legrandangle-lgm

I was walking my dog ​​D’Artagnan on Monday evening when a man in a yellow Amnesty International vest approached me, presumably wanting me to donate money or sign a petition. The odds of me agreeing with either are slim to none, but even if it was something I could respect, this guy had no chance of being taken seriously: he wore a cat’s tail.

Yes, a grown man (at least I believe it was a man) waving the banner of a human rights organization chose to accessorize with a feline cosplay. It doesn’t exactly scream, “Take us seriously!” And how he made my dog ​​react? It really scared me. I mean, “I out.”

I wasn’t the only one who fired Amnesty International’s cat man, but I bet I was the only conservative who walked by. The rest of the crowd that quickly walked away from the human cat was likely made up of liberals who could identify with what Amnesty International claims to support. But who wants to donate money to or sign a petition from a man who might be a hairy man?

No, even in Seattle, an Amnesty International catman should not be taken seriously

Seattle has long prided itself on accepting everyone for who they are. Live and let live! Love your authentic self!

But at what point does acceptance turn into absurd indulgence and uncomfortable narcissism? There’s nothing inherently harmful or dangerous about a man tying a cat’s tail and perhaps talking his way through life. But can we stop pretending this is normal adult behavior? It’s not quirky, it’s certainly not charming, and it certainly doesn’t enhance Amnesty International’s credibility as an accepting organization, at least to the extent that they are even aware of this activist’s sartorial decisions.

Amnesty International’s mission – selectively advocating for human rights and justice worldwide (except Jews) – is assumed to be serious. So why on earth would anyone think a cosplay accessory belongs to a representative of this mission? It’s like sending a clown (or Antony Blinken) to negotiate a peace treaty.

D’Artagnan was confused as he walked past the cat man. Is he a human friend or a feline enemy? (Photo: Jason Rantz, KTTH)

Don’t defend this absurdity

Of course, Amnesty International’s defenders of this cat-man behavior will trot out the tired tropes: “Who are we to judge?” and “It’s just a personal expression! They are their authentic selves!” Spare me.

Representation does indeed matter. Whether it’s a suit or a T-shirt with a cause on the chest, what someone wears while representing an organization sends a message. In this case the message is: “We are completely unserious people and we need help.” Imagine the reaction if a UN representative walked into a meeting with world leaders wearing bunny ears or dog paws. Should they be taken seriously for living as their authentic selves?

The Radical Left just asks us to accept this expression and shames us if we don’t. Sam Brinton, a man wearing a dress and lipstick attract a full goatee, is not a serious person. But we were told to take him seriously? Strangely enough, half often we see completely naked people walking on the sidewalks outside our studio and are we supposed to act like this is normal behavior? Recently we saw two people fully dressed as furs. But we shouldn’t judge. But I judge. Those are more normal people.

People completely dressed as furries outside the KTTH studio. (Photo: Jason Rantz, KTTH)

Acceptance or parody?

Seattle’s culture of “acceptance” has undeniably veered into self-parody. We have become Portland.

We took the concept of individuality and turned it into a cartoon. Wearing a cat’s tail might be funny at Comic-Con, but on the street, as a representative of an international NGO? It’s just chilling. And it’s just weird. Even Tim Walz could say that.

Whether we like it or not, people are quick to judge. A passerby unfamiliar with a cause might see the man with the cat’s tail and dismiss the organization, regardless of which representative he represents, as a joke. Worse, they might assume the mission isn’t serious either.

Seattle, and society as a whole, needs to embrace a dose of reality: this expression is not normal.

Not everything should be blindly accepted – including Amnesty International’s cat man

Not everything is acceptable just because it is packaged in the form of self-expression.

Adults have a responsibility to represent themselves – and the issues they care about – with dignity and professionalism. If you want to dress like a cat, do it on your own time. But if you’re standing on a busy street asking for donations to fight for justice and equality, you probably need to look the part. If Amnesty International’s cat man represented a group or cause that I supported, I would be extremely annoyed by that.

This isn’t about crushing individuality or even being narrow-minded; it’s about understanding the context. A little decorum can go a long way in achieving credibility. If a group or company wants to be taken seriously, it must start by establishing a baseline for how its representatives present themselves. I’ve asked Amnesty International if they have a dress code for their field activists, but I haven’t heard back yet. Either way, right now the message they’re sending is as mixed as a bad improv routine that we’re supposed to be impressed by.

Seattle may embrace the unconventional, but there’s a fine line between being unique and being ridiculous. And it’s not brave to wear a cat’s tail.

So to the man with the cat tail: put it away. Save the tail for Halloween and act like an adult, or get busy waving a sign for the opening of a Halloween costume shop.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz X, Instagram, YouTube And Facebook.

To follow @