The liberal Middle East lobbying group J Street was crowned the loser of its office building’s annual pumpkin carving contest after entering a sloppily carved peace sign into the competition, according to sources close to the contest.
J Street carved what experts deemed a crooked peace sign into its pumpkin, which was then surrounded by the group’s literature and a bottle of Bacardi’s moderately priced "Puerto Rican Rum."
A lit candle had been placed inside the pumpkin.
J Street also fashioned arms for its pumpkin out of green pipe cleaners. One raised arm was waving a peace sign, while the other arm held what observers described as a flag of surrender.
It read: "#PumpkinsForPeace."
The liberal lobbying group, which recently expressed its opposition to new sanctions on Iran, also submitted a bottle of alcohol for the judges.
"For the judges ONLY! (Peace!)" read a sign attached to the Bacardi rum.
J Street also submitted two shot glasses painted with the phrase, "Fill to the green line," an apparent reference to the international line that divides Israeli and Palestinian territory.
Also included in the group’s display was what observers called "pro peace" literature. These include a "sign for peace" in "Palestine," "Israel," and "the Middle East."
A t-shirt produced by J Street’s college campus group, J Street U, could also be seen displayed with its pumpkin.
"J Street U: Making parents uncomfortable since 2009," the t-shirt reads.
Pro Israel insiders were not impressed.
"The Iranians are building nukes, and J Street thinks it’s the summer of love," said one Washington, D.C. based pro Israel insider. "Take two and pass, man."