Posted By John Sears on December 14, 2013

Hello faithful Zombie Friendly readers! The ZRC is, despite appearances, still functional and working on devising new strategies for advancing the cause of Undead Equality.

It’s just that pesky mundane regular life has been getting in the way the last few weeks. An update:

First, as part of my efforts to get into better picketing shape (holding those signs up for hours can be tiring!) I, your humble ZRC President, have been doing a little weightlifting. Nothing like longtime ZRC pal Marv Blauvelt, of course, but every little bit helps.

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, I had a little… mishap. Dropped a barbell, first on one leg, then on another. Fortunately nothing was permanently damaged!

(Believe it or not, this is after most of the swelling had gone down and healing had set in)

But it did cut down on the old mobility a bit.

Then it was time for finals, and I thought I had things under control, until… well… the pneumonia outbreak.

Yes, we have an actual pneumonia outbreak here in Madison. And suspiciously, I came down with a rather severe lung infection at the same time.

But fear not, Zombie pals: I have now seen the finest of doctors for the Living, am thoroughly medicated, and have almost completed my finals as well. Soon shall come the holidays. Soon shall come winter break, and then a brand new year of Zombie Rights Activism.

We hope that you’ll join us.

Category: ZRC News | No Comments »
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Posted By John Sears on November 23, 2013

Here at The Zombie Rights Campaign we’re very concerned about official Anti-Zombie prejudice deriving from the negative stereotypes you see in popular culture. It’s certainly a problem when Robert Kirkman flaunts his hatred of the Differently Animated; it’s much more of a problem with official government agencies do it.

Zombies have Civil Rights too.

So we were disheartened to hear that the LAPD, a police department with a storied and often troubled civil rights history for the Living, is basing some of its current outreach operations on Walking Dead-style Zombie stereotyping.

Observe:

The Los Angeles Police Department is hoping a zombie apocalypse will add some teeth to its online crime-prevention campaign.
Taking a page from Hollywood’s script-book, the LAPD’s Northeast Division has produced a new public service video starring predatory “walkers” inspired by the pop culture TV phenomenon “The Walking Dead.”
The campy seven-minute homemade movie, titled “Invasion of the Zombie Bandits,” has already garnered more than 2,350 views on YouTube.

The actual video is below for your inspection.

Now, the LAPD does market this as a ‘parody’. And the ZRC is willing to give the department some very LIMITED credit for a resolution that merely involves an unjust arrest of the Zombies, not an unjust, err, extermination.

But that’s still not a good situation. And we have no idea why Zombies, allegedly, are after iPads. A new one for the ZRC.

I mean, I know I’ve envied Michelle Hartz’s iPad at conventions. Very useful for ringing up sales. But she interacts with a lot of Zombies, and I’ve never seen any of them lunge for it.

Hmm.

At any rate, police strategies should never be based on Anti-Zombie propaganda. What kind of message does this send to the Zombies of Los Angeles? That their police force isn’t really there for them?

Truly unfortunate. Zombies deserve police protection too.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Social Justice, Youtube Mischief

Posted By John Sears on November 16, 2013

The Zombie Rights Campaign largely stayed out of commenting on the political arena this year, but we would like to, now that the campaign season has cooled down, issue a word of caution about a trend we are observing: Protesting as Zombies. In other words, dressing up as Zombies, not to protest on behalf of Zombies, to show solidarity with the Differently Animated, but to use the Undead image for your own, separate cause.

Case in point:

Dressed as zombies and calling themselves “the learning dead,” Chicago public school students marched from CPS headquarters to City Hall on Friday to protest what they call “the death of Chicago public education.” The students demanded a meeting with Mayor Rahm Emanuel to address their requests, which include reallocating CPS funds given to charter schools back to public schools, installing a democratically elected board of education, and using the city’s TIF surplus for public education. The effort was organized by Chicago Student Union and included participants from at least 10 public schools.

This is a concern for the Zombie Rights Movement. For one thing, as alluded to above, it can detract from attention paid to actual civil rights issues for the Undead. It could even be seen as co-opting their unique voices, which the ZRC feels strongly should be heard, even if they are sometimes (we’re not judgmental) more of a gutteral, growling sort of communication.

