Plastic fetus mailing garners bad publicity all around

"There is no such thing as bad publicity," Irish author Brendan Behan once said.

I'm guessing he never received 44,000 plastic fetuses in the mail.

Since the little reminders of the 35th anniversary of Roe v Wade -- sent to 44,000 Racinians this week by Dave Obernberger (president of the Meadowbrook Country Club) and the Racine Chapter of Wisconsin Right to Life -- started showing up and making the news, the publicity, at least on the Blogosphere, has been negative all around.

Negative toward the city, to those who didn't appreciate the mailing, and especially to the group that sent it out.

Wonkette, the Washington, DC, blog that usually gets its jollies by bashing politicians -- today's victims include Hillary, Huckabee, Chelsea Clinton, George Clooney, a Congressional candidate from Texas you never heard of (Dean Hrbacek, satisfied?) and Mitt Romney -- honored us with this headline: Plague of Plastic Fetuses Reminds Racine of Its Sins.

"Even if you have to sadly target your dead baby mailings next time, Dave, keep up the good work. It’s totally people like you that are keeping the abortion rate down in this country for sure and a grateful nation thanks you. Also, residents of Racine: please send some little plastic fetuses to Megan so she might give them out as Valentines this upcoming St. Valentine’s Day. Thanks."

Almost 100 comments were equally dismissive.

RedRover wrote (once I cleaned up his spelling): "My family is from Racine. Way to make that place look like a bunch of wackos."

Lazy Media chimed in: "BTW, this is the first time Racine has been in the news since John Dillinger's gang robbed it in 1933. Congrats! See you in 75 years!"

Many other blogs chimed in.

The Freedom Eden blog opined: "People in Racine flipped out when they received a little plastic model of a fetus in the mail... Maybe they're more comfortable believing the stork brings babies."

The blogger at Outchurched wrote: "I think an appropriate response to this propaganda would be to mail everyone in Racine a bit of plastic dog poo with a letter explaining how this is a bunch of Christianist Crap. (He thoughtfully provided a picture.)

Doin Time In Eire, PA took on Wisconsin Right to Life: "In what way is mailing a plastic fetus to someone of whom you know nothing about, personally, politically or otherwise, considered a positive act?"

Dreams in a Badger -- who listed her current mood as "aggravated" -- wrote "who are you to tell me what to do with my body?"

Burke Williamson of Hattiesburg, MS, wrote "The Racine Chapter... taught us they have no sense of decency and lack both common sense and manners."

The blogger at Retractiones, an evangelical Protestant blog, asked: "What's in poor taste and so offensive about sending a plastic fetus? Is someone's conscience sensitive here?" Referring to a Racine woman who said she recycled the plastic fetus, the blogger wrote: "Me, I'm more offended by folks disposing of real fetuses, which, IMHO, is going too far."

At Wonkette, by the way, a number of bloggers were concerned about the cost of the mailing.

Floraway wrote: "Think about the economics of this activity. Let's say the company gave him a bulk discount of 10 cents each. That is $4,400, plus the (at least) 41 cents to mail each one. That would make this a $22,440 project. That woman shouldn't be upset about getting it. He wasted nearly $25,000-- just laugh at him."

But after searching the internet, Floraway found an online source for the little dolls, and the price was much more than a dime: $1.99 to $1.15 (for bulk orders of at least six). "Okay, I take that back. He spent $52,360 on the dolls -- which brings the total to $70,400. He could have put a kid through school, or helped a single mom buy a condo with that money. I think he made the right call though."

We'll give the last word to Chicago Bureau, writing on Wonkette: "Racine? Huh. Everyone knows that Kenosha is truly a den of iniquity."

By Friday night, the Wonkette post had drawn 2,860 views, and 92 comments.