Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Billboards and Vegans


*** The city of Chicago has taken down a racy billboard that proclaimed "Life is short. Get a divorce." The billboard featured photos of a scantily clad woman and a shirtless man and was an ad for Chicago divorce attorney Corri Fetman. The display drew criticism from some residents in the Rush Street neighborhood and from other lawyers, who say the ad sullies their profession. The billboard was removed a week after it went up after Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd) determined it didn't have a proper permit. Fetman says her billboard was no threat to people in happy marriages. And she says it was taken down without due process. Fetman's law partner, Kelly Garland, added that even people who disliked the billboard should worry about what its removal means for free speech.
- Being an advocate for free speech, I don't think the billboard should have been taken down. It shows the comic side of lawyers, which sometimes is hard to find! I just think it's funny and I don't think it's glamorizing divorce (which is a serious problem)! It's not any worse than the billboards for Diamonds Gentleman's Club.




*** A vegan couple was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the death of their malnourished 6-week-old baby boy, who was fed a diet largely consisting of soy milk and apple juice. Superior Court Judge L.A. McConnell imposed the sentences on Jade Sanders, 27, and Lamont Thomas, 31. Their son, Crown Shakur, weighed just 3 1/2 pounds when he died of starvation on April 25, 2004. The couple was found guilty May 2 of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. A jury deliberated about seven hours before returning the guilty verdicts. Defense lawyers said the first-time parents did the best they could while adhering to the lifestyle of vegans, who typically use no animal products. They said Sanders and Thomas did not realize the baby, who was born at home, was in danger until minutes before he died.
- What is wrong with people??? Their lawyers said, "they did the best they could" - um...NO, they didn't...babies need to be fed to live!!! I don't know any vegans, but are doctors on their list of things to avoid too? There is not doctor in their right mind who would have not admitted this child after that kind of dramatic weight loss or lack of weight gain, they must not be fans of healthcare professionals. This makes me so angry, how stupid can people be?!? How do you not realize that your baby isn't healthy when he weighs only 3 pounds at six weeks old? He must have weighed more at birth, otherwise, he would have still been in the hospital! I am sick to my stomach! They bitch and moan about meat eaters, but they forget about everyone's right to choose their own life style, their baby should have been given that choice.

28 comments:

none said...

Weird, both my neice and nephew were on soy formula due to allergies and are fine.

Why in the hell didn't they take the baby to a doctor.

Frigging idiots. I don't think they should get life in prison for stupidity but they should be sterilized.

Good luck being a vegan in the slammer.

Jenny! said...

Hammer:

I am sure that they will have to change their vegan ways in prison, as I am sure that some "meat" is coming their way!

Jenny! said...

Oh, and I am a huge fan of sterilizing!

Sarah said...

So as far as the billboard goes, I cannot beleieve they took it down. I have to admit I hate the message it sends, the text with the images is I think a slap in the face to marriage in general. (but seriously I hate lots of advertisements but they are protected by free speech!) However I think not allowing Homosexual couples to marry is even more of a slap in the face but the same people seem to be ok with exlcuding some from marriage but not allowing people to end marriage.

The Dirty Rat said...

Billboard. Is that it,is their any appeal route? Perhaps a few pox doctors should put up a few billboards (I'll give then a nice one)to advertise their wares. That will start the tongues wagging and the complaints rolling in.
As they say, "Any publicity is good publicity"

Phil said...

Love the billboard! :]

Sad story about the baby - Some people really are just plain STUPID! :[

Come Back Brighter said...

Regarding the billboard, I'm with you on this one -- you see worse for gentleman's clubs, and it's hardly likely to make anyone have a divorce who wasn't already considering it. It just might influence their choice of lawyer. Personally, I'd wonder if one who can afford big billboards might not be charging a little bit more than they strictly need to.

And re: vegans, I would have no issue with anyone raising a child as vegan from birth -- so long as they make sure the damn kid is being fed. Are vegans against breast feeding? It's hard to be sure. But anyway, I am sure if you care about the child you would do everything possible to look after them. Some people are just too stupid, regardless of if they choose to be Vegans, Vulcans or Vorgons.

minijonb said...

i don't have any problem with the billboard. free speech takes another hit.

...and that attorney can't be any worse than the goofballs who've handled my divorce!

Gorilla Bananas said...

Heh! Can you imagine the idiot who would get a divorce after reading a billboard message? Those vegans are crazy, how can breast feeding a baby violate any principle?

Jenny! said...

