These f'ing people disgust me. They're the product of a coddled existence. In some parts of the world, people go out every day wondering if this is the day a bomb takes out their bus on the way to school or work. But on the other hand, the biggest concern that this freaks have is weather or not some ducks and geese are getting too much to eat.

I wish they'd do the whole world a favor and drink the red kool-aid and get it over with.

__Jason

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Thanks to my LIVESTRONG Challenge donors! The rest of y'all are chumps.

Whatever our view is on animal rights or other issues, we need to remember that restaurants such as London Grill and Rembrandts are the cornerstones of this neighborhood. They've been here for years, and will be here for many more. Plus the owners of each have lived here for over 20 years as well.

Thats where you bring the video camera

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War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today. ~John F. Kennedy

I have run into these pathetic-looking basement-dwelling people in front of DiBruno's and in front of Le Bec Fin. They also congregate in front of the Four Seasons and who knows where else. Usually it's just five or six unwashed, the most simian of which blasts through the bullhorn. They do more than disrupt the targeted store -- they ruin it for everyone for several blocks around.

One parking lot valet for three restaurants on the 1600 block of Walnut said they kill his income because people change their minds about patronizing the area when they see these lunatics ranting and raving. No doubt just the kind of "little people" they would claim to love.

I have begun confronting them, because it feels so good and because it throws them off their game a little bit. As much fun as it is, they will threaten you too if you interrupt their little hissy fit. I do not see how they have a right to disrupt dozens of businesses and hundreds of people with their asinine cause.

And how do they expect us to enjoy a proper Tornedos Rossini without foie gras, anyway? And think of the impact on the cornichon industry.

Foie gras is gross, but these people are total strokes.

I witnessed one of these guys getting DROPPED by some random passer by last year...wish I had my camera. They were doing their thing with the bullhorn and screamed in a random guys ear as he was walking by. He was prob in his late 40s early 50...but he was big and fit. Looked like an ex military dude who kept working out. 6'3 240+

He told the bullhorn tool that he had a 'bad ear' and that he would appreciate if he doesnt scream in his face with the horn. Anyways, the 23 y/o 6'2 140lb dork on the bullhorn started belittling this guy after he said something....implying that he ate foie gras and that he was a 'cretin' He wa probably 3' from the guy with the 'bad ear' and he kept screaming at him through the bullhorn.

Well, the big guy warned him once...he kept yapping through the horn and big dude just just walked through the 3 other dorks, grabbed the bullhorn and threw in a dumpster (convinently right across the street) and dropped the big mouth with 1 shot. Knocked him out cold. All 4 remaining dorks stood there in shock, and didnt know what to do. Nearby people started clapping for the big guy and he went on his way. It was great!

Whether they feel strongly about this issue or not, they take it too far. You want to stand in a public area with a sign? OK. You want to hand out literatire? OK. You want to stand 3 feet from diners and yell at them through a bullhorn? Not OK. The whole "through any means necessary" tactics these people employ are troubling, to say the least.

I walked by them the other weekend after the cops had already arrived. One policeman was interviewing the people at the outside tables, one the protesters, so the scene was calm at that point. I did see the jackass with the bullhorn. For the most part they looked like most of the "professional" protesters - unwashed white college aged kids with scraggly facial hair, matted hair (or dreds) and an unshakable sense of moral superiority.

I would seriously pay money to see that.

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Peace Out, Philly!

Me, too! Sounds great!

I'll be going to London more often now (after I get back from vacation in Portland OR - another self-righteous city.)

Amen on that!

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War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today. ~John F. Kennedy

Once you've taken the step of viewing animals as morally equivalent to human beings, you've got to swallow the whole pill in order to be consistent. I mean, if you thought that what we do to ducks is bad, you should hear about what we're doing to chickens.

I think the question is this: at what point do the "Hugs for Puppies" folks draw the line in their protests? It is clear from their website that the ideal solution would be for Philadelphia to "Go Veg." Is the next phase to protest any restaurants that sell chicken, fish, or beef?

Their problem is the same one that I think plagues a lot of protesters; namely, they're long on emotion and short on fact. I think they're usually willing to go a lot further - irrespective of the consequences to society - than most people would agree to. For instance, I doubt you would find much opposition to increasing funding for the Humane society, or a local animal shelter. I think we could all agree that it's better for an animal to have a safe home than to be roaming the streets in squalor.

But what of a vegan utopia in Philadelphia - do protestors really want this? Do they realize the linkages to local farms that would be destroyed? Do they realize the number of local businesses that wouldn't be able to sustain themselves? As I see it, the damage for Lancaster county alone would be enormous.