Posted By John Sears on December 3, 2012

So, posts on the site have been a bit light lately.

Ok, extremely light.

There are two reasons: one is that pursuing the degree to become the world’s first Zombie Rights Lawyer takes a rather shockingly huge amount of time/effort/soul-crushing despair.

The second is that, taunted by longtime ZRC collaborator/Lord of the Pit Michelle Hartz, I participated in NaNoWrimo again this year.

I actually completed it too! With a teeeeeeesny bit of padding perhaps. But I got a lot closer to following rules than Ash in Army of Darkness, so by the standards of the INDUSTRY, as it were…

Ahem.

The only real downside there is that my NaNoWrimo project didn’t have a single Zombie in it. I know, I know; what was wrong with me? I can’t really explain it. Somehow the story (which you will probably never see as it’s awful) ended up involving demons, witches, lovecraftian abominations, wizards, and probably a ghost eventually, but no Zombies per se.

Very weird, for me.

Next year I’ll probably do this again, and I promise to try and get Zombies into that one. Not that it will lead to the production of a piece of masterful Zombie fiction to counter the Max Brookses of the world; I suffer no delusions of actual authorship. But just participating in the process is useful, I think, in understanding and appreciating the challenges of those who actually do write Zombie Friendly books.

At least, that’s my excuse.

Now I’m going to bury this half-formed novel somewhere very deep and dark and get back to advocacy. A lengthy winter break is coming up from classes and I’m ready to get back into Zombie advocacy on behalf of the ZRC. Rested. Refreshed. Generally upset about injustice.

Category: ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Books

Posted By John Sears on November 18, 2012

We’ve talked about ‘Warm Bodies’ before on the blog, and the recent release of a new trailer has people talking.

From a Zombie Rights perspective? Not so sure about this one.

Don’t get me wrong; there’s a lot to like here, the potential sympathy and open-mindedness this film could bring to Zombies, and of course, the touchy-subject of Living-Undead romances.

But…

There are troubling issues too. The ‘Good Zombie’ trope, taken too far, only justifies, rather than condemns, Anti-Undead prejudice. After all, if the ‘Good Zombie’ is so rare, shooting the rest is acceptable, right?

Wrong, naturally, but you see the reasoning.

The ZRC also cannot approve of this appearance/decomposition-based prejudice against the animated skeleton types, or ‘Bonies’, in the trailer. Undead, reanimated skeletons are people too!

There, I said it.

Still, we’ll keep an eye on this one for The Cause.

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Tags: Movies

Posted By John Sears on November 9, 2012

Our friends over at Into the Dark have alerted the ZRC to the first trailer for the upcoming (and highly troubled) major Living Supremacist film ‘World War Z’, based somewhat loosely on the book of the same name by Max Brooks.

Having seen it, I have to say my earlier suspicions that the novel had been almost completely abandoned in favor of a new flavor of Zombie hating seem to have been correct.

This doesn’t look anything like ‘World War Z’. Dave Pruett of Into the Dark suggests a gnawing suspicion of another ‘I Am Legend’, where clumsy CG monsters run amok. For me it feels a lot like the later ‘Resident Evil’ movies, but in either case, CGI and action set-pieces have clearly been substituted for plot, pacing or story.

It’s not that having your ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ take place over a period of time is less offensive to the Zombie Rights movement. It’s more that any pretense of literary merit or social critique, which ‘World War Z’ definitely aims for, has been abandoned in favor of big explosions and lots of gunplay.

World War Z looks like it could have been made by Michael Bay.

Let’s face it: at least ‘World War Z’ is an interesting read, and when Max Brooks isn’t frothing at the mouth about the alleged menace of the Undead, he has interesting things to say about social planning, resource conflicts, technology, the organ transplant trade, etc. The Living Supremacism is leavened a bit.

The strangest thing is, if an adaptation of a very fast, superpowered ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ written by a mega-popular Zombie hater was the goal, why adapt ‘World War Z’? Why not ‘Marvel Zombies’, much of which was penned by Robert Kirkman? Seeing all those super-fast, rubbery CG Zombies flying across the landscape and clambering up vertical surfaces while NYC burns in the background I couldn’t help but think of Marvel Zombies. I imagine I’m not alone in that regard.

