It's all about getting attention in the media - the more outrageous you are the better chance you'll end up being covered in ther media somewhere where you get a boarder audience for your cause.

"If we only knew the plight of dogs and cats in China..." Of course, you want to do something real for the dog and cat population, adopt a stray, or spay or neuter your own - but who's gonna print that on the nightly news?

Yes, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting a law be passed or anything, but it would be nice if people showed a bit of common sense and respect for others. I agree that it would be a slippery slope as to what's offensive and to whom.

More than anything though, I just want to know what they hoped to accomplish. I'm fairly certain that no one that saw those signs had anything to do with fur in China. Nor does the cultural center. Were they suggesting a ban of all things Chinese until China is more humane to thier animals? Because that's just ridiculous.

I think I'll make my own sign to use the next time I encounter such a situation. It will read: "The people I'm standing with are idiots" on one side and: "I'm wasting my time" on another.

That's a good point.

Never mind. I probably look like I'm arguing for arguments sake and I don't feel like looking that way today.

Just make signs with pictures of children crying in terror and show it to their kids.

No, I think your original point was a good one, but not quite what I was refering to. I'm assuming that you were talking about actual trade embargos and such, which do work. What I was talking about was not ordering Chinese food, and going to Chinese New Year celebrations and the like, which seems pretty pointless to me as those things don't affect the actual country of China.

As for the eating dogs and cats, I guess I agree. I would want for them what I want for all animals though, which is to be treated in a humane manner regardless of their fate. I think that we tend to assume that cats and dogs are smarter and so they shouldn't be eaten. Pigs are smarter than cats or dogs though and we eat them all the time. I've heard that pigs are actually as smart as dolphins.

Heh. That would be a good response to the "Your mommy kills little animals" campaign that PETA had for a while. It would be the "Your mommy made my kids cry" campaign.