Ask President Bush to Stop Turkey "Pardoning" Ceremony
Ceremony is Stressful for Birds, Meaningless for People
- November 29, 2006
On the day before Thanksgiving, President George Bush held a ceremony in the Rose Garden to "pardon" a turkey named "Flyer." He patted the turkey on the head, "introduced" the bird to a couple dozen Girl Scouts, and then sent the turkey (and a backup bird named "Fryer") off to Disneyland to serve as honorary grand marshals in a parade.
There was nothing new about this ceremony. Presidents have been "pardoning" turkeys since President Harry Truman started the ceremony in 1947. The only new twist this year was that the President's dog, Barney, got out and started chasing the turkey around the yard prior to the official pardon. So, in addition to the stress of traveling to the White House, going through the ceremony, and being shipped off to Disneyland, the turkey had to be chased by Barney. (Go to www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/26-11222006-745874.html to read a news article about the event.)
Please write a letter to President Bush and ask him to make 2006 the last year that the White House hosts events where animals are used for entertainment. Ask him to start a new tradition in 2007 that recognizes the Thanksgiving holiday in a more meaningful manner.
In addition to the stress on the birds, the President should stop this outdated practice since the ceremony has no real significance for the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s primarily a promotion for the National Turkey Federation and for eating turkeys. There are many, meaningful ways that the President could recognize the importance of Thanksgiving without being disrespectful to animals. For example, the President could volunteer at a soup kitchen or help with a Habitat for Humanity project. Or, if the ceremony must involve a turkey, the President could visit a farmed animal sanctuary and highlight efforts to treat farmed animals more humanely.
The news article points out that the President and millions of other Americans headed off to eat turkey the day after the turkey "pardoning" ceremony. The ceremony didn't change their desire to eat turkey, didn't help the birds, and probably didn't make anyone think about being thankful. It's time for this outdated practice to stop. To join us in asking President Bush to start a Thanksgiving tradition with compassion and class, write to:
President George Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
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