are both going global….
I’m with you completely. Offering a wider selection of vegetarian items is the way it should be. Fortunately, local offerings are gaining steam in most big airports. It’s a welcome trend.
Sean S., your idea would be a reasonable, moderate stance for a group to take, one that would probably lead compromise and agreements resulting in some positive change. Unfortunately, “moderate” isn’t in PETA’s vocabulary. This is how PETA normally rolls…take the idea that there’s no such thing as bad PR, and just do outrageous crap. Sure, most of it is so out there that it does more harm than good by polarizing the debate instead of leading to compromise, but who cares as long as you’re making headlines, right?
As for local flavor in terminals, I’ll deliberately set up layovers at AUS whenever I can so I can hit up the Salt Lick Bar-B-Que and Amy’s Ice Cream while I’m there.
Hmmmmmmm, I want to go back to Tahoe and eat more of those beautiful salmon! FYI, you can’t sell salmon caught in Tahoe but you sure can take em home and eat them fresh.
I saw a t-shirt that said “PETA – People Eat Tasty Animals” … I kinda liked that …
Brett,
Hawaiian won’t be able to do this. When I was at Mokulele, we had to take down all of our Kapalua logos off of our tails and other brandings as we were threatened to be sued, along with Aloha Air Cargo for their “Loves Bakery” titles, as a certain group felt we were in violation of a state law prohibiting billboards within the state.
Yet don’t ask how other logo planes are allowed to fly into the Isles..
Nice try from PETA though.
Laughable.
If Hawaiian does that, Alaska ought to do a special livery depicting what the smiling Eskimo can do with a harpoon.
Or WN can artfully add some “streaks of red” on the front of one of their Shamus.
“””””Or WN can artfully add some “streaks of red” on the front of one of their Shamus.”””””
Oh you’re bad……….LOL
I wonder if you get both of those special liveries can you let both of them at the airport at the same time? Lest the Alaska plane tries to take out the Hawaiian plane.
Of course this also begs the question what does our harpoon wielding Eskimo do to the Salmon-thirty-Salmon? Intra family cannibalism?
Cranky revels in his political incorrectness ;)
Isn’t that a photo of Quinn?
Yep, that’s my brother Quinn.
We already talked about it, but small world. I didn’t know he’s an angler.
Those salmon are minnows :) When are you coming up to Juneau, I’ll show you some *REAL* salmon….
Maybe they originally planned to target Aloha, thus the 737, only to discover shortly before going public that they were just a cargo airline now? :P Also note the lack of windows, looks like they Photoshopped a 737 freighter.
I’m pretty sure PETA knows these things are completely stupid. The point is to get people talking about them. And here we are – even though we’re making fun of them, they’re getting attention. Same reason they use naked women – to get attention.
Basically, PETA = Ryanair. Ryanair is never going to have pay toilets, and standing room – but talking about such things gets people talking about Ryanair, and then it sinks into peoples’ brains that if they need a cheap flight, they should check Ryanair.
I’m still looking forward to a steak tonight …
“I’m a level THREE vegan. I don’t eat anything that casts a shadow. I’m composting lint in my pockets right now”…
Thank you for your comment about United/Continental photoshop. Vintage snark. Awesome.
Sea Kitten Stew
Ingredients
* 1 fennel bulb, green tops and core removed, white part chopped
* 2 onions, chopped
* 4 garlic cloves, sliced
* 3 tablespoons of olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups of Riesling or other white wine
* 2 cups of diced ripe tomatoes or canned tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons of fennel seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon of hot pepper flakes
* 2 pinches of saffron threads
* 3 bay leaves
* 4 cups of sea (or land) kitten stock
* salt and pepper
* zest of 1 orange
* 24 ounces of any assorted sea kitten
Directions
1. In a large soup pot, sauté the fennel, onions and garlic in the olive oil until they soften and smell wonderful. Pour in the wine and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, hot pepper flakes, saffron, bay leaves and kitten stock. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for twenty to thirty minutes. This is just long enough for all the flavours to blend together. Add the orange zest and sea kitten to the simmering soup and stir gently. Let simmer for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals).
Sorry, I couldn’t resist !