No one is perfect.

On the other hand, we also feel that public education is a vital tool for spreading Zombie Tolerance into larger American society. (see our pamphlet on Education for the Undead)

As Justice Marshall lamented in 1974 (in a dissent for Milliken v. Bradley, for legal scholars), “ ..unless our children begin to learn together, there is little
hope that our people will ever learn to live together.”

So we share the great concern of these young individuals protesting the closure of their schools in Chicago for a robust future public education system. It’s one of the best chances Undead children have, after all.

We just hope that the future of public education involves Zombies in the classroom, not only as symbols.

For more, here’s the press release of said protesting ‘Zombies’. It’s not terribly Zombie Friendly.

Category: Zombie Media, ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Don't Use the Zed Word, Greenface

Posted By John Sears on November 9, 2013

The Zombie Rights Campaign has been aware of the work of artist George Pfau for a while now, but we have been remiss in bringing him to your attention, and it’s time to rectify that.

Mr. Pfau is a Living Artist, who works in Zombie Art. This in and of itself is not so surprising. What is, however, surprising, is the way he approaches the depiction of Zombies.

Not as the slathering grotesqueries from Film and mass entertainment, but as unique, and intriguing, individuals.

We can get behind that.

Mr. Pfau is particularly interested in exploring the blurry (but we advocate, broad and inclusive) line between the Living and the Dead, the Human and the Inhuman, into which Zombies must negotiate their Unlives.

For example, take his Zombieindex.us project. Mr Pfau described it to us in part:

Zombieindex.us is part of a multi-media investigation prompted by the question: what is a zombie?
The website consists of a zoom-able drawing, a collection of names of people who inspired the drawing, and a network of links embedded inside the pronouns I, we, you, me, and us. Over the past several years I have based my art practice exploring all-things-zombie and am constantly amazed by the breadth of manifestations and possibilities of what a zombie can be.

…

Emphasis is placed on the amount information is needed to portray a humanoid figure, and thus figures range from detailed and recognizable, to iconic stick figures. Zombies provide a fascinating middle-zone between alive and dead, individual and group, inside and outside. Therefore, my hope for this website is that it can be a celebration of inbetween-ness and the grotesque without necessarily glorifying violence.

Without glorifying violence! Again, we can get behind that.

Last March Mr. Pfau also presented a lecture on the nature of Zombie Art, entitled “Zombies, identified” that I only wish we could have attended. Sadly it fell right during my midterms, across a continent. But just check this description out:

George Pfau will present a slideshow of drawings, film stills, videos, and animations, drawing focus toward the zombie as a learning tool about identity and the ephemeral aspects of being human, rather than a sub-human “other” used to promote negative stereotypes. This project stems from Pfau’s essay entitled “Feverish Homeless Cannibal” which is being published in the forthcoming Zombies in the Academy. The slideshow is about an hour and will be followed by Q and A.

Ah. Art that addresses the Anti-Zombie stereotypes in the media. So refreshing.

So when Mr. Pfau recently told us about his latest project, ‘Zombies in the Landscape’, I knew it was finally time for an in-depth writeup.

But enough reading about the art and process second hand – there’s informative video to be seen.

Zombies in the Landscape from George Pfau on Vimeo.

Intriguing. I particularly like the re-imaginings of Dawn of the Dead. Seen from afar, it seems so.. peaceful, doesn’t it?

I suppose that’s true of all the conflicts in our lives and Unlives.

Given enough distance, we’re all just people, Zombies and the Living alike. The trick is to maintain that knowledge from a closer perspective.

So our ZRC hats are off to George Pfau for his excellent illustration(s) of our shared humanity. We need more artists like him working today.

