A new day is dawning! I don't know if this has already been posted, I looked and didn't see anything, but I found this article on ESPN and thought AWESOME!!!! http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0827/1423498.html Animal rights-backer to sell meat in new arena -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, a vegetarian and animal rights advocate, will sell plenty of meat when he gains control of concession stands at the city's new arena next year. "In this particular case I have no choice," Alexander said, calling a meatless U.S. sports arena financially "unreasonable." Alexander, the multimillionaire bond trader who splits time among a Houston apartment, a New York home and an office in Boca Raton, Fla., bought the team in 1993 and has been a tenant at Compaq Center ever since. While he receives no money from concessions at the Rockets' current home, Alexander will oversee food and drink sales at the new place. This week, Alexander said he would make meat-free foods and other non-traditional arena items available alongside standbys like hot dogs. "We are not going to push it, but it's going to be easier for people who are vegetarians, who are Asian and who are Hispanic to get the food they want," Alexander said. "We are going to make it more encompassing." Alexander previously has found other avenues to promote animal rights through the Rockets. Complimentary media meals usually are vegetarian, the team's dance squad sometimes wears "Animals Have Rights" shirts and he outlawed using creature-shaped pinatas during game promotions. His soon-to-be-ex-wife Nanci, who leads an animal rights group in Florida, has lobbied the NBA to stop using leather balls and reportedly refused to live in Houston because of the prominent annual rodeo. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which counts the Alexanders among its strongest supporters, said Tuesday it supports Alexander's efforts even though he'll soon be profiting from meat sales. "He's in charge of his money and his first interest is making sure his investment pays off," PETA campaign coordinator Dan Shannon said from his Norfolk, Va., office. "I think if he's offering other options, that will be very exciting and will be a huge step forward in itself." Coincidentally, the group rated nearby Minute Maid Park, the Houston Astros' home, as among the most vegetarian-friendly Major League Baseball stadiums. New Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL's expansion Texans, concentrates on traditional meaty fare and the team even promotes barbecue recipes for pregame tailgaters on its Web site. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has sold $256 million in bonds, backed by hotel and car rental taxes, to build the new arena near the George R. Brown Convention Center. It will replace Compaq Center, which was called The Summit when it opened in the autumn of 1975.
What a joke!! I'm a "carnivore" and if people want to be vegetarians,great. I don't push my view onto them. But this is so hypocritical on the part of Les and PETA. The whole time up to now he's had no control over concessions but he's made sure to use the Rocket assets to promote vegetarianism. That's fine,I guess. It's his business--literally. Now he has a HUGE opportunity to make a statement on the issue and he instead caves to the almighty dollar! I'm glad for the fans that they'll be able to "devour flesh". But he's talking about "a meatless arena being financially unreasonable". If he sells no meat products,HE'LL STILL BE AHEAD OF WHERE HE WAS,which was no concession money. And the PETA quote is absolutely priceless: "his first interest is making sure his investment pays off" Yeah,I'm sure the loss of meat sales will bankrupt the team,especially when they had no meat revenues to begin with! What a total lack of commitment to "the cause". Les is,after all a businessman so it's not so shocking. But for PETA to take this stance is laughable and pathetic at the same time.
I don't see the problem. We all have to put up with things we find unethical or unsavory so that we might forward those things which are important to us. Les probably gives enough money to PETA that if he said, "Hey, the moon's made of cheese." They would agree, then cash the check he wrote to them and go on doing their work.
I'm not saying he shouldn't sell meat. That's not the problem. That would be givng the fans a choice. Great. The problem is him selling it STRICTLY FOR THE MONEY. And admitting it. He wasn't broke before when he didn't profit from meat. He's bending his values,not for the fans' sakes,but rather for cash. He was "forwarding those important things"before without any meat income(without being "unsavory") so why does he need meat income now to continue doing so? And surely you see the problem with PETA endorsing his "meat for cash" plan. They lose all credibility by saying in effect,"well if you can make a buck,then go right ahead,kill all the animals you can"!
First, this was posted in the Rockets Saved forum earlier, but I'm glad someone put it in here. I am a vegetarian. Have been for 8 years. I NEVER EVER push my viewpoint on anyone. Want to eat meat? Go for it. I am not a big supporter of PETA. They are far too harsh in their approach and, at times, pretty hypocritical. And, personally, I'm not sure how effective the "Animals Have Rights" t-shirts on the power dancers have been anyway. But, I can tell you that I will spend more money at games as a direct result of this choice. Up until now, I could have some french fries and maybe some TCBY, but that was it. I have no doubt that offering an alternative will definitely make me spend more money and having an alternative is not doing anything to hurt meat eaters anyway. My thought on Les' hypocracy is this... This is a meat-eater's world at the moment. There is no doubt about this. I've bent my life to satisfy more than one meat eater in and I'm sure I'll do it many times over. It is no surprise and I don't mind. I understand that my diet is restrictive for some and that's ok as long as no one tries to force me to eat meat. Les will not get 100 percent of the food revenues and I doubt very seriously he'll even get close to 50 percent. Chances are that companies like Aramark and others wouldn't bother to even contract with him if it was veggie only. It isn't just about money. It is about the fans getting what they want in an arena paid for, at least half, with taxpayer dollars. For me, I would love a meatless arena, but let's all be realistic. I'd also like to go to a family get together and not have to deal with "Hey, why don't you eat some brisket?" but I know that isn't going to happen and that's my FAMILY. Try telling that to 18,000 basketball fans. You have to pick your battles and this is one that is simply not winnable. Calling it hypocritical isn't really fair because the level of ridicule he would receive and the huge numbers of people he would alienate from animal causes by declaring a meat-free arena would do far more damage to the team and the causes than simply giving fans a choice. Rather than seeing this as hypocritical, I see it as accepting reality and dealing with it as best he can. In this case, he serves alternatives. That's just fine with me. One other thing, everyone seems to focus on Les' animal rights issues (the t-shirts, the PETA ads, etc), but NO ONE EVER MENTIONS some of the things he's done right here in Houston to support pet owners and animal lovers. He FOUNDED SNAP (the Spay and Neuter Assistance Program) that provides low cost and free spay, neuter and vaccination services to Houstonians. The SNAP vans that travel into low income neighborhoods to vaccinate and spay/neuter pets were the first of their kind in America. There are now similar programs throughout the US based on this model. This does a tremendous amount to supoort poor families and to keep down the animal population. That is far more than most would ever do and he's done it right in our own community.
A must for the new Arena is a Tony Romas! I think Yao Ming will create a big following for these ribs.
That is kind of hypocritical too dont you think? I mean if animals have rights...shouldnt they have the right to decide whether or not they want to reproduce? Just some food for thought...no pun intended.
