Furthermore, black is a color, not a race. They may as well complain about “Black Friday Sales”.

The only people who would object to “black is beautiful” as a slogan to help BDS victims, are speciesists. I conclude this because they apparently find it demeaning to ever in any way admit to sharing anything in common with a “mere animal”.

I have no sympathies with or for any group that claims to oppose racism while obviously being raging speciesists.

I also think it’s absurd to link BDS to racism. BDS exists due to superstition and a biological aversion to things that conceal detail. Black absorbs light, making it harder to gauge a dog’s facial expressions, or notice a predator skulking around. The color can also make it harder to distinguish between friend or foe without good lighting. BDS has as it’s root in our own evolutionary adaptation… an aversion to animals that are hard to see in the dark.

Black dog lovers will enjoy a new book by Pamela Black Townsend, called (ironically) “Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Dark Dogs,” available through http://www.pgspca.org
(all proceeds benefit the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County, Inc.)

Because if you’ve started to care for or, at least have a standard, for one type of being, you can use that to tap into caring for another type of being. What those animal protectors above don’t realize is that their efforts are magnified by what they are. If they become what they are asking for, they are in a better position to attract what they are asking for. Like attracts like.

So, if I tell you that “such and such” is hurtful, how about doing what you are asking of others? Be who you say you are. Partner with those who have come in contact with you because your FIRST STAGE of compassion. Partner with those who may be your entrance to another stage of growth and eventually success. Enter the second stage.

My background:

I grew up in the Cal area. Everyone knows that the only type of women is a blonde white woman. As a kid, I wasn’t any further behind in this realization. So, when trying to find where I fit in on the mainstream of things, I searched the term black beauty. I found a title “black beauty.” And, I went all the way to the library, excited as could be, trying to find a book about “black beauty.” I picked up the book, looked at the front cover..and, realized that in my world the only type of black beauty was a damn horse. Can you imagine what that felt like?

So, when the NAACP contacts someone, remember they are a group of people who have intimate contact with that kind of feeling, and have probably seen that “A Girl Like Me” documentary a thousand times over..When they come to you..they are coming to give you some information you did not have before.

I can imagine what it’s like for “black is beautiful” to illicit imagery of a dog, just like that “black beauty” now refers to a horse. Maybe, you can now too. But, what I’m sure you haven’t imagined is that when you take someone else’s culture and extricate it so that it applies to animals, you are making that hole of devastation even larger. But what can you do when you don’t know? Absolutely nothing.

So, it’s a great thing to care for black dogs, especially because it’s also a chance for you to “know.” So, here’s the chance to “know.” And, if I tell you what this is, and simply ask for your sympathy..and, you turn away after having paved your way toward undestanding-you passed up that second stage. In that case, you have absolutely no right to comment on people who haven’t entered their first.

The Universe, God, Budda Allah- every God-like power understands that because they all speak to connectivity and empathy. This was just another avenue for empathy. You can’t ask from others when you won’t give. Nobody ever became a vegan because of what happened to black people, and nobody is ever going to buy a dog because blondes are hot stuff. It isn’t even needed. So, why argue? Just partner, and evidence the compassion. That’s what power is, it taps into our connection. We are power when connected and open to one another. We are powerless when segmented. So, take the information when it comes to you, and be grateful for the chance to understand a little more about who you need to be before you become effective.

Using a black people mantra, and making it a black dog mantra CONTRIBUTES to the consciousness which has put these dogs in jeopardy. If their human caretakers don’t extend themselves enough to express concern for those they can immediately help, simply by picking a new mantra (Btw, how freakin hard is that?…) then, how can they expect any compassion to be shown back to them and their efforts? Out of respect, once someone informed me of the pain attached toward the dehumanization of a relevant cultural term- I would simply create my own term. This is something I would do for Native Americans, Jews, Hispanics, Gays, Irish, anyone who needed it..and, I would hope the same could be done for African people. These arguments which relate animals to the plight of blacks, are backwards from the beginning. If you want to understand why “spiritually” it just can not work, just try to understand karma. If you want to understand how “logically” it cannot work, just understand, that sympathy for blacks can not even stop “compassionate” people from further agitating their pain by continuing to use it in ways which hurt them.

The phrase is still in use for humans, black humans. International runways, Italian vogue, and the Documentary “A Girl Like Me” made this quite clear. So, at a time where that phrase is still used to uplift those who need it, and is still being used to identify those people specifically, the last thing one of us needs is for another association to be built i.e. “black dogs”=black is beautiful. This shelter slogan is a great example of how to get that meter going and going strong. If the shelter operators take a moment to learn, and then take another moment to extend a little bit of consideration..they may end up attracting the positive results they desire.

Like many mainstream vegan efforts, the way they are going about it ensures that it will not work. When you are honest, non-manipulative, and, you evidence the compassion you are asking for- people (many of the same people who were once avoiding you and your words) will, now, be interested in what you have to say.

The subconscious reactions of people to black dogs come from the same place that also holds what I call the karmic-bs meter. We all have this bs meter in our heads. It explains why when we think we believe in something, we either cannot follow through or are attracted to options which screw it up entirely. Something is just off. With a receptive attitude, these shelter owners could have made friends with NAACP members, and who knows what “positivity” could have cone from that..thousands of new homes for dogs, publicity which highlighted the plights of both species..who knows.. It could have been a blessing in waiting if they had risen to the occasion. There are things in life that are exactly that.. just opportunities that come by being a better and kinder person than you were a few moments ago. I think we’re all pretty capable of being conscious enough to listen when someone says we’re digging at their wounds.

This perked my interest on two levels. The first is that the value/privilege black dogs possess is based upon their utility (i.e. cuteness and innocence in the US and dangerousness in SA). The second was that she (as a white African) may have been referring to black Africans when she said “Africans” (although I may be reading into this too much). This would suggest that black dogs are sometimes used as instruments to protect white privilege. Any thoughts?