But no. This is ‘World War Z’, albeit the Lite, lo-cal, low thought version. In all its Zombie-hating infamy.

Coming in June 2013.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Books, Comics, Movies

Posted By John Sears on November 9, 2012

The ZRC was alerted recently to a Living Supremacist movie with a twist – it was filmed at CERN, home of the famous Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest particle collider and general super-science Ground Zero.

This doesn’t sound good for Zombies or science. Not at all:

If you ever thought CERN would be a fun place to work you’d only be half right: The scientists who work there might be awesome, but the nuclear research center makes the perfect setting for a zombie apocalypse.

Forthcoming feature film Decay is set entirely at the Large Hadron Collider, with the massive lab serving as backdrop for a dire scenario in which zombies have been created by exposure to the recently discovered Higgs boson (so much for that whole “God Particle” thing). The concept evolved in 2010 after writer/director Luke Thompson , a Ph.D. physics student at the University of Manchester, was exploring the maintenance tunnels of the European Organization for Nuclear Research along with fellow student Hugo Day.

The trailer makes it clear that these scientists are operating under a truly tragic Anti-Zombie bias.

Naturally, The Zombie Rights Campaign has grave concerns. For one thing, as one of science’s crown jewels, CERN has a special responsibility to advance human knowledge and understanding.. NOT push ignorance and malice on the global population.

For another, we shudder to think of the impact on Zombies aspiring to work in the scientific fields. What would a young Zombie, studying physics perhaps, think about his or her career prospects after seeing ‘Decay’? What does it say to the Zombies of the world about the likely reception of their contributions to the larger human community?

It’s certainly not encouraging. The scientific community has a long way to go toward true Zombie Tolerance.

Category: Zombie Media | 1 Comment »
Tags: Movies, Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on November 5, 2012

Years ago now, the ZRC purchased a couple bottles of Zombie Zin from an odd little store here in Madison. We were a bit puzzled as to what to do with them, as the ZRC founders had no expertise in wine, focusing primarily on Undead Rights and not the fine art of fermented grapes.

However our association with noted Zombie Friendly Author Michelle Hartz presented The Zombie Rights Campaign with an opportunity: Michelle knows wine *and* how to treat Zombies with dignity and respect. We could foist this off on delegate this to Ms. Hartz for an expert opinion!

And so at ‘Nightmare on Chicago Street’ an exchange was made, and Michelle took home our last bottle of Zombie Zin to produce a comprehensive and equitable review, which I have placed below for our collective edification.

Thanks again, Michelle!

(The bottle in question)

———————————————————————————————————————
Zombie Zinfandel
Review by Michelle Hartz

Forgive me fellow Wineauxs (like a wino, except we drink wine from a glass), for I have sinned. It was been three days since I opened this bottle of Zombie Zin. I am ashamed of the fact that I neglected to finish off the whole bottle the first night.

But do not take that as I sign that I didn’t like the wine.

I don’t see how the founding members of the Zombie Rights Campaign could let this wine sit for so long. The zombie on the label is impeccably dressed, with his purple tux and orange mohawk. He is the essence of cool but refined. I totally want to share a bottle of wine with this dude! But alas, they claim they aren’t wine drinkers. That’s perfectly fine though, more wine for me!

The wine itself is a 2007 California Zinfandel, a dry red, much like the blood seeping from a never healing wound. The main problem I find with dry reds is that they seem to suck any semblance of moisture from your mouth, which makes me sympathize for the zombies who are no longer able to produce saliva, or may even be missing their lower jaw. Perhaps the makers of this wine had that in mind, because for a dry red, this wine is quite smooth.

In fact, perhaps this wine is called Zombie Zin because it has lived on even for it’s age. For the past year or two, it would be a good guess that it was not stored in a climate controlled area, yet it still tastes fresh, not musty at all. And then again, even once I opened the bottle, I stored it sealed in the refrigerator, and now days later there is no hint of vinegar.

In addition to it’s ability to be undead, Zombie Zin has a great fruity flavor with a bit of a buttery finish. It’s a great wine for the people who think they don’t like zinfadels because they’re too dry or bitter.

Products like this give me faith that zombies can be represented in positive light. Zombie spokesmen like our gentleman with the mohawk and tux can enjoy fine wines and show that they have refined tastes too.

