Animal Cruelty or Art? (article) by Mr. Ed on AuthorsDen

Truly Sick

The Toronto International Film Festival plans to screen "Casuistry: The Art of Killing a Cat" during their "Real to Real" program. This film glorifies atrocities committed by three youths in 2001 when they videotaped themselves skinning alive a domestic cat and called it art.

Several of the police who watched the videotapes had to stop watching; some of them cried.

The three youths were all given slaps on the wrist and are now out on the street today capable of committing further atrocities.

This link contains an article about the movie in the Toronto Star.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1093990211033

What you can do:

Please write to Toronto Film Festival Officials and let them know that you are disgusted. Tell them you are boycotting the festival if this film is not pulled.

Contact:
Lynnette Gryseels, Press Officer
Michele Maheux, Managing Director
Toronto Film Festival
E-mail: lgryseels.torfilmfest.ca; tiffg.torfilmfest.ca; proffice.torfilmfest.ca; customerservice.torfilmfest.ca
Tel.: (416) 934-3200
Fax: (416) 581-0214

Sample letter:

To the organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival:

I was horrified to learn that Linda Feesey's film, �Casuistry: The Art of Killing a Cat,� is scheduled as part of the Toronto Film Festival. As you likely know, the film discusses the notorious case of 2001 in which Jesse Power, Anthony Wennekers, and Matt Kaczorowski videotaped themselves torturing a cat.
We would welcome efforts to raise awareness about this act of cruelty. However, you may not be aware that the producer, Linda Feesey, is an associate of the cat torturers. (For example, her 2002 film, Mr. Kafka's Holiday, starred Jesse Power's friend Jubal Brown, who was outspoken in his support of Power during the cat video case.) Casuistry is another opportunity for Power and his friends to defend their horrendous actions. According to the review in the Toronto Sun, the film features many apologists for the cat torturers. The killers show no remorse for their crime.

By including this film in the Festival, you are not only condoning, but encouraging Jesse Power and his ilk in their actions of extreme, premeditated, and illegal cruelty to animals. We urge you to remove this film from your program.
Please let me know as soon as possible what action you will take.

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
_______

Reviewed by Silke Lance, Dr. Ph (Reader)

Reviewed on December 9, 2004

Horrible horrible horrible....

Reviewed by Fletcher Bailey (Reader)

Reviewed on September 5, 2004

Ed, my letter is on its way. What scumbags are we allowing to walk our streets. Its a pity someone couldn't deliver some divine vengenge and skin one of these arssholes alive...Oh no hang on a minute if we did that we would be committing a crime...just give me five minutes in a room with one of these hitheads...thanks for posting this sad happening...Fletcher B

Reviewed by Ed Matlack

Ed, I sent your sample letter to all four address'es with my name in differing forms, I think that is nuts...when does art become criminality or is it vice versa? Maybe if we were to skin the children alive that did this to the cat, then the world would change its views...KeePeace, Ed & Rufuz (especially Rufuz)

Reviewed by Tami Ryan

Reviewed on September 4, 2004

OH. MY. GOD. (I'm shaking my head.) Thanks for the sample letter; that's a big help. And thanks for sharing this article, Ed.

Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado

i think this is disgusting; i hope they hang those who are responsible. it isn't art, it's just plain murder and sick!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in tx., karen lynn. :( >tears <

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

(((o, ed)))

this isn't art--it's sick

thank you for letting us know--you can bet i'll let my voice be heard

(((HUGS))) and love, karla. *tears*

Reviewed by Susan Barton (Reader)

murder is murder! Most awful that this is a real killing. Too bad that we often entertain ourselves with acted out or animated killings.

SueB

Reviewed by George Carroll

Any kind of debase cruelty is inhumane and abhorent. When people see children having their heads crushed in partial birth abortion what kind of message does this send to our children. If they can kill a baby, a cat doesn't seem to bad to them to do likewise. God help us if we don't wake up and end all this slaughter.

Reviewed by Kate Clifford (Reader)

Thank you for bringing this awareness to me. I will pass on the word to other Canadian artist that I know and hopefully the film will be banned. It is times like this I really wonder about my country. I have also worked with you sample letter and added a few choice words of my own :-)

Reviewed by Fr. Kurt Messick

I don't have words to say anything here. !!!

Reviewed by Carmen Ruggero

This is a disgrace. I can't imagine the film festival wanting to show this. Thanks for posting this and making us aware.

Carmen :-)

Reviewed by Peter Paton

This barbaric film should be outlawed and banned , Ed...
A disgracxe and shame to the Toronto Festival...
Peter

Reviewed by Tinka Boukes

Oh this is sad Ed!!

We have to toi-toi!! {strike}

Love Tinka