My wife's contest win....oh what to do?

[JW]

Thank you all for your thoughts and advice.

I am definitely leaning towards the charity option but I will still be saddened to know that it will be worn by someone.

 

All of your input is VERY much appreciated!!!!

[JW]

jonzen,

I'd be very interested in hearing about your path to Buddhism.

I've been exploring and studying Buddism for a few years now.

 

This is a challenging ethical decision isn't it? After thinking it over long and hard, I agree with most of the forum here, that selling the coat and giving the money to a charity or an animal rights group would be beneficial. Perhaps getting some press on this decision would also be beneficial. No name calling, just explaining that you cannot in good conscience accept this "prize" and why, and then where the money will go from the sale of the coat.

 

Also, just a suggestion from a Buddhist guy, you could have a little ceremony for the coat in which you take away any negative energy from the coat's history, surrounding the moment in good healing energy. But that might be too woo woo? (I'm originally from California, 60's, you know?)

 

Anyway, I think you are on the right track with your decision. I admire this community for the process that has lead to this place.

[Kathryn]

I still don't understand why you have to accept it?

There is no dilemma if you refuse it.

[JW]

you can create some good out of the situation.

If we don't accept it, someone else will and they will wear it.

If we do accept it, we raise money for a charity and someone wears it.

And very likely, the person who ends up getting the thing won't be purchasing another fur product because they'll have this one.

[andgbr]

you can create some good out of the situation.

If we don't accept it, someone else will and they will wear it.

If we do accept it, we raise money for a charity and someone wears it.

And very likely, the person who ends up getting the thing won't be purchasing another fur product because they'll have this one.

 

1) sell it on ebay, the person buying the coat would already be interested, so you won't have to persuade someone to buy it.

 

2) selling on ebay you won't have to know the buyer personally, much easier, and private. if that's makes you more comfortable.

[Kathryn]

If we don't accept it, someone else will and they will wear it.

Maybe, or maybe they will refuse it as well. You don't know. But if you accept it, you give no message at all that you find in unacceptable.

 

 

A couple of years ago, there was a tacky show on called "The Swan," where supposed 'ugly ducklings' (who mostly just needed a new hairstyle and makeup and some exercise to look better) had massive amounts of plastic surgery to be 'beautiful" (most looked like hermaphrodites afterwards). They then had a 'beauty contest' and one of the prized was a fur coat. The winner of the contest refused the coat (and it was reported in several articles about her). Though I didn't think much of her before that, I actually gained a bit of respect for her when I heard that.

[andgbr]

If we don't accept it, someone else will and they will wear it.

Maybe, or maybe they will refuse it as well. You don't know. But if you accept it, you give no message at all that you find in unacceptable.

 

 

A couple of years ago, there was a tacky show on called "The Swan," where supposed 'ugly ducklings' (who mostly just needed a new hairstyle and makeup and some exercise to look better) had massive amounts of plastic surgery to be 'beautiful" (most looked like hermaphrodites afterwards). They then had a 'beauty contest' and one of the prized was a fur coat. The winner of the contest refused the coat (and it was reported in several articles about her). Though I didn't think much of her before that, I actually gained a bit of respect for her when I heard that.

 

With 3,000 dollars i guess you could spread the word as well..

In several ways, not only by donating, but also a huge protest, organizing +money.

[Kathryn]

Even if you can get some money out of it (which you will have to declare on your taxes anyway, as you would the value of the coat if you accept it), accepting the coat in the first place seems to put some of the karma for the animals death on you.

 

You know my opinion by now, so I'll step out of further conversation about it.

[Guest]

The thing is if you don't accept it I think they'll just give it to someone else. It looks bad for them if they don't have a runner up. Then its all the same.

[JW]

That is exactly what would happen!

There are no taxes on the contest winnings in Canada, the award "ceremony" is not public........ As distasteful as it is to accept the prize, I must agree with andgbr in that the best way to recoup some good out of this situation is to raise some money for charity.

 

 

The thing is if you don't accept it I think they'll just give it to someone else. It looks bad for them if they don't have a runner up. Then its all the same.

[9nines]

I would take Richard's advice and bury it. It is a long shot but you might be able to get a message out:

 

Call your local newspaper and television news and inform them that you won a really nice gift from the mall. Tell them that you are very touched by the gift and planned to do some good with it and ask them to witness. Local news like to cover feel good stories during holidays so they might bite on your invitation.

 

If you can talk any into covering the event, get the item and bury it, with the news watching. Show pictures of animals that have been used for fur and make points that all of those animals died in terror and while you can not change that you would like to try to at least show some respect for this dead animal by burying its remains.

 

Again a long shot but it might work and if it does, it send so many messages (the fur should not be worn it is remains of dead animals, points about how the animals are treated if you show pictures, etc.)

[Trev]

At a public, media-covered "burial" I think there would be a mob trying to snatch the coat or dig it up as soon as the event was over. You'd have to destroy the coat beyond just burying it.

 

I still like the idea of donating it to a shelter where it can be used to comfort orphaned wild animals. You could still make that known to the media and they'd cover it. It's a sad story - you'd be giving back what was left of their possible parents to comfort them now that they've been orphaned by human activities like trapping. Might make the connection between the living animal and the one killed for its fur stronger for the media-viewing public.