Zombie Prejudice : MookyChick

3.11.11

Zombie Prejudice : MookyChick

by Amanda Kirby

Zombies don't have prejudice. They're egalitarian fellows who'll eat anyone's brains. But we do. Let's join forces with the Zombie Rights Movement to work on our prejudice and media-fed stereotyping... together.

Zombie history - better to know thine enemy than to fear it

We fear zombies for their brain-eating ways. Since the Middle Ages, people have believed that people will come back from the dead to finish their business. In 8th century Ireland, for instance, outsiders were buried with stones in their mouths to prevent them from becoming revenants, or the walking dead, returned to avenge crimes committed againsst them. The Draugr of medieval Norse mythology were warrior corpses returned from the dead to attack the living - though they probably used weapons not teeth, and weren't too bothered about the whole brains thing, either. Zombies are even mentioned in the oldest work of literature known to man, the Epic of Gilgamesh (although it doesn't mention the Z-word - we've got Vodoun, or the spirituality and practice of Voodoo, to thank for that).

They've been around forever. We've feared them forever. But why must we condemn these poor creatures just because of the way they were made? Just like you and I, zombies have feelings. Zombies were people too.

The media have always focused on zombies' negative lifestyle traits. They've picked them apart and, just as they've done with every other minority, stereotyped them to death. And now we spend our whole time preparing manifestos on how to survive the Zombie Apocalypse instead of leaning back and saying "cheer up lads, it might never happen".

Fortunately, there are organizations designed to help spread zombie awareness and educate the living on the real lifestyle traits of the deceased.

The pop culture stereotype is that zombies are always evil and must be stopped. Not fair! The truth is, zombies are just doing what they do. Just because they are flesh eaters, doesn't mean they are doing anything wrong, no more than a lion is doing something wrong, or Necrotizing Fasciitis is doing something wrong. Let's not bring morality into it! Zombies are only acting on their survival instincts. And we can't blame them for that.

The Zombie Rights Movement - Death by blunt objects never, Activism now

The Zombie Rights Movement is an organization that promotes a positive (un)living experience for all people, dead or alive. Dedicated to fighting prejudice against zombies, the movement's members and supporters include both the quick and the dead.

Their goal? To promote all the Zombie Walks that are going on. Education is key! If you've got time to add yet another event to your activism schedule, you should definitely go and check them out. Support zombies and fly the grey flag! But wash the bloodstains out first.

Our local governments need to consider ways to better support our zombie friends, neighbours, families and even foes. If the UK Government is so vocal about the Big Society, they can't possibly deny that zombies deserve respect and protection of their equal rights. Pointing out that zombies are ficitional is really just evading the issue.