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

Posted By John Sears on November 3, 2012

I’ll readily admit, I’m not much of an outdoors person. I don’t know, for example, the proper way to use a signal mirror. I imagine that many of our Undead clients, previously being from all walks of Life, are the same way.

And yet rather than market toward the Undead camping demographic, major retailer REI has decided to demagogue against Zombies to sell skillets and outdoor gear.

Naturally, the ZRC is saddened. If there’s anything we’ve learned from our own excursions into Zombie retail at conventions, it’s that money from the Undead is just as green as anyone else’s. If only major companies like REI would realize that, instead of peddling hatred to sell hand-crank stoves.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on October 31, 2012

I apologize for the lateness of this update, Zombie Rights allies; a late arrival back in Madison, law school demands and even an internet outage delayed its writing and posting.

Last Saturday we took our Zombie Rights advocacy on the road to Nightmare on Chicago Street, the second annual Elgin Halloween celebration (which we support) and Zombie ‘Apocalypse’ simulation (which we don’t).

As with last year it was an amazingly elaborate spectacle, and I’m proud that the ZRC was there to represent the Zombies so cruelly excluded (on paper at least) from the festivities:

This year we went with a festive setting I really wish the camera had better caught; we had streamers and lights and of course, our usual merch and literature galore. Also Michelle Hartz was there selling books and advising the public on Zombie Friendliness!

Fortunately we weren’t *right* next to our counterparts on the other side of the Zombie Rights issue, the Undead Report booth, who were selling ‘Zombie Hunting’ permits. Seriously.

As usual the streets were boarded up and many businesses participated either by staying open for the event or decorating their storefronts elaborately (if not in a particularly Pro-Zombie manner)

We had a number of volunteers to help out with the picketing as well! Outstanding enthusiasm. I was seriously in awe of these upstanding individuals, many of them impressionable youths no less. Gives the ZRC great hope for the future.

Still it was a hard ideological struggle as the overt Apocalypse theme of ‘Nightmare on Chicago Street’ was always on display:

Next year I’m bringing a soap box and the megaphone and seeing about giving a proper Speaker’s Corner kind of event to counter the atmosphere a bit. Must make a mental note.

Still on the whole it was another highly successful and momentous outing in the cause of Undead Equality. The Zombie Rights Campaign would like to thank our generous and understanding hosts, even if they don’t entirely agree with our viewpoint.

It’s always good to have a chance to speak to so many, and work to open so many hearts and minds.

Category: Zombie Media, ZRC News | 13 Comments »
Tags: Public Appearance, Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on October 29, 2012

The Zombie Rights Campaign has addressed the issue of Anti-Zombie bias in Joss Whedon’s work before, but I have to admit I didn’t think Mr. Whedon would air his Living Supremacist dirty laundry again in such a high-profile fashion, especially in a naked attempt to influence a major election.

But he has. So let’s talk about it.

First, the video:

Repulsive, isn’t it? Let’s set the record straight for Mr. Whedon.

1) Zombies are not an apocalypse to be avoided, but a vibrant cultural and biological subgrouping of Americans (and other global citizens, of course). Whedon’s ugly stereotyping of the Undead (being unable to use money, all craving brains, etc) is expected but places him well behind the curve of history as this country moves toward greater Undead Equality. For shame.

2) Zombies do not belong to one particular political faction, and the Zombie Rights Movement is largely non-partisan, except where specific Pro or Anti-Zombie policies have been made.*

3) Neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney have addressed the needs of the Zombie American community in this campaign, much to the detriment of the election as a whole. The ZRC was especially disappointed that at neither the Domestic Policy debate nor the Townhall format debate were these needs discussed. Not a single question on Zombies! The Presidential debate moderators should be ashamed.

4) The concluding graphic of Mitt Romney in Greenface is among the worst, and ugliest, attempts at smearing Zombie-Americans by association I have ever seen. ‘Zomneys’, aside from a decidedly un-clever construction, is nothing short of a Living Supremacist political slur. What’s next, Mr. Whedon, now that you’ve slandered (at least, in your mind) the Zombie Community as right-wing extremists? Will you go after Mummies for being socialists? Perhaps attack Werewolves for being anarchists?

The intolerance is striking.

