peta2 Rocks Chicago, and Heads for Canada! March 11, 2008

Posted by Ryan at March 11, 2008 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 13 ) | TrackBack

Thanks to everybody who attended peta2's Take Action Conference in Chicago this past weekend! We had over 100 students attend the event, for a day full of discussions and talks about "how to answer tough questions," "helping animals online," and much, much more!

Here are a few of the highlights:

Assistant Director of Youth Campaigns, Dan Shannon, during the opening of the conference



A student sharing his story of becoming a vegetarian during the "Living the Life" segment



Everyone wave to the blog-readers!



At the post-conference KFC protest!

Pictures are still coming in from Street Teamers, so make sure to keep checking our Flickr page to see them all, and share your stories from the conference on our peta2 message boards!

FINALLY, in response to demand from Street Teamers way up north, the next peta2 Take Action Conference will be in TORONTO! All of the details are available here, so make sure to reserve your spot NOW!

Ready, set, go!

- Ryan!

peta2 is Charging into the Midwest This Weekend! March 3, 2008

Posted by Ryan at March 3, 2008 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Oh Chicago, it's been a long time. Too long!

That's right, the peta2 crew is headed from Norfolk to "The Windy City" for another exciting peta2 Take Action Conference! If you live within driving distance of Chicago (I'm lookin' at you, Missouri!), you'll definitely want to be there! If you haven't reserved your spot yet, you can still do so HERE.

Here's a little preview into some of the topics that will be discussed by peta2 staffers at the conference this weekend:

Dan - "Animal Rights 101"
Ryan and Pulin - "Student Activism!"
Marta - "Helping Animals Online!"
Caleb - "How to Answer the Tough Questions"

Add in open discussion panels, free vegan lunch, a HUGE KFC protest, TONS of free stickers and other items to bring home, and you have the ingredients for an AMAZING event!

See you soon!

- Ryan!

P.S. - Already reserved your spot? Make sure to get on the message boards to talk with other people who will be there too!

Metal, Pirates, and Ringling! November 21, 2007

Posted by Marta at November 21, 2007 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack

We have been on tour with The Agonist and let me tell you, if you like metal and haven't seen these guys (and gal) play live, you really need to check them out. The black-hearted singer, Alissa, is not only vegan, she speaks out for animals every chance she can get. She asked peta2 to come out on tour with her to get people to sign our petition to help improve the conditions for chickens in slaughterhouses.

The Agonist's video "Business Suits and Combat Boots" has also been nominated for the best music video of 2007 on Head Bangers Ball. Make sure you help them out and vote for them.

While on tour we stopped by Chicago and met up with Jason and Loyd who have been following Ringling Bros. Circus, letting people know how they beat their animals to make them perform stupid tricks.


Most of you don't know this, but I'm pretty much obsessed with pirates and while in Portland, OR, we came across the best place I've ever seen by far.


Pirate's Tavern is an all-vegan pirate tavern. They have everything from fake fish sandwiches to vegan chili cheese fries.




So, make sure you check out The Agonist and if you can, please come out to a show and say Ahoy!

-Paul

Russell Simmons Ain't Duckin' Around with Chicago November 5, 2007

Posted by Cassandra at November 5, 2007 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Everybody knows Russell Simmons is forward-thinking. The vegan founder of Def Jam signed all the classic cats: Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy (the list goes on). He knew they'd hit it big back when most people thought rapping had something to do with birthday presents. Now, the good-natured godfather of hip hop is using the power of the pen to school the Windy City on staying ahead of the game.

Photo credit: Salon/Creative Commons.
See, last year the Chicago City Council banned foie gras - a nasty dip that's made by shoving sick amounts of grain down ducks throats with a pipe until they become painfully ill and their livers fail from being bloated and diseased. After killing the ducks, they take out the engorged liver, toss it in a blender, put it on a cracker, and charge rich people a shit-load of money to eat it. I know—it's just the meanest, stupidest, grossest thing ever. French nobility came up with this "delicacy" during the dark ages, and that's where it should have stayed.

Now that it's the 21st century, foie gras production is banned in 15 countries plus, the state of California. But Chicago did even better than that by banning the sale of the sadistic substance citywide. But just one year later, industry groups are fighting hard to get rid of the ban.

Russell, being the ever-mindful mogul, found out about it and sent the city council a letter saying foie gras is "wretched" and "abusive." He's disappointed in The Chi for thinking about backing down on a landmark move, and he's urging them not to give in to a handful of high-end restaurant owners and chefs who think they can do whatever they want.

Way to go Russell for keeping hip hop in the heart and the Chitown City Council in check!

You wanna force foie gras to flex? If you live in Chicago, holler at your alderman. If you live somewhere else, and run into foie gras at a restaurant or grocery store, holler at the manager.

Peace, y'all -
Cassandra

P.S. - For the rest of you humane hip hoppers, check out RapHappy.com and see if you can come up with compassionate lyrics like these:

I don't eat no meat, no dairy, no sweets
Only ripe vegetables, fresh fruit and whole wheat...

Life brings life, it's valuable, so I eat what comes
From the ground, it's natural
Let your food be your medicine
(From Dead Prez's "Be Healthy")

-or-

In the slaughterhouse full of germs and flies
Off with the head, they pack it, drain it, and cart it
And there it is, in your local supermarket
Red and bloody, a corpse, neatly packed
And you wonder about heart attacks?
(From KRS-One's "Beef")

-or-

Over a billion served
What they never deserved
So as they drove away they swerved into the curb
With their heads on the steering wheel
Kids blacked out in the back with a fucking Happy Meal
What a crappy deal...

The parking lot is now a burial plot
Where you can park and rot if you can find a spot
(From Mr. Lif's "The Fries")

-or-

Even if the meat wasn't genetically processed
It's all a bloody mess...

I'm a human being
Who doesn't kill to get his protein
(From LMNO's "No Eyes, No Mouth")