Kim Basinger urges designer Yohji Yamamoto to go fur-free

i thought she was an actress !

I love this fur free thing, and now the Japanese are being harbingered as well as for whaling. It becomes news when you get Kim and Yohji's names on the headline.

What next ? How about some inuit eskimoes?

"We'd rather go naked and starve and cast off thousands of years of tradition than wear fur".

Something tells me that the anti-fur people and the Taji dolphin posse have a lot in common.

They go for easy targets, like Japan They like to fawn about going on about eco this and green that, but only about things that happen to be cool enough for them to be interested, like cute animals, solar powered anti-whaling vessels etc.

Out in the Serengeti, the animals don't start a movement like "we'd rather go hungry than watch crocodile eat emu". They just accept that man is the master of animal in some environments and this is just the way our bacteria prevail. It's ludicrous to just pick out one example of a cute animal and protest against it to make yourself look important.

Concrete, You make no sense. What makes humans think they can reign over other animials? We are the planet's worst enemy. How would you like it if people treated other people like animals used for fur are treated? Japan is way behind on animal welfare. The Taiji dolphin issue, whaling, stupid women wearing fur...it all sucks. The cruelty is beyond belief.

Compassion can begin with the smallest of creatures to the biggest.

I respect famous people like Kim Basinger and Richard Gere who speak out about something. It shows they have some moral backbone and compassion, unlike stupid Paris Hilton who does nothing for society. I wonder what YOU do to contribute to society? You don't need to ask me what I do. I do plenty to support animal welfare.

We wear fur since the dawn of human. Actually we were eating those animal too. Killing for fashion is unnecessary...

You respect famous people like Kim Basinger and Richard Gere. Me too - I also love Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. We've got something in common.

Paris Hilton has stimulated the economy for years and we have a lot to thank her for. Still, I ask you to tell inuits not to wear fur as well then, as well as models and other people you seem to despise so much.

Concrete, to some beliefs, you will come back to life as one of those animals whose skin is ripped off while they are still alive. Animals are other beings of this world and just because we're not smart enough to understand their purpose of existence, doesn't give us right to torture them. Yes, we are meat eaters, but we now have the technology to live well without wearing animal skin. I just wish all you animal torturers and supporters of torturers come back to this world after death as one of those animals. Because that seems to be the only thing that will teach you.

I am pro animals and also pro human and pro not getting on a high horse about something just because it is trendy and easy to do so.

I might add that anti-fur crusaders are an example of white imperial intrustion, and will end up harming indiginous communities in Canada and Antarctica, just so a load of celebrities can feel important about themselves. Do some research and you will find out that these peoples have relied on fur-trapping and selling it for thousands of years, and in some cases like Aboriginies in Australia are in a spiral of recession and alcoholism.

I'd rather wear fur than see eskimos starve. You'd rather eskimos starve than wear fur. It's clear we have different points of view.

these peoples have relied on fur-trapping and selling it for thousands of years

Not to the 'white imperialists', they haven't.

I'd rather wear fur than see eskimos starve. You'd rather eskimos starve than wear fur.

I'd rather see them pull themselves into the 21st century.

this news is all about Basinger did her little protest to the well know fashion designer. fashion designer doesn't rely on killing animal for his survival. and he likely live in the middle of tokyo or somewhere in town.

i don't see anything bad protesting to a well-know person to get a point across and get max impact on media and acknowledges in social for a type of concern like this. you want to tell miss...Won living in... a small village somewhere in china, telling her to stop skinning animal alive and hope that her chose to do or not do something will be recognized on the media around the world and inspire people in the social?

this sentence tell it all why she go for somebody well-know to rise awareness.