The Zombie Rights Campaign strongly condemns this attempt by Mr. Whedon to harass and defame the hardworking and civic-minded Undead across this great land, as well as his simultaneous attempt to spread the (unjustified, unwarranted) fear of the Differently Animated to an unrelated political figure. Mitt Romney is not a Zombie, Mr. Whedon. And being a Zombie is not a crime.

*For example, this organization called out the Walker government here in Wisconsin for voter ID ‘reforms’ with no provision for Zombie residences, as well as local Democratic politicians until they addressed the Zombie demographic’s concerns.

Category: Zombie Media, ZRC News | 2 Comments »
Tags: Mainstream Media, Social Justice, Television

Posted By John Sears on October 26, 2012

Last year The Zombie Rights Campaign was privileged to bring a Zombie Friendly perspective to the intimidatingly-awesome (yet Living Supremacist) event ‘Nightmare on Chicago Street’ in Elgin, IL. We wrote about that experience here, here, and here.

‘Nightmare on Chicago Street’, to refresh memories, is no ordinary Halloween party. No sir. It’s more like an in-depth ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ (we prefer the term Global Reanimation Block Party) simulator. Last year saw overturned cars, flat-bed trucks full of bodybags and a militant, Anti-Zombie response team in place to exclude the Undead from a ‘safe zone’, which is naturally where all the cool party stuff was going on.

(Zombie Apocalypse, or typical Chicago-area traffic? We report, you decide.)

(an Anti-Zombie barricade)

As if Zombies don’t like a cool party!

Well, we couldn’t let that go unchallenged, so the ZRC went to Chicago Street to educate and inform, and get a few pickets going, and we had a great time informing the public about the rights of Zombies.

This year, ‘Nightmare on Chicago Street’ is going to be even bigger, and even more shamelessly Anti-Zombie!

The Apocalypse is upon us…. Nightmare on Chicago Street will be your only hope to survive the UnDead again this year.

We survived last year, but somehow, someway a few of the undead have been seen once again. Our top researchers and scientists have been working hard to keep us up to date about the coming annihilation which they believe will happen October 27th, 2012.

Scientists? I’d like to see some credentials on these prophets of doom!

At any rate, Nightmare on Chicago Street this year will have lots of live entertainment, music, events, and we needed to step up our protesting game to compete for the coveted hearts and minds.

So tomorrow The Zombie Rights Campaign will Zom-cupy Chicago Street!

It’s like Occupying, but with, you know, Zombies. (Work with us here.)

We will be, in a completely non-violent, friendly, civic-minded fashion helping to retake this ‘Safe Zone’, formerly a public space in Elgin, for all citizens, Differently Animated and Living alike!

First, let me offer you some educational literature on ZOMCupy.

Then how about you join us for some Zombie Friendly picketing? We’ll provide the signs as well as materials to make your own, so be creative!

Finally, we have recruited Noted Zombie Friendly Author Michelle Hartz to do book signings and, dare we hope, live readings from her latest work, ‘Brains for the Zombie Soul’, a ZRC approved tome of uplifting and Zombie Positive stories and anecdotes. If you’d like to read ahead, it’s available on Kindle! If you want a hardcopy to cherish, come by our booth tomorrow!

Ms. Hartz will be signing at 6:00, 8:00 and 9:30 pm, although if you were to come up at another time desperate for enlightenment I doubt she’d say no.

To cap off the evening we’re hoping for a full Zombie Rights March as a show of Living-Undead solidarity. All are welcome.

So please, Zombies, Zombie Allies, interested gawkers, come to Elgin tomorrow at 6pm for Nightmare on Chicago Street and help the ZRC strike a blow for Zombie Rights and Zombie-inclusive public spaces everywhere!

For the full set of ZRC pictures from last year, go here.

Category: ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Public Appearance, Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on October 25, 2012

There’s a trailer out for the ‘Evil Dead’ remake and I have to say, it’s not looking good for the Differently Animated:

Eww. All that graphic violence and scary music! And must we always throw around the word ‘Evil’ for Undead fellows who just happen to have been summoned via necromancy or demon magic? Why blame them?

The ZRC policy here has been clear for a long time: Don’t Hate the Deadite, Hate the Necronomicon.

Poor Deadites. We’re here for you!

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Movies