HEH: Pro-pest group opposes Charlotte’s war on cankerworms.

Reminds me of the halcyon days of People for the Ethical Treatment of Insects.

Last week, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called on Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials to ban trout fishing, arguing that fish feel pain and that angling is violent.

So on Friday, a group calling itself PETI — People for the Ethical Treatment of Insects — condemned PETA.

“Those murdering trout devour millions of mayflies, mosquitoes and other innocent insects every day,” says PETI spokesman Harvey Foonman.

The release continues: “As PETA states, there are many who believe that fish are sentient. That makes them responsible for their actions. Insects are innocent — they don’t even have brains. That makes them our natural constituency — and, you’d think, PETA’s too.

“If PETA had a heart, they’d be finding a way to train these trout out of their horrible insectivorous ways. Or distribute tofu pellets to mountain streams.”

The group’s motto: “Insects are just like people, except for having six legs, an exoskeleton and no central nervous system.”

PETI issues abound: I also like the campaign to save the bugs by lowering speed limits. “When the speed limits were raised to 75 mph, did anyone consider the impact on bugs?”