Now PETA Is Frowning On Dancing

That’s right. If you stand up, tuck you hands under your armpits, start flapping your elbows rhythmically up and down, and, in general, prance around like a child about to wet their pants…well, my friend, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is trying to discourage you. Yes, indeed, the coveted dance that is often played at so many weddings, known as the “Chicken Dance,” is now being considered a disgraceful activity, at least when performed at certain venues.

This coming weekend NASCAR fans will flock to one of the biggest race tracks on the stock car racing circuit and race fans in attendance will likely make history. Their possible achievement? Well, none other than a potential Guiness Book of World Records showing of the largest group “Chicken Dance” ever recorded. It’s not that difficult to imagine a group of fun-loving, beer guzzling fans being asked over the loud speaker to stand up and dance wildly like a chicken-with-your-head-cut-off.

And that’s exactly what has PETA up in arms. Apparently KFC is the sponsor of the record breaking attempt and we all know there happens to be no love loss between PETA and KFC. Their feud, specifically restaurant protests by demonstrators dressed in chicken costumes, has been going on for years.

At this point it’s really not known how PETA expects to protest what dance activity is anticipated to happen at the race on Sunday, but as sportsmen we all know PETA has a penchant for being creative and doing “whatever is necessary” to draw attention to their silly cause. Honestly, we all know this is nothing more than a publicity stunt, yet at the core of the issue remains an animal rights controversy that is surely not going away anytime soon.

Sportsmen have also long been the source of these sort of protests conducted by PETA. Actually, there’s very few activities that we engage in that you would find PETA condoning. If their tactics/politics weren’t so radical and extreme, perhaps they could actually perform some social good. Yet, as this latest incident clearly demonstrates, this group is more about being in the spotlight than serving to fulfill a worthwhile cause.

In the meantime, I’m fighting the urge now to stand up and do the “chicken dance” in defiance of PETA. Ask my wife, I’m not usually the dancing type, but if this dance somehow bothers PETA…well, then I feel somewhat giddy enough to be seen jumping around my office and acting like a total fool. I guess you could say that’s my form of rebuttle protest on this matter.

Tough Times Sometimes Means Tough Decisions

Yesterday I received one of those e-mails I simply don’t like to read. It went something like this. “Due to the fact I got laid off from work last week, it now looks like I won’t be attending Fish Camp next month as I had planned to do. Instead, I need to save money and start looking for a new job.”

Frustrating, both for my friend…but also for the other fish camp attendees. The point is when personalities are missing from camp (whether it be fish camp or hunting camp), the overall experience for everyone is bound to suffer. Problem is, this year I have received several e-mails with perhaps slightly different stories, but similar results — coming to fish camp is not in the cards for this year.

Indeed, my annual Minnesota Fishing Opener Bash (www.MNFishCamp.com) is going on it’s eighth year and typically we have about 25 guys and their kids who attend. This year, however, due mostly to the current economic conditions, a few fisherman and their families are simply saying…”well, maybe next year.”

Quite honestly my usual camp of around 25 fishermen will likely be reduced to about 15 or 16 folks this year. I’ve been told, even by some who still have their jobs, that they don’t dare take off the time from work. Taking a vacation day or two at work might indicate to a supervisor that perhaps play is more important than work. Understandably, nervous employees don’t want to give any reason for the ax to fall on them next.

Heck, I don’t blame them. Other “regulars” to camp are likely not as worried about their job, but some have had their spouses lose a job. The net result is the same…the family budget is being stretched to the max and a fisherman finds it hard to justify taking a personal vacation when the rest of the family may be sacrificing an upcoming summer vacation due to lack of funds.

Yea, times are tough and quite honestly I suspect there are a lot of excruciatingly difficult decisions being made around the kitchen table these days. Perhaps that big game hunting trip being planned to the Western states this fall has been put on hold for many folks. Likewise, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if deposits made earlier for Canadian fishing resort vacations are simply forfeited because life situations have drastically changed since making those original commitments.

That’s one of the challenges that always faces a bunch of sportsmen who plan activities together. As a group, you often pro-rate the costs of the adventure out over several participants, but when folks drop out, even for perfectly understandable reasons, it puts more of a financial burden on those hunters/fishermen who still remain.

As for my 2009 Minnesota Fishing Opener Bash, the tradition will continue on like it has for many years prior to this recession challenged year. Those of us attending probably will make do with the same old boat and equipment we’ve used in the past. Sure, it would be nice to sport something new…but I’m sure most of us this year will feel fortunate enough just to be present in camp.

Optimistically speaking, recessions don’t last forever…and, of course, there is always next year to once again renew the spirit of the outdoor tradition being missed. Rarely are life situations permanent, and with that belief we can forge ahead knowing that we are all currently living in some extraordinary times with better days surely ahead for all of us.

This One’s Too Good Not To Share

April 11, 2009
Humor
2Comments

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