Title
Feline Suffrage
Artist
Jim Williams
Medium
Photograph - Short Story
Description
Never trust a person who doesn't like Cats.
Never trust a person whom Cats don't like.
Myassa County, Florida, has permitted cats to vote since the early 20th Century and feline suffrage has been supported by the vast majority of Myassa's voters and elected officials since that time. However, it has not always been easy for Cats to participate in our Loony democracy. Many barriers have been promoted by Cat segregationists for over a century. Law abiding Cats have been harassed at the polls through the use of poll taxes, age restrictions, rabies innoculations and literacy requirements. Each hurdle placed in their way eventually fell.
But the most insidious restriction to feline suffrage was the Jim Cat laws which lasted until the Civil Cats Act of 1964, passed despite the concerted efforts of Myassa County's segregationist southern dumbocrats to "love it to death" with pointless amendments. They attempted to include snakes, birds, moles, aardvarks, ladybugs, black widow spiders, mosquitos, anoles (southern false chameleons), alligators, bees, cattle, gerbils and even invasive plants like kudzu, false auralia, and Chinese Tallow were used in an attempt to slow the wheels of Raving Loonacy. They even had the effrontery to attempt to include dogs! Each amendment was defeated as it came up for vote.
The photo above shows the line of black cats waiting outside the polling station in the Newly Renovated Santorum Ballroom� to vote for the first time in 1966, over a half century after receiving their initial rights to vote. A volunteer "election observer" paid by Cat segregationists can be seen challenging each black Cat to prove their legal residency in Myassa County. As was expectable, the Cats completely ignored him until he sat down. They then lept onto his lap, head and shoulders, sneezed into his face, sharpened their claws on him and shed pounds of fur all over him while their humans giggled. Later he was hospitalized suffering from cat scratch fever, fleas and a pathological disorder.
We feel that the time has come for inclusion in the United States of A Merka Bill of Rights and are pleased to present to you:
The Feline Suffrage Plank of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party of the United States of A Merka:
1. One Cat, at least One Vote.
2. Two for Tabbies.
3. No votes for dogs. They will only vote the way that their masters tell them to.
4. For purposes of the Census, each dog shall be counted as three-fifths of a Cat.
Research provided by Lyda Dzgoldynzscheyzes, cat advisor to The Right Honorable Rantin N. Raven-Faux VI, Mayor of Myassa, Florida ("Where You're Past is Our Future")
See the ongoing story in my Short Story gallery:
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/wacks-museum.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=536130
Photo from 9gag.com.
Uploaded
April 1st, 2015
Embed
Share
Comments (27)
Constance Lowery
this is priceless! excellent photo and even better explanation of it. Jim, you have an exceptional talent. L/F/Tw
Jim Williams replied:
Thanks, Constance. I consider it one of my master works. Luckily, it's not that hard to be stupid!
Debra Lynch
At first I thought my ex-mother-in-law was in the crowd, but no, no that isn't her, that is someone's pretty black cat. :-) L/F/Fb/P
Hartmut Jager
Yes Jim, and while you sit on him and hold him down, I will kick him where it hurts the most ! :-)
Alana Thrower
They all look so pleased to be on leashes! That's quite a turn out! Very patriotic felines! Makes one proud to be a Merkican! Did i spell that right?l/f
Jim Williams replied:
A Merka is a member of the Free Loony World Order. Go nutz. Yes, the leashes were there to keep the servants from straying.
VIVA Anderson
Love this, being a cat-=loved individual. Hysterical 'copy'. (at 'hospices' if they find the local cat sitting long hours by a patient, nurses know the time is imminent....what a way to go)...by now I have 7 votes,omg,all rip, sigh. fv
Denise Clark
I agree tabbies should get 2 votes...certainly the most intelligent of the species and a great deal more intelligent then a lot of voters in OZ. Of course voting is compulsory here (fines if we don't) and I agree with that but should we make it so for cats? Perhaps insist on absentee votes for the feral population. l/f
Jim Williams replied:
Well, they did elect The Mayor in Myassa, so there's all the proof he needs. Thanks, Denise.
Barbie Corbett-Newmin
Cats usually vote Independent in our county.
Jim Williams replied:
All of ours changed their registrations to republican to vote for Trump in the primary.
Melinda Dare Benfield
This one puts a smile on my face. I can hear expletives in the facial expressions of each one of those cats and the house wife contingent is just clueless to it all. Great piece.
Nikolyn McDonald
Quite a story and imagination you have, Jim - and a most unusual photo.
Jim Williams replied:
Thank you, thank you and thank you, Nikolyn. It is my pleasure to entertain you.
Lynda Lehmann
Love your sense of humor and the fab 50s photo! L/V
Jim Williams replied:
Thanks much, Lynda, they were trying out for a movie part, so I wrote a short mockumentary.
John Malone
So much fun....title is awesome as is the image!
Jim Williams replied:
I had the amendment already written for 5-6 years. The story sprung from the photo. It had to be written! Thanks, John.
Lyric Lucas
I'm a big fan of cats and dogs!
Jim Williams replied:
I don't have anything in particular against dogs but you have to admit: they aren't cats. Thanks for dropping in, Lyric.