Animal Activists Want In On Evolution Act

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Reuters) - An animal rights group said on Tuesday teachers

in Kansas should instruct pupils on vegetarianism, as it tried to take

advantage of the state's recent controversy over the teaching of evolution to

publicize its views on eating meat.

 

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known for its sometimes

unorthodox protests for animal rights, made its statement two months after the

state's board of education voted to downplay evolution teaching in Kansas

schools.

 

``Kansas educators have permission not to include evolution in their

curriculum and if they include creationism in their classes, we're hoping

they'll include vegetarianism in there,'' said Michael McGraw, a PETA

spokesman in New York. ``There is a lot of compelling evidence that Jesus was

a vegetarian.''

 

PETA also posted a billboard on Tuesday on Interstate 70 in Kansas

proclaiming, ``Jesus was a vegetarian,'' and urging readers to ``show respect

for God's creatures -- follow Him.''

 

The billboard prompted chuckles in the state capitol on Tuesday where the

campaign was taken somewhat less than seriously.

 

``I'm a big meat eater myself,'' said Mike Matsen, a spokesman for the office

of Kansas Gov. Bill Graves.