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BPSCG · 13th June 2008, 04:54 AM

Link

Quote:

A promotion by the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter to boost the adoption of black-coated dogs and cats that coincided with the week of Juneteenth has drawn criticism for being racially insensitive.

The shelter has halted its "Black is Beautiful" Week planned for Saturday through June 20 after the president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People raised concerns in the media.

"We apologize if our promotion to reduce fees on black dogs and cats offended anyone," shelter Director Cheryl Schneider said in a statement.

The shelter, which is in Georgetown, had planned to reduce adoption fees for black-coated animals to $25 during the week. The normal fee for adoption is $85, county spokeswoman Connie Watson said.

Nelson Linder, president of the Austin NAACP, said it was a "violation" to use "Black is Beautiful" as a promotion for an animal shelter and that the shelter was right to halt the promotion. The phrase became popular during the 1960s civil rights movement as a way to promote equality and African American self-esteem.

FWIW, the black cat in the story looks like Samoa, one of our cats, who regularly demonstrates to us that while black may be beautiful, it can also be dumber than a bag of wrenches.

bluess · 13th June 2008, 06:42 AM

Do not malign the black feline. Especially the one which falls asleep in the back corner of the closet, becoming invisible and thereby causing great consternation that he has managed to get outside and become fox-food. Or the other one who has not yet figured out the snarfing down food as quickly as possible always results in barfing it up just as quickly.

crackers · 13th June 2008, 09:16 AM

Go ahead and malign the one who can't figure out that sleeping on the stairs that have dark red carpeting is not a good idea, since it is difficult for people to see - and therefore avoid stepping on - a black cat on dark red carpeting at night. That one deserves to be maligned.

BPSCG · 13th June 2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

"We apologize if our promotion to reduce fees on black dogs and cats offended anyone," shelter Director Cheryl Schneider said in a statement.

Don't you love that?

The shelter has trouble finding homes for black dogs and cats, so it decides to get rid of the excess inventory by putting them on sale, instead of the time-honored method of killing them.

People are offended by the name of the promotion and the shelter is forced to call it off. So we can expect that more animals will be killed because it is better to kill a puppy or a kitten than it is to offend a PICO.

This struck me, too:

Quote:

Nelson Linder, president of the Austin NAACP, said it was a "violation" to use "Black is Beautiful" as a promotion for an animal shelter and that the shelter was right to halt the promotion.

A "violation?" Violation of what? Is "Black is Beautiful" copyrighted or trademarked?

BlackCat · 13th June 2008, 11:21 AM

Geez, we did the same thing, except we went through with it. Here (2nd from the bottom). Sorry, that's the best link I could find. It just happened to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. It's sad that people get offended, but sadder that people won't adopt a animals based on how they look. I guess I'm weird, I adopted my cats based on their personality.

Piscivore · 13th June 2008, 11:29 AM

They should have an auction instead.

BPSCG · 13th June 2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Piscivore

They should have an auction instead.

Except some jurisdictions have really anal rules regarding adoptions...

billydkid · 13th June 2008, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by BPSCG

Link
FWIW, the black cat in the story looks like Samoa, one of our cats, who regularly demonstrates to us that while black may be beautiful, it can also be dumber than a bag of wrenches.

That's just what this country needs more of - people whining about and being offended and "victimized" by nothing. The problem with this kind of thing is it trivializes those instances when people truly are victimized.

Piscivore · 13th June 2008, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by billydkid

That's just what this country needs more of - people whining about and being offended and "victimized" by nothing. The problem with this kind of thing is it trivializes those instances when people truly are victimized.

Too right. It almost makes me want to get a black cat on sale and call it "Nyouknowwhat".

articulett · 13th June 2008, 01:12 PM

I recently lost my 14 year old "Negress tigress". She was a gem.

When I fostered animals for the Humane Society, we wouldn't put the black cats up for adoption around Halloween because of some people supposedly doing cruel things to them.

I think the ad sounded like a good idea. As a person who often wears black, I can assure you that black pet fur blends in better with most anything than white pet fur. White pet fur on your pillow ends up making you look greyer in the morning.

fuelair · 13th June 2008, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by billydkid

That's just what this country needs more of - people whining about and being offended and "victimized" by nothing. The problem with this kind of thing is it trivializes those instances when people truly are victimized.

Yep!!

Complexity · 13th June 2008, 03:15 PM

Politically correct idiots.

Love cats.

Not idiots.

gtc · 13th June 2008, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by BlackCat

I guess I'm weird, I adopted my cats based on their personality.

My mother adopted her new cat because she thought no one else would adopt a cat with such a snarky personality.

Redtail · 13th June 2008, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by BlackCat

I guess I'm weird, I adopted my cats based on their personality.

So did my fiancee... Granted the cats mom licked a sheet of acid while she was pregnant with her.

tkingdoll · 13th June 2008, 05:34 PM

Ha ha that cat should be playing duelling banjos!

Seriously though, I've never come across issues with black-coated animals being less popular before. Is that just a USA thing, I wonder.

