Vegan business owner sorry for post about Las Vegas 'meat eaters'
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP/WOLF) - The owner of a vegan food truck says she regrets a Facebook post in which she appeared to dismiss the deaths of "meat eaters" in the Las Vegas massacre.
Delinda Jensen, 60, of Wilkes-Barre, said she's received death threats and had to shut down her business after her post Monday night started going viral, sparking intense backlash both online and off.
Jensen wrote: "Yes I am jaded. Fifty nine meat eaters dead. How many animals will live because of this?" In a second comment, she used an expletive to say she didn't care about "carnists."
A gunman killed 58 people at a country music concert Sunday night, then killed himself as police closed in.
"It is a known fact that if you are a vegan, that you save 155 to 200 animals a year by being a vegan. And being an analytical person that I am, I went, 'OK. How many animals will not have to needlessly suffer?'" she told FOX56's Brian Sheehan.
Jensen said she became a vegan two years ago and started the Mother Nature Vegan Cuisine food truck with her son. She said she was trying to make the point that she believes animals are tortured and killed unnecessarily for their meat.
Jensen has since deactivated her Facebook account, hidden her food truck and canceled her bookings, and installed a security camera at her home. Her son said people have driven by their home, shouting threats and obscenities, and they have called police several times out of fear for their safety.
In response to Jensen's statement, the Wilkes-Barre mayor's office tells FOX56:
"We were appalled to learn that such a statement was issued. Any rational person who read the post would be understandably offended, as the statement was insensitive and hurtful."
"I'm not that kind of person, you know. We give food to the food bank and we feed the homeless. We fight for animals. We fight for people, too, for [human beings] as well. Life if life," Jensen told FOX56.
Video Courtesy: WOLF