My Boyfriend the Pervert Apostle
Not long after my last post, in which I exposed my bourgeoisie need for a purebred puppy, I received this very polite email from a member of PETA:
Hi there,
I just wanted to let you know about folk singer Melissa Ferrick’s brand-new ad for PETA, which encourages her fans to adopt animals from a shelter instead of buying from a pet store or a breeder. You can see the ad at http://www.helpinganimals.com/f-melissa-ferrick.asp?c=hamlsfrkblgptc, and there’s some more info below:
Speaking out on important issues is nothing new for singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick, who is openly gay and talks about it in her songs. She burst onto the national scene after she was booked to open for longtime PETA pal Morrissey in the early ’90s, and she later started her own label, Right On Records. Ferrick—who donated the cover of her 2006 release, In the Eyes of Strangers, to PETA for the group to use in its “Don’t Buy While Animals Die” campaign—is currently gearing up for a fall tour with folk icon Ani Difranco.
“Nearly 4 million dogs and cats must be put to death every year in U.S. shelters,” reads Ferrick’s ad. “Be a lifesaver—always spay or neuter, and never buy from breeders or pet stores.”
Having worked for several years at an animal shelter, I was horrified to be the target of a (very polite) PETA attack. But then I re-read the email, and realized that I have absolutely no idea who folk singer Melissa Ferrick is, much less am I a fan. So I’m off the hook, and can continue down my self-indulgent path of purebred pleasure.
A few days later, The Concerned Women for America released a press statement targeting a recent poster for San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair, a poster that pays homage to The Last Supper:
“The most unimaginable and vile acts of debauchery are commonplace during the fair. Senator Larry Craig was arrested and driven out of the Senate for allegedly soliciting public ‘gay’ sex, yet during this event the city of San Francisco suspends the law and allows ‘gay’ men and women to parade the streets fully nude, many having sex – even group orgies – in broad daylight, while taxpayer funded police officers look on and do absolutely nothing.”
“The mainstream media should cover this event with cameras in hand. There’s an unbelievable news story here. The Folsom Street Fair is reminiscent of Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, and the media should document exactly what the city of San Francisco is allowing to occur – in public – in the name of ‘tolerance.’”
Personally I think that they have a good point; come on down, with cameras in hand, and bring back memories for the kids back home, memories that they will cherish for years to come, memories that might lead young Billy and Jessica to visit Sodom and Gomorrah when they get a little older and find their hometowns a bit confining.
But then I am biased, and when you look at the Folsom Street Fair poster itself, you can see why:
My boyfriend and I: united as political targets. I’m so proud I could cry.
Well, you should be proud; Manly Fireplug is sitting in the spot where James, the Brother of Jesus sat.
(He’s the patron saint of hatmakers, BTW. Seriously.)
(I guess that’s only if you’re Catholic, though. Otherwise, to us Protestants, he’s just plain ol’ James of Alphaeus.)
I need to get a life.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:59 pm[...] Speaking out on important issues is nothing new for singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick, who is openly gay and talks about it in her songs. … ay men and women to parade the streets fully nude, many having sex – even group orgies – in broad daylight, while taxpayer funded police officers look on and d o absolutely nothing…. source: My Boyfriend the Pervert Apostle, D O G P O E T [...]
September 26th, 2007 at 1:18 pmI recognized Saint Fireplug right away!
September 28th, 2007 at 7:08 amI guess I can understand the email from PETA, but why talk about Melissa Ferrick all the way through the email? If you were a lesbian blogger like, say, me, I might understand. FWIW, Melissa Ferrick is kinda cool. I’m not a rabid (pun unintentional) fan, but she’s okay.
September 28th, 2007 at 10:09 amI’m pretty much a supporter of shelter dogs, but when PETA sent me an email last month entitled, “Animal Rights Uncompromised: There’s No Such Thing as a ‘Responsible Breeder’”, it made me want to go out and buy a dog from a breeder.
October 1st, 2007 at 8:02 amIt’s less than 24 hours after I left the streets at the Fair. I’m not sure if I am happy or sad there wasn’t more exposure and adventure at the event. I expected with all the drama to have a bunch of protesters, news media, etc. but didn’t see any of it! The plane flying over offering “help for homosexuals” was a nice touch!
You’ll be pleased (scared?) to know that your Manly Fireplug will hang on the walls in my house. I bought one of the posters for framing.
October 1st, 2007 at 5:13 pmLOL! I thought that was yer beau when I saw the poster on other sites.
I don’t get the whole Melissa Ferrick injection into the letter to you – was it blatant product placement or cross-marketing? If so, that’s kinda sad both for the animal welfare and wymyns movement.
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:13 pmYou will note that the Last Supper has been borrowed and “restaged” in many different ways, including for a horror flick poster a few years ago (don’t remember the name). I doubt “Concerned Women for America” complained about that one. It didn’t involve homosexuals!
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December 6th, 2010 at 5:28 am