Sarah:
If people don't like, then they shouldn't look at it! I don't think it is a particularly postive message about the value of marriage, but really most people don't value marriage based on our divorce rates so I highly doublt this billboard will increase the rates.

Anonymous said...

Free speech??I shall be placing an ad on my blog in the next days promoting cigarettes. I hope you will send me letters in jail. One thing is for sure - smoking a cigarette would have not have killed the baby -it takes brainless diet and vegan fanatics to do that -lets ban Vegan cookbooks as they kill babies.Or not?

Jenny! said...

Ratty:
It's already been taken down. And I agree with the publicigy thing.

Jenny! said...

Dogga:
I love it too, I think it's fun! We need to have some sort of common sense test given to people before they are allowed to procreate.

Jenny! said...

Fever Dog:
Exactly, a wife walking down the street isn't going to see that add and be like, "you know what...I'm getting a divorce, that sign is just so great!" I don't know if vegans are against breasfeeding, but considering what a vegan diet consists of, the mother probably didn't produce enough milk to breast feed.

Jenny! said...

Minijonb:
Lawyers are all crazy, what's the difference if they advertise their craziness!

Jenny! said...

Gorilla:
The people that would see that billboard and go get a divorce because of it are probably the same vegan group that let their babies die of malnutrition...fucking idiots!

Jenny! said...

Mutley:
I'm with you, but instead maybe we could round up all the vegans and bring them to McDonalds and force feed them some meat!

Yoda said...

Wait -- the billboard was sullying the 'reputation' of lawyers? LOL! That's funny! The billboard was funny, should never have been taken down.

What's wrong with those people! Vegan my ass. They're just plain stupid. If they don't know what to feed a human child they're criminally responsible and yes, I'll support sterilizing such idiots.

Anonymous said...

That divorce sign is a heck of an idea. Promoting divorce. Why not? Truth is, for many lawyers it's bread and butter.

That story about the starving baby sickens me.

The Dirty Rat said...

Wake up Jenny. You should have been at work 40 minutes ago!!

Jenny! said...

Yoda:
Let's get the petition together for mandatory sterilization of all morons, that may hinder the population growth, as I feel 90% of people should be put on this list!

Bugs Butt:
I am still sick and furious about it!

Ratty:
I'm awake awake awake...working working working!

Zen Wizard said...

On the first issue, I think it is borderline "solicitation," but the underlying message is, "If you are unhappy in your marriage, you should excercise your legal right and get a divorce."

The issue would be whether it solicits people who weren't already considering divorce to consider divorce.

As you pointed out, probably not.

This is why probate attorneys have a wide berth: Everyone is going to die, even Methuselah. So an ad that says, "You need a will because someday you will die"-doesn't "solicit."

On the second one, I forget the exact citation, but I would argue that the precedent has already been set, against the parents (in a Pennsylvania landmark case--I can find the exact case if anyone is interested.)

Basically, the 1st Amendment allows you to in effect commit suicide for your religious beliefs--but you don't have the 1st Amendment right to kill your children.

Example: Roe and son are Jehovah's Witnesses--Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in blood transfusions. Roe and son are in a car accident--let's say in the same car and it's the other driver's fault.

Both need blood transfusions to live.

Roe can refuse a blood transfusion, but can't refuse a blood transfusion for his son.

Vegetarianism is by and large a religious view, and you have the right to jeopardize your own health with it, but not your kids'.

Anonymous said...

Are you a lawyer Zenny ??Only I am getting divorced and would appreciate some free legal advice...or I will cite you for solicitation...

Jenny! said...

Mutley:
You better get divoreced soon before your spouse finds out about those horses and bears!

Jenny! said...

Zen:
I didn't know all the specifics, that's really helpful to know!

Yoda said...

Boy a tofu hot dog must suck ass! Ugh. Thinking of it makes my tummy rumble.

What should we promote for sterilizing the stupids? How about a nice big pair of scissors for the guys. Ooh, yes a Hammer would do nicely too. I'm not sure about the girls though.

jungle jane said...

Why is it that Vegans alwears wear Birkenstocks? Fussy lot...

Anonymous said...

oh my god are you stupid. the baby died because the parents were shitty parents NOT because they were vegan. What about all the babies that die every day at the hands of omniverous parents? Wow you really should go back to school. Dont have any more babies though! Please! Being vegan is perfectly fine for children of all ages, and thats according to your own freaking government, not some wacko organization. And vegans DO believe in feeding breast milk to babies. Thats what milk is for. They dont believe in drinking milk from another species.
No seriously youre so stupid, it made me laugh, thanks.