Last year I worked for some time on a secret project, one which I kept even from you, dear readers and Zombie Rights allies, but am now happy to disclose: I have formally set out on a quest to help take our advocacy of Undead Equality to the next level by becoming a lawyer.

Specifically, a lawyer specializing in Zombie Rights.

Why, you might be asking yourself, go into law? Well, as we’ve documented extensively here on the blog over the last year, Zombie Rights as an issue is gradually becoming more mainstream. Zombie Rights rallies, once unheard of events, are now not uncommon. Zombie Friendly tv shows, movies, even videogames are becoming more commonplace, and society is questioning, at least in a hesitant fashion, the constant dehumanization of the Undead in the media.

Madison’s current Mayor Paul Soglin campaigned for the Zombie Vote last spring.

As this occurs we’re seeing two very noteworthy trends. First, Zombies and their advocates are moving the forum used to call for change increasingly into the world of politics and the law. Our Zombie of the Year for 2011, Hannah Eiseman-Renyard, for example, has been carrying on a mighty struggle to get the UK courts to recognize that ‘Shambling While Zombie’ is not, and should not be, a criminal offense. (A very worthy goal)

Second, we’re seeing considerable backlash from the establishment to this bold step forward. One need look no further than our story last week about the vindictive persecution of potentially Undead voters in South Carolina, where an actual elected official said this:

“We must have certainty in South Carolina that zombies aren’t voting.”

Unbelievable? Sadly, it’s reality. Zombie Rights is moving into the halls of power but those same halls are full of devoted followers of Max Brooks and Robert Kirkman, and they are not going to give up without a struggle.

Anticipating these trends to some degree, and reacting as they occurred, last year I decided it was time to go back to school and gain the education I would require to help push Zombie Rights into the 21st century. I studied hard, took the LSAT in late October and applied to my law school of choice, UW-Madison, a very highly regarded school with an emphasis on law in the public interest, which seems like a perfect match to the needs of our burgeoning movement.

A few weeks ago I got my answer: I’ve been admitted, and will start in the fall of 2012.

What does this mean for the Zombie Rights Campaign? Well, first of all I will hopefully be taking on a new title in 2015; President and Chief Legal Counsel maybe. Don’t worry, I won’t be using billable hours with the ZRC.

Secondly, it may mean a decrease in our travel and convention appearances starting this fall, at least until I get the hang of academia again.

But thirdly, I hope it positions us well to move into the bold new future of Zombie Rights, where a case for the equal and just treatment of the Differently Animated is made in the streets, certainly, and in art and literature as well, but also in the courts and those pesky halls of power.

Zombie Rights protests: still an essential form of dialogue with the public.

The Movement needs legal representation, and I hope to proudly serve in that role.

Because Zombies need lawyers too.

Tags: Social Justice

This entry was posted by John Sears on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 10:04 am and is filed under ZRC News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.