While young children struggle with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and others recover slowly for E. coli O157:H7 illnesses, PETA does something incredibly stupid; it writes a public letter extolling the virtues of eating vegan.

Although hamburger (whether from grass or grain feed beef) of late should clearly be avoided, spinach, lettuce, sprouts and other vegetables and fruits (organic or not so) have been shown to carry E. coli O157:H7 as well over the years. From the PETA Website:

Today, PETA sent a letter to Alan Lambert, scout executive of the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, urging him to institute a vegetarian-only meals policy at all Boy Scout events and offering to cater the first all-vegetarian event. PETA’s letter comes on the heels of an E. coli outbreak traced to tainted beef that sickened 70 people at a Boy Scout camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

PETA, needs to change to TDAS – standing for Tone Deaf and Stupid.  I liked PETA better when they exploited nude women models in the campaign against wearing furs.