We rate his work as thoroughly Zombie Friendly

Full Disclosure: Mr. Pfau was kind enough to donate a few small pieces for the ZRC’s Zombie Shelter, to help put Undead occupants at ease during difficult transitions in their Unlives. He asked for no compensation for this generous and humanitarian gesture.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Zombie Art

Posted By John Sears on November 9, 2013

If you’ve been on the internet the last few years, no doubt you have seen the seemingly endless parade of ‘TED Talks’, or ‘lifehacks’, and such. Videos or articles outlining supposedly revolutionary ways to view the world or change our behaviors to improve our lives.

Well, what if Zombies, in a ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ scenario, had their own ‘DED Talks’, if you will?

(Warning: Some Disturbing Content)

It’s hard to talk about this video without revealing the very surprising (and, to our minds, upsetting) ending. So I won’t. What I will say is two things:

1) Zombies *do* need their own inspirational or educational materials, literature and what not. ZRC Pal Michelle Hartz has been publishing such material, separately from our good selves, for years now. She has a book of Undead Fairytales coming out soon, including an audiobook version. Perfect for Lurches.

I have read an advance copy and found it delightful, suitable for Zombies of most ages. (Let’s face it, fairy tales are a big PG-13, the good ones anyway).

2) Zombies can’t afford to indulge in Anti-Zombie stereotyping against other Zombies. You are not just a brain-eating machine, any more than a Chipotle customer is a burrito-eating machine!

Though given how often *I* eat their burritos, that may reflect some personal bias. (It’s right near the Law School, ok?)

Bottom line: When giving your own advice to the other Differently Animated, remember, they may come from differing backgrounds, ways of Unlife and experience than yourself. Be open! Be inclusive! And try to advance the Zombie Friendly cause as well.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Youtube Mischief

Posted By John Sears on October 30, 2013

The Zombie Rights Campaign had a great time at Nightmare on Chicago Street in Elgin last Saturday!

We were once again very impressed by the extremely creative, extremely hardworking Elgin crew, who create what is unambiguously the biggest, most elaborate Halloween public celebration and Zombie Walk we have ever seen.

(Like being in an action movie DVD on pause!)

It really puts the sad, soulless, tepid corporate spectacle Madison calls ‘Freakfest’ to shame.

As Madison residents, we will have to work on that.

We had our ZRC-Standard booth/outreach station, and decorated it to be festive, inviting, and above all, SAFE for the Zombie population, duly designated with a ‘Zombie Shelter’ sign.

In addition to our usual merchandise and literature, we also had CANDY, as befits the season, and offered it to Zombies, Zombie Allies, and, pragmatically, people who would at least feign alliance until they were out of earshot.

Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

This year Nightmare on Chicago Street had a special Steampunk theme, highlighting Zombiism from the early Industrial Age in a (probably apocryphal) account of Elgin’s history.

I do not claim to be an expert on Elgin’s past, so the ZRC has to take their claim of a minor, and unfortunately cruelly repressed, Zombie ‘outbreak’ in the 19th century at face value. If those Zombies existed, we clearly would be there for them… in a little over a century.

This individual was peddling an alleged ‘cure’ for Zombiism. I do not believe his wares were the least bit FDA approved!!

Of course, even the liquor merchants are peddling Zombie ‘cures’ this time of year.

Don’t get the wrong idea; profiteering opportunists aside, it was a largely tolerant crowd. We talked with a ton of cheerful, receptive people in Elgin this year, and I’m convinced we are gradually turning the whole city Zombie Friendly! Almost no arguments with our position, just interested folks who had not considered the issue of Zombie Rights, but were willing to learn.

And to wear our newest shirt! We were very happy with the response to that one, not least because each shirt’s net proceeds go to cancer research, furthering our efforts to showcase Zombies Doing Good.

The Zombie Rights Campaign had a great AND very productive outing, and we are already looking forward to next year in Elgin.

For additional pictures of the annual Elgin awesomeness, see our Flickr page here.

Category: Lurch for the Cure, ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Public Appearance, Zombie Public Event, Zombies Doing Good

Posted By John Sears on October 28, 2013

Hello out there, Zombie Allies! Today we have some exciting (well, to us) news about The Zombie Rights Campaign store.

