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]
