Op-Ed: Save the Turtles

Thats all I can stands, and I can't stands no more. --Popeye

For years Nascar has attacked my kind. They've made fun of us. Excluded us. Belittled us. But last week they went too far.

The turtles have had enough.

As a graduate of the University of Maryland, I am a 100% terrapin, member of the turtle family. And during qualifying for the Pepsi 400, the first shot was fired in the war of aggression. If you didn't see it, a track worker was sent onto the banking when one of my hard-shell bretheren crawled onto the track. What happened next was reprehensable.

He kicked the turtle. HE KICKED HIM. Like a common hermit crab.

Oh, I know what you're thinking--"Hey, its just an isolated incident." But this goes back years. Nascar has long discriminated against Marylanders and turtles--when was the last time you saw Donnie "Fear the Turtle" Neuenberger in victory lane? And back in the 70's Nascar callously took away our only Cup date from the Beltsville Speedway.

But this time they've gone too far.

The turtles will rise up. The turtles will triumph. We will show you what a citizen of the Free State can do.

Fear the Turtle.