The Winter of 2000 Campaigns: Shivering for Synthetics

By FCUSA Executive Director Teresa Platt

IN A GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION of exactly why people should wear furs, the annual migration of half-naked ladies has been popping up around the country, including outside the White House in 7°C weather,(1) to protest the use of furry animal pelts in cold-weather clothing for humans.

Unclothed and caged, a few females have also used a variation of this stunt to protest circuses, with their skin painted to resemble lions and tigers. And yet more nude females were caught on film this year doing a "striptease for the trees" to protest wood production on the West Coast. Loggers enjoyed the show, snapped a few pictures and kept right on logging.(2)

The naked protest, which has been used regularly to promote inorganic synthetics over organic fur, expanded in 2000 to include attacks on leather goods. Calling leather "dead skin", People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) is actually running what they call a "Peep Show".(3) In Salt Lake City, one such sidewalk Peep Show caused a four-car pile up as drivers gawked and forgot to watch the road.

In most states, protesters who bare too much are considered lewd and arrests follow. Arrestees are heavy on white females sporting little body hair, followed by a few extremely pale and skinny male vegans. Not one swarthy male with a rug on his chest has yet been seen.

While PeTA maintains its 501c3 non-profit status, total hits on its website search engine for the keyword "naked" number 54, while "arrest" brings up no fewer than 78.

If these "shivering for synthetics" stunts continue, will fur, leather, wool and silk supporters be forced to follow suit?

Cowboys modeling just leather hats, gloves and chaps? Loggers wearing nothing more than a chain saw, a leather tool belt and a smile? Muscled circus lion tamers taking us back to nature - waaaay, waaaay back?

Don't hold your breath, ladies. Cowboys, loggers and lion tamers have more dignity than that!

NOTES:

(1) "Animal rights activists make antifur protest at White House," Malaysia General News, Nov. 16.
(2) "Anti-Logging Protester Strips," AP Online, Nov. 12.
(3) "Anti-Leather Campaigner Brings PETA's Peep Show to Portland", PeTA press release, Dec. 4.

To take a cyber-tour of a fur farm, visit Fur Commission USA's Fur on Film at http://www.furcommission.com/video/index.htm

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