The movie “Groundhog Day” has made the tradition of Groundhog Day known worldwide. However, the animal rights organization PETA has now approached the organizers with a request that Punxsutawney Phil be replaced – with a cake.
What does the groundhog predict? Through the film Groundhog Day featuring Bill Murray in the lead role, the tradition of Groundhog Day has become known worldwide. On February 2nd of each year, a groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is asked about how the rest of the winter will unfold.
The animal emerges from its burrow, and the organizers watch whether the groundhog sees its shadow. If it does, winter will continue for six more weeks. If there is no sun and the sky is cloudy, it means that the weather will improve and become generally warmer.
Especially in Pennsylvania, USA, this custom has a long tradition. However, the animal rights organization PETA has now intervened and made an unusual offer to the organizers.
Trade groundhog for cake
What does PETA propose? The organization, which often has something to say about gaming issues, has made a request to the official Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Under its leadership, groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicts the weather every year.
PETA requests that the use of animals for this purpose be discontinued. This is justified as follows:
If they are allowed to be themselves, groundhogs avoid people, build complex underground burrow systems, communicate with each other, and even climb trees, but all of this is denied to poor Phil because of an old, tired gimmick.
Ingrid Newkirk, President of PETA on the official website
The old groundhog deserves to finally retire, it continues. However, to not completely erase the day from the calendar, PETA has an absurd idea.
The organization proposes to trade the groundhog for a cake. PETA itself would send a vegan cake to the organizers every day. With its help, the weather would still be predicted. Blue filling inside the cake would mean that winter will continue for six more weeks. Pink would mean it would end soon and spring would begin.
The proposal is reminiscent of gender-reveal parties where the gender of an unborn child is revealed. Whether the Groundhog Club will agree to this remains unclear.
According to PETA, a change in the popular tradition is urgently needed. The groundhog should be granted peace without losing the tourist effect of the custom. This is not the first time the organization has intervened in popular events or products. Recently, there was a complaint about another movie: “You are the only pest” – PETA calls for a boycott of a horror movie because the director used 5,000 live rats for a scene