Ron_Tomkins · 13th June 2008, 05:57 PM

Screw this. I tried putting a link here to a funny website but I can't because one of the keywords from the URL is being automatically censored by the system. God knows I tried (if there is one).

So now, you're left with no joke site. Bye.

bigred · 14th June 2008, 06:17 PM

Damn you racist hate-ah crackas. You're just insensitive to all the oppression by the MAN, and all the victimized blacks denied jobs and drinking fountains and their womens being raped by honky because blah etc blah...affirmative action isn't racist....*dribble drool*

Yknow I'd laugh at this latest of only about a billion examples of the mind-numbing stupidity that is the race card in this country if it didn't mean the senseless deaths of innocent animals in the name of not offending whiny aholes just begging to be offended.

Can't we just euthanize them? To say it would make more sense is a gross understatement.

(cue the race card)

articulett · 14th June 2008, 06:40 PM

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I AGREE

tkingdoll · 15th June 2008, 07:25 AM

The animals aside, why would black people want to make animal coat colour a race issue? Isn't that rather degrading?

Black-coated animals exist. For some reason they are less popular pets and so there is an issue. And that issue can't be solved by drawing attention to it, because some human beings have dark brown skin? Huh?

13th June 2008, 04:54 AM	#1
BPSCG Cannibal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Looting Fafner's Cave Posts: 17,556	Some of Man's Best Friends Are Black Link Quote: A promotion by the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter to boost the adoption of black-coated dogs and cats that coincided with the week of Juneteenth has drawn criticism for being racially insensitive. The shelter has halted its "Black is Beautiful" Week planned for Saturday through June 20 after the president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People raised concerns in the media. "We apologize if our promotion to reduce fees on black dogs and cats offended anyone," shelter Director Cheryl Schneider said in a statement. The shelter, which is in Georgetown, had planned to reduce adoption fees for black-coated animals to $25 during the week. The normal fee for adoption is $85, county spokeswoman Connie Watson said. Nelson Linder, president of the Austin NAACP, said it was a "violation" to use "Black is Beautiful" as a promotion for an animal shelter and that the shelter was right to halt the promotion. The phrase became popular during the 1960s civil rights movement as a way to promote equality and African American self-esteem. FWIW, the black cat in the story looks like Samoa, one of our cats, who regularly demonstrates to us that while black may be beautiful, it can also be dumber than a bag of wrenches.
	__________________ Philanthropist (n.) - Someone who spends his own money to advance his version of Utopia. Socialist (n.) - Someone who spends your money to advance his version of Utopia. Last edited by BPSCG; 13th June 2008 at 04:56 AM.

13th June 2008, 06:42 AM	#2
bluess Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Dithering between book choices in a shop somewhere. Posts: 3,431	Do not malign the black feline. Especially the one which falls asleep in the back corner of the closet, becoming invisible and thereby causing great consternation that he has managed to get outside and become fox-food. Or the other one who has not yet figured out the snarfing down food as quickly as possible always results in barfing it up just as quickly.
	__________________ 'Lord Emsworth, that amiable but bone-headed peer, stood at the window drooping like a wet sock.' -PG Wodehouse, The Crime Wave at Blandings

13th June 2008, 09:16 AM	#3
crackers Muse Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 700	Go ahead and malign the one who can't figure out that sleeping on the stairs that have dark red carpeting is not a good idea, since it is difficult for people to see - and therefore avoid stepping on - a black cat on dark red carpeting at night. That one deserves to be maligned.
crackers Muse Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 700

13th June 2008, 09:48 AM	#4
BPSCG Cannibal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Looting Fafner's Cave Posts: 17,556	Quote: "We apologize if our promotion to reduce fees on black dogs and cats offended anyone," shelter Director Cheryl Schneider said in a statement. Don't you love that? The shelter has trouble finding homes for black dogs and cats, so it decides to get rid of the excess inventory by putting them on sale, instead of the time-honored method of killing them. People are offended by the name of the promotion and the shelter is forced to call it off. So we can expect that more animals will be killed because it is better to kill a puppy or a kitten than it is to offend a PICO. This struck me, too: Quote: Nelson Linder, president of the Austin NAACP, said it was a "violation" to use "Black is Beautiful" as a promotion for an animal shelter and that the shelter was right to halt the promotion. A "violation?" Violation of what? Is "Black is Beautiful" copyrighted or trademarked?
	__________________ Philanthropist (n.) - Someone who spends his own money to advance his version of Utopia. Socialist (n.) - Someone who spends your money to advance his version of Utopia.

13th June 2008, 11:21 AM	#5
BlackCat Notorious Path Crosser Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 368	Geez, we did the same thing, except we went through with it. Here (2nd from the bottom). Sorry, that's the best link I could find. It just happened to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. It's sad that people get offended, but sadder that people won't adopt a animals based on how they look. I guess I'm weird, I adopted my cats based on their personality.
	__________________ We are star stuff which has taken its own destiny into its hands. -Carl Sagan I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours. -Stephen Roberts

13th June 2008, 11:29 AM	#6
Piscivore Smelling fishy Join Date: May 2004 Location: Home is wherever I'm with you Posts: 26,559	They should have an auction instead.
	__________________ [R]evenge is a dish best served screaming and insane. - TM "...untrustworthy obnoxious twerp." - CFLarsen

13th June 2008, 11:56 AM	#7
BPSCG Cannibal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Looting Fafner's Cave Posts: 17,556	Originally Posted by Piscivore They should have an auction instead. Except some jurisdictions have really anal rules regarding adoptions...
	__________________ Philanthropist (n.) - Someone who spends his own money to advance his version of Utopia. Socialist (n.) - Someone who spends your money to advance his version of Utopia.

