Just as PETA has attempted to rebrand fish a “sea kittens,” perhaps it’s time to look at the bat as just a sort of ugly canary. Bats are so misunderstood — they hardly ever suck your blood, and when they do it is with love.
But as we mentioned this morning, the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili spotted a bat during their game with the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden on Saturday and reacted as someone who had grown up in Transylvania might, instead of Argentina, where he’s actually from. He plucked it out of the air and killed it.
PETA was not amused, and fired off a very strongly-worded press release.
From PETA HQ:
To bludgeon a 4-ounce animal to death, it takes either a small man or a totally unthinking one–with no respect or consideration for lives humbler than his own. This is a time when athletes in particular need to be on their best behavior around any animal and show that they have brains and a heart, not just reactionary brawn.
Bats always try to avoid contact with humans, and there are plenty of easy ways to keep bats out of a basketball arena (or your home). We hope that the next time someone’s life is on the line, Manu Ginobili will take just a few seconds to think before he acts.
You have to at least give PETA credit for being consistent. As soon as that bat hit the hardwood, it was as if as if a million Whole Foods shoppers cried out at once. As always though, the comments over at The PETA Files are the best part.
What a loser he is…. and he think’s he’s a real man! Listen up jerk… you must have a small ..well you get it!!!! — Cal
Poor bat. Revenge will be mine!!!! — Bruce Wayne
I saw the play back on “sports highlights” and his face afterwards was AWFUL-he just shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal. I mean the mascot had a net, why could no one use that instead? — Miranda
I’m sorry; but the idea of the Portland mascot, Blaze, chasing a bat with a butterfly net is more comedy than I can stand on a Monday.
