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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Bobcats






What is Paul attempting to establish here? Presumably something like this: if the majority of a particular population is not offended by a representation then there is no offense against that population. Sorry Paul, but that is to confuse subjective perception of offense with the objective reality of an offense.


To illustrate the devastating logic of Rauser’s retort consider this offensive team name: the Charlotte Bobcats.

Whether or not bobcats (lynx rufus) are subjectively offended by humans naming a basketball team after them is irrelevant. What matters is the objective reality of this prejudicial name. For centuries, bobcats have been oppressed by farmers, hunters, and trappers. And to have a sports team stereotype bobcats as feisty predators is pure bigotry, plain and simple. Rank speciesism.

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