Friday, January 15, 2021

What POS would torture a manatee?

In the way of families that things become things, a few years back, manatees became a thing between me and my niece Molly. As a result, I am in possession of not one, but two, stuffed manatees.

What's not to love about manatees?

They're peaceful, gentle, and adorbs. 

They're not completely out the door as a species, but there aren't a lot of them. And while they don't have a lot of natural enemies - their hide's too tough for sharks and alligators - they do have humans and their speedboats as unnatural predators. And unnatural and just plain rotten humans who apparently have no problem molesting these dear creatures. Like the yoyo in Florida who wrote the word TRUMP on the back of a sweet, harmless, and I'm guessing decidedly apolitical manatee.

The manatee was discovered Sunday in Florida's Homosassa River with the President's name in capital letters on its back, according to a news release from the Center for Biological Diversity.

It's not clear what was used to mark the animal.

The center announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction of the person responsible, according to a news release.

"Manatees aren't billboards, and people shouldn't be messing with these sensitive and imperiled animals for any reason," said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

"However this political graffiti was put on this manatee, it's a crime to interfere with these creatures, which are protected under multiple federal laws." (Source: CNN)

Manatees are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and abusing them is a Federal crime, punishable by up to a year in prison and a $50K fine. 

I'd suggest that the Feds start asking any Florida Man that gets caught up in the net they're casting to find the insurrectionists who invaded the Capitol Building whether they've also taken part in the harassment of manatees. I guess it's better than if the manatee had been run down by some cretin in a Trump boat parade. Still, you have to be totally warped to do something like this to a manatee. 

Just because you have no more room on your back or front for Trump tattoos. And just because there's no more room on your truck for Trump stickers and decals. And just because there's no more room in front of your house for another outsized Trump sign. Doesn't mean you can do something like this to an innocent creature. Sheesh, people can be awful.

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