Legendary University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath recently announced his intentions to auction off one of his iconic 1970s fur coat.
Upon getting wind of the auction, PETA decided to pen a letter to the national championship-winning signal caller to inquire about obtaining the coat themselves.
Rather than selling it at auction, the animal rights organization is requesting that Namath donate the fashionwear for the benefit of needy individuals.
In announcing its request, PETA advised that a number of celebrities had donated their respected fur coats to various causes. Potential beneficiaries of the proposed donation include refugee camps, homeless shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers.
“While nothing can bring back the minks who were killed for Joe Namath’s coat, it could still give some much-needed warmth to those in desperate need,” said Lisa Lange, the organization’s senior vice president. “PETA is encouraging the NFL legend to score a touchdown for kindness by donating these minks’ remains instead of trying to squeeze a few more dollars out of them.”
PETA, which routinely receives criticism over its out-of-mainstream positions on what some perceive to be noncontroversial practices, advised that it “opposes speciesism” as well as “a human-supremacist worldview.” The organization’s official motto notes that “animals are not ours to wear.”
In 2014, the animal rights group lambasted Namath for donning a “caveperson” coyote fur coat to officiate the Super Bowl XLVIII coin toss. PETA referred to Namath’s attire as an “eyesore.”
Upon forging his mark at The Capstone, Namath was selected as the first overall pick in the 1965 American Football League (AFL) draft by the New York Jets.
Later that year, after appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, “Broadway Joe” quickly became a media sensation due to his lavish fashion style.
PETA’s letter to Namath reads as follows:
Dear Joe,
We saw that you’re auctioning off some of your possessions, including one of your infamous fur coats, but if you instead turned it over to PETA, you’d gain some new fans and allow us to help those most in need.
We’ve donated coats to displaced refugees in Afghanistan and Syria, where they offer warmth and comfort to those with the only excuse to wear fur, and to homeless shelters in the U.S., including in New York, not far from where you played with the Jets.
There’s nothing we can do to bring back the animals who were beaten, electrocuted, gassed, and even skinned alive for their fur—so would you consider adding your coat to our donation program? You’d score extra points with this handoff.
Sincerely,
Matt Kilbourne
PETA
Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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