Posted on 07/19/2009 7:23:47 PM PDT by Graybeard58
Six years ago, homosexual activists made a huge fuss after Harry and Pepper, two male Magellanic penguins, shacked up at the San Francisco Zoo. Among other things, they claimed the birds, by behaving like stereotypical human homosexuals as glorified by network TV and the news media, were breaking homosexual stereotypes.
One 2007 Web article was especially fawning (and rather graphic in describing penguin anatomy and reproductive rituals). Theirs was not love at first sight, readers learned, but these "lovebirds, attached at the wing," overcame their differences and fell madly in love. (The attraction purportedly had something to do with Pepper's "huge beak compared to his body size.") Though they nested away from the zoo's 51 heterosexual penguins, they maintained a loving, caring, committed relationship. "They preen each other and on cold nights snuggle up close to share their body heat. When one is sick, both make the trip to the zoo's hospital." And when they were given a decoy egg to incubate, they naturally "proved to be good adoptive parents." One, two, three: Aw!
Over time, their bond grew so strong that they were farmed out to the Sacramento Zoo to be role models for animals and visitors alike. While there, Harry and Pepper "adopted" a real egg — they were given one stolen from heterosexual penguins — and "gave birth" to a chick. "Of all the parents that year, they were the best," zookeeper Anthony Brown said. Of course they were; they're homosexuals.
Except that Harry and Pepper never tried to copulate, so they actually were plutonic nest mates, which are quite common in captive penguin colonies such as San Francisco's where males outnumber females. And it turns out Harry is quite the heterosexual stud. He recently ditched Pepper and "successfully nested" with the widow Linda, a hussy described by the San Francisco Examiner as having "the hots for Harry."
Interestingly, now that the life partners have called it quits and Harry's "gone straight," suddenly no one is drawing comparisons.
Ping to a Republican-American Editorial.
If you want on or off this list, let me know.
Penguin lust!!
I’m not surprised to find out that these two penguins were “together” in roughly the same way as The Odd Couple or Hawkeye and Trapper.
“Except that Harry and Pepper never tried to copulate, so they actually were , which are quite common in captive penguin colonies”
‘plutonic nest mates’ - penguins from Pluto.
We never knew!
I saw that too and thought to correct it but thought again and left it the way it is.
Typo? Or ignorance? Who knows?
Usually these editorials are well written.
“plutonic”
From the same folks that brought you the term “nukular”...
plutonic nest mates
&&&
Plutonic? Does he mean “platonic”? Sigh? Is proofreading just not done these days?
No, he meant they spent their time together reading Pluto and other Greek philosophers...instead of getting it on.
Plutonic? Of the same root as plutocratic? Sure, they pretended they were rich by going out in their little tuxedoes all the time, but they still had to shack up to save on fish money.
which are quite common in captive penguin colonies such as San Francisco's where males outnumber females.
So it's a little penguin version of San Quentin.
Thanks for the ping Graybeard. I guess the Homosexuals find their example not so black and white anymore.
Priceless!
Of course not, because they don't want folks to start thinking in those terms.
This whole situation could also be explained by the fact that penguins are not particularly bright.
Great minds think alike. See post 3.
I figured these birds never “had sex” and from the article I guess I was correct.
Even if they did, somehow, though, so what? Some animals eat their young. Should I copy that, too? They fail to use toilet paper. Some run off cliffs in mass hysteria. They eat bugs out of each others’ hair. There is all SORTS of animal behavior that we should not be emulating.
Yeah, that Pluto. Apparently, he had time to rule the Underworld and to also write philosophical treatises. What a guy, er...god! Who knew?
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