The Humane Society of the United States is accusing Macy’s of selling a garment that is advertised as fake rabbit fur, but is allegedly tagged with “Made in China” and “Genuine Racoon Fur.” This isn’t the first case of this happening; earlier in the week Burlington Coat Factory also was accused of selling items with real fur, even though it advertised it as fake fur.
Let me preface my remarks by saying that I am all for truth in advertising. It is not only dishonest to falsely advertise, my personal opinion is that it is also an unfair manipulation of our free marketplace. However, this whole debate isn’t rooted in false advertising, no matter what the Humane Society may claim. The root of this debate stems from the arrogance of special interest groups believing that they can manipulate personal preference and marketplace trends through impromptu trials in the court of public opinion. I find it absolutely disturbing that department stores have put policies in place that deny some of their customers the things that they desire.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. Do the people that shop in high-end department stores want faux fur, or do they want the real thing? Should consumers settle for an inferior product when their preferred outlet refuses to carry what they want? The answers to those questions are obvious.
Whether your believe in evolution or in creationism, Mankind has reached the pinnacle of the food chain. For better or worse, we have the intelligence and the tools to be the stewards of our environment, and harvesting animals for our comfort or sustenance in a responsible manner is certainly well within our responsibility. We rely too much on our animal “brethren” for food, clothing, accessories, research, and by-products to stop what we’re doing now. And why should we stop this when most of it is sustainable?
Organizations like PETA need to have a reality check. Militant tactics, legal pressure, and protests only fuel the tide of public opinion against them. Who, aside from flighty people in search of a cause, truly take these organizations seriously? Have we stopped using leather? Have meat sales gone down? I would call upon the big-box retailers to turn a blind eye toward these special interest groups, letting market forces determine the wares that they sell. An obnoxious fringe element should not have the power to limit my choices in a free country, and when this happens, all of us, as citizens of this country, need to take a hard look at what causes this.