People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is urging the White House to abandon a long-standing tradition by pushing a switch from chicken eggs to potatoes at the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn. On Monday, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk inked a pun-filled letter to First Lady Jill Biden suggesting a "potato roll" instead of an egg roll, arguing that it would encourage empathy and kindness instead of supporting factory farming industries, writing:
... a potato roll wouldn’t exploit any sentient beings and would encourage empathy and kindness to animals while supporting potato farmers in the U.S.
The letter claims that eggs shouldn't be used amid higher prices caused by the 2022 avian flu outbreak. Newkirk said the proposed change would be "leaving a legacy of kindness," stating:
Amid the worst avian flu outbreak in history, in which almost 82 million birds—most of them egg-laying chickens—have been slaughtered, and during a period of rising egg prices, we’re rooting for you to leave a legacy of kindness by starting this new Easter tradition.
PETA also suggests taking the potato theme to an extreme by planning additional activities such as a game of hot potato and potato sack races.
Potatoes are the most popular vegetable in the country and can be safely dyed, allowing for spudtacular traditional activities, such as rolling them, seeking for them, and decorating them. You could even hold potato sack races and games of hot potato!
PETA lobbied to omit eggs from the egg roll when the event returned last year after a two-year COVID hiatus. PETA said that switching away from chicken eggs would make the event "eggstra special for chickens." The group made many substitution suggestions, from wooden eggs to painted rocks:
...respectfully urge [Biden] not to allow the use of real chicken eggs for the White House Easter Egg Roll but to choose instead reusable plastic or wooden eggs — or even lovely painted rocks or egg-shaped balls — all of which would last for years to come.
Other requests made of the White House include PETA suggesting that President Joe Biden not consume fish during Lent in 2023. Lent is a traditional Catholic religious observation where meat isn't consumed on days of penance, including on Fridays during the 40-day period. The letter offers to treat the White House to a" full vegan fish fry" if Biden went vegan for Lent, as many Catholics eat fish during the days of meat abstinence.
The Easter Egg Roll is the most popular activity where wooden spoons are borrowed from the White House kitchen and children use them to roll their eggs in a race. This event was first held at the White House in 1878 and has grown to be the largest public celebration at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, drawing as many as 35,000 guests.
The annual Easter Egg Roll is scheduled to take place at the White House on April 1.
Read More:
Pete Davidson Tells PETA VP to 'Suck My D**k' After She Says He Should 'Adopt, Not Shop' for a Dog
PETA Is Indoctrinating Children by Pushing Extreme 'Animal Rights' Agenda in the Classroom
Join the conversation as a VIP Member