In a promotional stunt taken to the extreme, two half-naked activists braved the chilly weather Friday to make out on campus and prove vegetarians are better lovers.
The event, sponsored by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, consisted of an air mattress placed near the SUB for the lovers.
"Of course we're cold, but we're here to prove a point," said Ravi Chand, a U.S. Marine whose teeth chattered as he spoke.
PETA's "Live Make Out Tour," consisting of five nationwide stops strategically placed in prominent locations in each city, was a pre-Valentine's Day attempt to convert Americans to vegetarianism.
The couple spent an hour in each of the cities they visited, including San Diego, Tucson, El Paso and Colorado Springs.
The frolicking couple's display of affection gathered a lot of attention from passing students. More than 40 vegetarian starter kits were distributed to people interested in cutting meat out of their lives.
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"There's nothing sexy about gnawing on the corpse of a dead animal," said Bethany Walker, a model decked out in skimpy lingerie. "There's also nothing sexy about clogged arteries, especially when those arteries lead to your sex organs."
Chand said PETA came up with the radical idea for the tour to show that vegetarians tend to be slimmer, sexier and have more stamina and energy, especially in the bedroom.
"Over a million people discover the benefits of this lifestyle every year," he said. "Besides, there's nothing sexy about someone who turns a blind eye to the suffering of animals killed for food."
The sight of the two people, covered with just a sheet, drew mixed reactions from the crowd that gathered around them.
Cristina Duran, a UNM senior, said she thought the event was a creative attempt to get attention to PETA's cause, but didn't agree with it.
"Neither me nor my boyfriend is vegetarian, but we have just as good sex as anyone else," she said. "Taking care of yourself physically is all that matters to be healthy in the bedroom."
Christopher Hatch, a non-degree student and self-proclaimed super vegetarian, said he was proud to see PETA getting involved with the UNM community and stands by the claims made by the actors.
"The human body is a machine," he said. "What you put into it is what you get out of it. Vegetarians really are better in the bedroom. My girlfriend doesn't have any complaints."