First, though, a technical matter. We have now converted the store to run off of the Square Marketplace, who provide us (and thousands of other small businesses/organizations) with credit card processing more generally.

We love Square! So prompt, so easy to use, so trustworthy. And no demonstrated Anti-Zombie prejudice, which is nice.

Second, we have a new shirt, a new shirt which raises both Zombie Awareness AND funds for Cancer Research!

Yes, this is the new Lurch for the Cure shirt! Tasteful, cuddly, and a nice balance of pink to other colors (which can be hard to find this time of year).

We hope you will enjoy it. 18 dollars online, shipping included, which works out to be about 6 dollars per shirt (all net proceeds) to the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation.

They do amazing work, and you can support it AND Zombie Friendliness at the same time!

Because YOU care.

And so do the Zombies.

Category: ZRC News | 2 Comments »
Tags: Zombie Products, Zombies Doing Good

Posted By John Sears on October 28, 2013

Last Thursday night, the Rifftrax gang (who we have had previous disagreements with, see our Plan 9 From Outer Space review) hosted a screening of the classic, and unfortunately Anti-Zombie film, ‘Night of the Living Dead’.

And of course, they made fun of it.

(har-har. But it *could* be viewed as a Rifftrax fan mocking the movie, not the Zombies!)

Overall, the Zombie Rights Campaign was pleasantly surprised. Granted, Rifftrax’s politics vis a vis Zombie Rights still needs work. And there were quite a few ahistorical jokes about brain-eating (which is not seen in ‘Night of the Living Dead’ or any other Romero Zombie film).

And there was definitely a misunderstanding of Zombie history, with ‘Night of the Living Dead’ presented as, if not the first Zombie film, the one that ‘set all the rules’. Which ignores the lengthy cinematic history of Zombies on film, going back, at least, to ‘White Zombie’ in 1932.. This was of course 36 years before ‘Night of the Living Dead’. They also had a title card stating that there haven’t been any innovations in Zombie films since ’28 Days Later’, which we could take issue with.

But still, in spite of all this? It was much Zombie Friendlier than their ‘Plan 9′ event. No ‘Re Your Brains’ musical stereotyping of the Undead. Fewer overtly Anti-Zombie jokes. And overall, the Rifftrax crew were taking more jabs at the Living characters and their bizarre behavior, rather than the Zombies, who were seen as at least not killing one another right and left.

We appreciate that. So in the spirit of good faith, and rewarding good behavior, we’re giving this one a Zombie Neutral rating.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Movies, Public Appearance, Review

Posted By John Sears on October 19, 2013

Zombies Allies: we hope the autumn season finds you well. The leaves are colorful, the air is crisp, and there’s a little holiday coming up, I forget the name.

Hallo-something or other.

I jest, of course; this is the most Zombie Time of the Year after all!

Next weekend the Zombie Rights Campaign will be at ‘Nightmare on Chicago Street’ for our third consecutive year, bringing a positive message of Zombie Friendly-ness to a deserving and sadly misled population. (see last year’s coverage here). We hope you’ll join us.

Also of note next week, the Rifftrax gang are hosting a live showing of ‘Night of the Living Dead’ next Thursday. We are cautiously optimistic about a more tolerant depiction of the Undead than was seen in their previous ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ event (covered here on the ZRC blog).

And remember, if you are a Living person, and you wish to dress as a Zombie for the holidays this year, perhaps to show solidarity? Do it respectfully please. No Greenface, no lurching around angrily after ‘braaaaaaaains’.

Let’s be inclusive. Let’s do it for the Zombies

Category: Zombie Media, ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Movies, Public Appearance, Romero

Posted By John Sears on October 12, 2013

Yes, ‘The Walking Dead’ will be back on Sunday, showcasing the latest and ‘greatest’ in Anti-Zombie violence from the frankly disturbing mind of Robert Kirkman.

This leads to a lot of breathlessly happy reporting on the season debut, and tragically stereotyped reporting on the Differently Animated.

From Discovery News to CNN, it is a media full court press against the Undead.

We MAY need to get a new pamphlet ready.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Journamalism, Robert Kirkman, Television