People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, is asking the White House for a change in tradition. Instead of using chicken eggs for the Easter Egg Roll held on the South Lawn every year they are urging them to switch to potatoes. PETA’s Ingrid Newkirk wrote a pun-filled note to Jill Biden on Monday suggesting that a “potato” roll instead of an eggroll would promote empathy and kindness, instead of supporting the factory farming industry.
A potato roll would not exploit sentient beings, but instead encourage compassion and empathy for animals. It also supports potato farmers in the U.S.
The letter states that the higher prices due to 2022’s avian influenza outbreak should not be used for eggs. Newkirk stated that the change proposed would “leave a legacy of goodness,” saying:
We want you to start this new tradition of Easter kindness amid the worst avian influenza outbreak in history. Nearly 82 million chickens, most of which lay eggs, have been killed.
PETA suggests that you take the potato theme even further by adding additional activities, such as hot potato or potato sack races.
The most popular vegetable is the potato. It can be dyed safely, which allows for some spectacular activities such as decorating, rolling, or searching for it. You can even play hot potato and hold potato sack games!
PETA campaigned for the egg roll to be omitted when it returned after a COVID break of two years last year. PETA claimed that switching from chicken eggs to other alternatives would make the event more “eggstraspecial for chickens.” The group offered many suggestions for substitutes, including painted rocks and wooden eggs.
Please respectfully urge Biden not to allow real chicken eggs in the White House Easter Egg Roll, but instead to choose reusable plastic or wood eggs — or lovely painted rocks or ball-shaped eggs — which will last for many years.
PETA also requested that Joe Biden refrain from eating fish during Lent 2023. Lent is an ancient Catholic religious tradition where meat is not consumed during days of penance. This includes Fridays within the 40 days. The letter offered to treat the White House with a “full vegan fish fry” if Biden became vegan during Lent. Many Catholics consume fish on days of abstinence from meat.
Easter Egg Rolls are the most popular Easter activity. Children use wooden spoons borrowed from the White House Kitchen to roll eggs. The first Easter Egg Roll was held in the White House back in 1878. It has since grown into the largest celebration on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with up to 35,000 attendees.
On April 1st, the White House will host its annual Easter Egg Roll.
