(Also posted at DailyKos.com)
New York State’s Hudson River valley is a lush region, rich in history. It is the setting for FDR’s family estate, West Point and Washington Irving’s Sleepy Hollow. The Hudson River scenery gave rise to the 19th century group of landscape painters that were subsequently deemed the Hudson River School. Now it is the location of a PETA effort to change a town’s name.
http://wcbs880.com/topstories/local_story_195171005.html
The town, Fishkill, New York, in Dutchess County, is located about 80 miles north of New York City. The name goes back to Dutch settlers of the area more than 2 centuries ago.
The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that PETA wants the town to be known as FishingHurts.com, which just happens to be the Internet address for a PETA Web site dedicated to the group’s, quote — “fish empathy project.”
Apparently, the town wasn’t taking the bait:
Fishkill officials weren’t biting Wednesday. The name Fishkill is actually derived from two Dutch words: Vis, for fish, and Kill, for stream or creek. PETA acknowledges the true meaning of the name, but said most who see Fishkill on a map wouldn’t know that.
And what exactly was the inducement offered?
PETA also offered to donate 15-thousand dollars worth of a soy-based, faux-fish product for school students in the town if the name is changed.
Perhaps tuna-flavored iced cream would have been more tempting.