Basinger continues, “By making the kind choice to shun fur (and fur trim, which helps to keep the cruel fur trade alive), you can be a leader in fashion and compassion, setting a wonderful example for the rest of the industry to follow.”

i don't think she is getting on a high horse about something as you said, and i don't think it is white imperial intrusion. it is nothing to do with history of mankind for thousand of years with fur, and it is nothing to do with starved eskimos or the need to use of fur for some particular group of native people located somewhere far from reach of 21th century's fashion and lifestyle.

read what she said on the news well and you will find that it is all about the choices of a famous fashion designer today who can set a good example and impact on people in the industry and in social to do or not do something.

I'd say to Kim Bassinger, if you want to attach yourself to a cause, how about something important

She is an activist for animal rights, and a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). i think that make it important to her to speak out.

i d say if you want to attach your message to the news, why not you just first read the news?

I wish it wasn't about publicity and celebrities for you, but the real issue: that millions of animals are dying every second for no other reason than our selfishness, and you have seem to forgotten that. I will leave you to your fancy ads and naked celebrities, they seem to grab more attention anyways, eh?

Moderator: Please focus your comments on the topic, namely Kim Basinger's letter to Yohji Yamamoto.

i am not her fan. but i don't see what wrong if an actor/actress want to joy an activist group using her already famous name help promote a good awareness.

i don't get why anyone can be so angry when see a celebrity just try to make some point for the animal. at least she is a person can get attention from mass media, and she use it in a positive way.

if i want to say that to a top designer, no-one would listen to me but laugh!

i think it good for people as well-know as her try to do something good. and i couldn't tell my self to discredit anyone just because he/she is famous and try to make a good point on the news!

the only person try to say another people forgot this and that is you. how did you know people forget what? they(and me) didn't say it because it isn't what in the news.

i am not going to follow your path and step out of the tropic any more farther than this.

at least i read the news. i argue with in the news scope, and i learn thinks before i say.

that says it all really.

read my post, i got more than that. i know you are trying.

Cruelty to animals is punished in some countries. There are inevitable experiments on animals carried out by industries, in order to test products before being used by human beings. But there is no need to torture animals on behalf of luxury goods. This is a very sad story and people, not only Kim Basinger, should be aware of it.

I'd rather see them pull themselves into the 21st century.

and leave behind their traditional culture & way of life? agree with concrete, i'd rather wear fur than see eskimos starve.

Kim Basinger is a has been actress, Ingrid Newkirk's PETA is a terrorist organization that kills more animals than it protects and the only real agenda it has is to keep the cash flow incoming by catering to those who function solely emotionally rather than intellectually. That said, the fur business, despite efforts to "minimize cruelty" now includes the highly cost cutting Chinese fur industry, and they are correct when they say "skinned alive". We're not talking about some high tech western mink farm. Knowledge of this aspect of the fur industry is enough to keep many people from supporting it and frankly it should be a much higher agenda than say "whaling" or "sealing" since these fur animals are killed rather inhumanely for vanity not food purposes.

and leave behind their traditional culture & way of life?

They've already done that, of their own accord. They have computers, phones, cable TV and the Internet. They use snowmobiles to get around, and small planes to link communities and bring in supplies and groceries. The population has grown too big - thanks to modern medicine and other perks of modern living - to be supported in the traditional way. They have basically abandoned the traditional nomadic way of life for permanent residence in communities where the government provides housing, health care, education and employment.

To willingly accept all this yet still whine about the 'traditional culture and way of life' - as if living three hundred years in the past is a good thing - smacks of wanting to have your cake and eat it.

indiginous (sic) communities in Canada and Antarctica

Umm, what indigenous communities in Antarctica?

i'd (sic) rather wear fur than see eskimos (sic) starve.

Fur comes from fur farms. Not buying fur has no effect on Eskimos.

If you actually believe that Inuit and other northern peoples are up in the Artic trapping all the fur for this particular market you are beyond hope. For that one idiodic comment alone I am apt to side with Kim on this one. Sheesh.

OssanAmerica, Can you explain bit more why and how "Ingrid Newkirk's PETA is a terrorist organization that kills more animals than it protects".