by John M. Simpson.<\/p>\n
Sometimes the target gets steamed and fires back.\u00a0 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal rights organization that is not generally known for\u00a0shying away from publicity, may have recently met its match in Baltimore, Maryland.\u00a0 As reported<\/a>, to promote its\u00a0view that crabs, lobsters and other shellfish “feel pain and fear, have unique personalities, and value their own lives,” PETA purchased a billboard in August in\u00a0proximity to several seafood restaurants in downtown Baltimore.\u00a0 The billboard bore the image of a Maryland blue crab with the statement, “I’m Me, Not Meat.\u00a0 See the Individual.\u00a0 Go vegan.\u00a0 PETA.”<\/p>\n One seafood establishment — Jimmy’s Famous Seafood — decided to fight back.\u00a0 The restaurant posted its own billboard showing a steamed\u00a0and seasoned crab\u00a0the with the statement:<\/p>\n “SteaMEd crabs.\u00a0 Here to stay.\u00a0 Get Famous.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In response to\u00a0PETA, Jimmy’s also took to social media, posting several messages on\u00a0Twitter\u00a0with\u00a0the hashtag\u00a0“#SteamThemAll,” pointing out, among other things, the high euthanization\u00a0 rate in PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia shelter\u00a0at which, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services<\/a>,\u00a0more than 38,000 dogs and cats have been put down since 1998.\u00a0 At one point in the ensuing stream of tweets (most of which were pro-steamed crab), it appeared that Jimmy’s may have decided to walk its statements back,\u00a0 but that was not to be:<\/p>\n “It’s come to our attention that we may’ve offended some with our recent tweets.\u00a0 We’ve spent a lot of time slaying everyone & started fights with everyone.\u00a0 We’ve ridiculed everyone.\u00a0 We’d just like to say from the bottom of our hearts, we’d like to take this chance to apologize . . .<\/p>\n TO ABSOLUTELY NOBODY!<\/p>\n #SteamThemAll”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n