PETA Wants in on Santa Monica Religious Display Controversy

Secret Tenerife

It's a miracle.

The circus that has become the religious (and areligious) display at a Santa Monica park just got more clowny.

PETA wants in on the action.

Organization president Ingrid E. Newkirk sent a letter to one of the display holders asking if the animal rights group could put up a sign of vegetarian significance:

PETA

Yeah. PETA says that since the some of the slots at an annual display aren't being used, why not let them put up their sign?

And here's the kicker: Newkirk says she's an atheist too.

Aw.

Here's her canned quote:

From factory farms to holy wars, so many lives have been lost because of an inability to relate to others who are different from us in unimportant ways. Regardless of whether we believe in Jesus or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, we can promote peace on Earth by adopting a cruelty-free vegan diet.

(Yeah but animals taste so darned good. Just ask Jonathan Gold).

Anyway, her letter went to Damon Vix, the guy who organized this year's takeover of the display at Palisades Park near Santa Monica Pier.

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The action was typically dominated by Christian nativity scenes, but Vix rounded up some people and applied for the 14 or so slots for the park's annual display -- and they came up with most of them.

Nativity scenes and the like were limited to three slots, setting off a national furor.

And to top that off it appears that Vix and his folks aren't even using their slots. They're just cockblocking.

Newkirk writes:

We would be happy to support your efforts and to point out that the tenet "Blessed are the merciful" should surely mean showing mercy to all, not just to those you agree with or relate to. Adopting an all-inclusive consideration for others does not require that anyone believe in Jesus or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but simply in kindness, the greatest virtue of all.

Amen.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]