13th June 2008, 12:37 PM	#8
billydkid Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Blanchester, OH Posts: 4,930	Originally Posted by BPSCG Link FWIW, the black cat in the story looks like Samoa, one of our cats, who regularly demonstrates to us that while black may be beautiful, it can also be dumber than a bag of wrenches. That's just what this country needs more of - people whining about and being offended and "victimized" by nothing. The problem with this kind of thing is it trivializes those instances when people truly are victimized.
	__________________ Wasting away in Blanchester.

13th June 2008, 01:12 PM	#9
Piscivore Smelling fishy Join Date: May 2004 Location: Home is wherever I'm with you Posts: 26,559	Originally Posted by billydkid That's just what this country needs more of - people whining about and being offended and "victimized" by nothing. The problem with this kind of thing is it trivializes those instances when people truly are victimized. Too right. It almost makes me want to get a black cat on sale and call it "Nyouknowwhat".
	__________________ [R]evenge is a dish best served screaming and insane. - TM "...untrustworthy obnoxious twerp." - CFLarsen

13th June 2008, 01:12 PM	#10
articulett Banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Las Vegas, NV (and the ethers of cyberspace) Posts: 15,786	I recently lost my 14 year old "Negress tigress". She was a gem. When I fostered animals for the Humane Society, we wouldn't put the black cats up for adoption around Halloween because of some people supposedly doing cruel things to them. I think the ad sounded like a good idea. As a person who often wears black, I can assure you that black pet fur blends in better with most anything than white pet fur. White pet fur on your pillow ends up making you look greyer in the morning.

13th June 2008, 01:14 PM	#11
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 29,301	Originally Posted by billydkid That's just what this country needs more of - people whining about and being offended and "victimized" by nothing. The problem with this kind of thing is it trivializes those instances when people truly are victimized. Yep!!
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 29,301

13th June 2008, 03:15 PM	#12
Complexity The Woo Whisperer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Minnesota, USA Posts: 9,263	Politically correct idiots. Love cats. Not idiots.
	__________________ "It is a great nuisance that knowledge can only be acquired by hard work." - W. Somerset Maugham "Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established intuititions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man." - Bertrand Russell

13th June 2008, 04:10 PM	#13
gtc Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: the downunderverse Posts: 7,114	Originally Posted by BlackCat I guess I'm weird, I adopted my cats based on their personality. My mother adopted her new cat because she thought no one else would adopt a cat with such a snarky personality.
	__________________

13th June 2008, 04:19 PM	#14
Redtail Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 9,396	Originally Posted by BlackCat I guess I'm weird, I adopted my cats based on their personality. So did my fiancee... Granted the cats mom licked a sheet of acid while she was pregnant with her.
Redtail Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 9,396	__________________ AVENGERS!!!.. Turn off the dark!

13th June 2008, 05:34 PM	#15
tkingdoll AKA TEEK Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Up Myself Posts: 12,471	Ha ha that cat should be playing duelling banjos! Seriously though, I've never come across issues with black-coated animals being less popular before. Is that just a USA thing, I wonder.
	__________________ www.stormmovie.net Official website of Tim Minchin's Storm Movie Last edited by tkingdoll; 13th June 2008 at 05:34 PM.

13th June 2008, 05:57 PM	#16
Ron_Tomkins Satan's Helper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 32,199	Screw this. I tried putting a link here to a funny website but I can't because one of the keywords from the URL is being automatically censored by the system. God knows I tried (if there is one). So now, you're left with no joke site. Bye.
	Last edited by Ron_Tomkins; 13th June 2008 at 06:00 PM.

14th June 2008, 06:17 PM	#17
bigred Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Posts: 12,571	Damn you racist hate-ah crackas. You're just insensitive to all the oppression by the MAN, and all the victimized blacks denied jobs and drinking fountains and their womens being raped by honky because blah etc blah...affirmative action isn't racist....dribble drool Yknow I'd laugh at this latest of only about a billion examples of the mind-numbing stupidity that is the race card in this country if it didn't mean the senseless deaths of innocent animals in the name of not offending whiny aholes just begging to be offended. Can't we just euthanize them? To say it would make more sense is a gross understatement. (cue the race card)

15th June 2008, 07:25 AM	#19
tkingdoll AKA TEEK Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Up Myself Posts: 12,471	The animals aside, why would black people want to make animal coat colour a race issue? Isn't that rather degrading? Black-coated animals exist. For some reason they are less popular pets and so there is an issue. And that issue can't be solved by drawing attention to it, because some human beings have dark brown skin? Huh?
	__________________ www.stormmovie.net Official website of Tim Minchin's Storm Movie