Twinkies defense

1/12/12, No. 16

@Jaxonpool _______

Jacksonville News with Violent Crawley: News broke today that, in addition to its partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) and WJCT-FM, the University of North Florida will partner with a number of other struggling entities, including Hostess Brands, maker of Twinkies, Sno Balls, and Wonder Bread.

The 87-year old maker of Hostess Twinkies announced yesterday it is seeking bankruptcy protection. Read about this historic event in the Wall Street Journal: Twinkies maker Hostess seeks bankruptcy protection

Upon hearing the news, the UNF’s leadership allegedly jumped into action, suggesting a partnership with the troubled Twinkies maker would enhance the university’s prestige. If the deal goes through, Jacksonville will take over from San Francisco the title “Home of the Twinkies Defense,” which S.F. earned back in 1979.

In 1978, former firefighter and police officer and then current S.F. City Supervisor Dan White shot and killed Harvey Milk, the nation’s first openly gay elected official. The next year at his trial, White used the “Twinkies Defense.”

White defended himself by saying eating too many Twinkies drove him to shoot Milk. His success at trial led to the White Night Riots of March 21st, 1979.

Burning police cruisers can be seen in the background (image credit: Daniel Nicoletta). Read the Wikipedia entry: Twinkies Defense
Now that Jacksonville is attempting to defend Twinkies from extinction, it will assume the official title of “Home of the Twinkies Defense.” A billboard advertising Twinkies that gay activists will routinely vandalize (similar to the one formerly in San Francisco) will be erected either in Springfield or Riverside.

Perhaps the University of North Florida would be a better location for the billboard than Springfield or Riverside. It could go next to the statues of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., in the Peace Garden..

Now, back to business. One thing that can be concluded about the man named White who went berzerk shooting people after eating Twinkies is that it was a PR disaster for the company. The university intends to promote a positive image of the product by circulating this video: