Something that burns me up-
People think it's funny to make horrible comments about rabbits- to rabbit breeders! I've heard about someone's cat that hunts and murders them, I won't go in to how many people feel the need to tell me they eat them, feed them to their snakes, hunt them, whatever.
To begin with- I don't care. I don't mean to be hateful, but honestly, I could care less what you used to do, what you think is funny to say to me, the joke you want to make- I don't care. I promise, I've heard them ALL by now.
Secondly, I'm 23 years old. I've had to put down babies, I've seen them born with deformities, and I've put down adult rabbits, I have eaten rabbit, I've seen cats hunt them, I know snakes need to eat, family members have hunted rabbits - honestly, this is not news to me. But I'm 23 years old, as I said. I'm not 10. This is not my dear pet Fluffy who I also happen to show.
If you want to make hateful comments for "shock value", bring them on. I promise you, you're going to get a look of disinterest from me at best, a comment back at worst. YOU will be the one walking away shocked.
Do NOT bring this crap to Youth breeders. If you do it in my hearing, you're likely to get more than you bargained for. These are kids. Some of them don't know all the gory aspects of life. This may be their first show, their only rabbit that they love dearly- and you have the nerve to say something like "There's good eatin' on one of those", or describe how you skin a rabbit?
Does it make you feel good to bully a child? Does it?
What's worse, I hear kids bully each other this way! I had a child feel the need to tell me that he feeds rats to his snake. And I care because....? But he did it for shock value. Unfortunately, he did it in front of several other youth, all of whom either own pet rats or were getting their first. I bit my lip, ignored his hateful comments and didn't let the other kids have an opportunity to feed his bullying by gasping or looking uncomfortable. We continued our conversation as normal and he left, upset that he didn't get the attention he was hoping for.
Hmm...wonder if he'll grow up to be one of the rude adults I was talking about? I wouldn't put money on him learning more respect.
My point is- we adults can take the crap. Most of us don't want to, but we can. Leave the Youth kids alone. Teach your kids that being a jerk does not make them popular. Above all- realize that as rabbit breeders, we have heard it all before. Your clever comment isn't clever. So why don't you do us all a favor and swallow that comment, before you manage to lose some respect? Or before you say it to the wrong person, on the wrong day, and get a little more of a reaction than you bargained for.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
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3 comments:
Kudos to Keep! I being a youth have seen clerks do this before, (mainly talking about the good eatin' one but different ways to say it, "rabbit stew tonight?" etc). The judge doesn't think its funny, the youth gets upset, and they get my, "Excuse me, and saying that is appropriate when?" It'll make somebody stop. Realize the youth around with confused looks on their faces.
Its sad to see so several adults as so childish. Me being 16 still notices just like when I was 15, 14, and even 13 in rabbits. Grow up. But the only way to stop it is to say something. Try and make it polite. ;]
Susie
OMG! UR SO RIGHT!! GOOOO KEEP!!
everyone at school always yells at me "im going to kill ur rabbits and eat them!" "I eat rabbits" bla blla bla and they think im OBSESSED with rabbits! its rediculous!
I totally second this. It's just old news now people, grow up! My respected boss, whom I really like, actually made a "rabbit stew" comment about my new flemmie baby, and I didn't even take the time to sigh about it. Another girl who owned a flemmie was there too, and she hugged her rabbit on her lap, and I just said, Honey, Your gonna hear it again, just ignore it. Rabbits are good for eating, but they're good for pets and showing as well!
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