Off-topic: UCSC Furs as official campus org?

[Randyg]

Although I'm no longer anywhere near ucsc, the ucsc furs have grown quite a bit... and now we're pondering if we should register as an official campus organization.

I think we should, for a few reasons, and not just the free money/space/etc aspect:

Having furry events/announcements appear in the campus calendar might help show people that furry is a legitimate thing to be, rather than the version the media presents.

It might help kickstart the formation of other furry groups, if it receives any form of publicity.

Having it in official campus publications will reach most all furs on campus.

Provides a good way for the local furs to form a community.

Gives an official, legitimate feel to the club... furry would be recognized by the university as a valid thing for students to do.

Annoys goons immensely. :)


However, not everyone thinks we should...

so, what is the opinion of non-ucsc people? Do you think it would help the ucsc furry community? Do you think it would help the global furry community? etc...


Thanks (and snuggles where appropriate :),
--Randy

[Maximuscoolman]

If it's grown to the point where it could be then I say go for it, I don't see a reason not to.

[DetailBear]

If you substitute "queer" for furry, it's an old arguement. Publicity, acknowledgement, normalization, possibly protection vs. notoriety, easy targeting, possible harassment. If being official affords some protection for your members, use of space, posters from being torn down, then it might be worth it.

[Hat-Kun]

I say just go for it. ^.^

[Randyg]

I'm not expecting as much organized resistance to a furry club as what queers have had to face... other than the SA goons and a few random anti-furry idiots, we're probably ok there.


Thanks,
--Randy

[The_Fox]

I vote go for it. Maybe you can convince a few undecideds. Then again, it's easy to step back say what I would do when I'm nowhere near the situation, so you might take what I say with a grain of salt. I tend to be rather gung ho.

- Jarylan

[Randyg]

Then again, it's easy to step back say what I would do when I'm nowhere near the situation

Actually, that's exactly the type of opinion I was looking for. :)

Sometimes an uninvolved 3rd person point of view is a very good thing to have...


--Randy

[Randyg]

vs. notoriety, easy targeting, possible harassment.

Hmm, just got a response from the goons...

Hi. SA goon here, specifically the one who organized last week's little flyering campaign. I plan on this being my only post, so I'll try to make this count:

None of the UCSC goons wish any harm, mistreatment, ill will, or harbor any sort of malice towards you. We didn't fuck with or pull down your flyers, nor will we- we specifically agreed NOT to do so. To be perfectly honest, our vendetta against furries has more to do with comedy than it does any sort of dislike towards any of you.

I'll go on the record as to say that I, nor any of the other goons who participated in last week's flyering, will EVER take any sort of action against you all that could be deemed as harassment, slander, or anything else of that nature. If people are posting your addresses, taking your pictures or trying to do damage to your reptuations, etc, then it's not us. The goons that I've talked to find those actions deplorable, and we'd never stoop to them.

Here's how it goes: you guys put up flyers, we'll probably put a few up ourselves or do something equally childish and ineffective. But we will NEVER try to interfere with you in any sort of official capacity- if you want to register with SOAR, go nuts. Start a club, have meetings, spread your word- just expect some light-hearted ribbing from us in exchange.

Just understand that our goal in all of this is to have fun and be funny to someone else. We're not trying to harm anyone.

I responded to it pointing out that he's a reasonably normal goon, and not the type causing us actual problems. :)


--Randy

[Candide]

Forming any sort of organization of "different" people requires courage, stubbornness, and, most importantly, a drive to not conform.

I guess that's why I'm so drawn to furries, even though I have no interest in it myself. I'm an eccentric nonconformist ... always have been ... and seek out others like me so that it's not quite so lonely.

So, Randy, I say stand up and be counted, but only if y'all are truly willing to be different, acceptance or not.
And: Non-illegitimati carborundum.

[Zavion]

I rarely personally join clubs for anything, even things that I am in, for the fact that I rarely care about something in such a way that I feel the need to promote it. Meaning, I like some anime, but you won't catch me as a actual registered member of a anime promotion club, ect. But I also feel that creating and maintaining clubs/newsletters/television shows(and channels) ect. is one of the most important rights that we have and I can honestly trust the 'furry community' to act maturely with such a power that holds. I think that, if you feel so strongly on your ideas and want a place to privately get together to consenually discuss/have fun/play or whatever, that's a great idea. But then again, I would give the same suggestion to any group, as long as it was non-violent or non-aggressive towards others (even if the ideas were aggressive or violent), even if I didn't agree with the ideas discussed (but naturally, people with such violent and aggressive ideas and think on them so passionatally, rarely have the matureity not to act on them, so, it's not a fair anaology). I think that it's great if you guys post up fliers and everything, and the more support and members you get the less you can be harassed, and the more acceptance your members can get (if at least with each other). I'm sure at least one member might become more openly furry because of the acceptance they get from their peer members (Like, for them it might be the first time they've known there was an actual real life community nearby that has the same ideas or likes the same thing), and that alone might be worth it.