Anniversary of the New Jersey FurBQ Hoax – this bullshit cost $185,000.
by Patch O'Furr
Update: read to bottom for new details of the $185,000 cost!
Remember this sad thing? On May 26, 2012, the final New Jersey FurBQ was held for nearly 200 attendees. It ended seven years of a party loved by a community of friends. But it didn’t just die – it was killed with controversy and nasty headlines. The truth was buried under biased and false reporting.
It’s a tale of intolerance and ridicule. Misinformation and dishonesty. Exploiting and scapegoating. Shaming and moralizing against “offenses” like having fun and serving alcohol to adults over 21. A fake sex scandal, that provoked our own anti-sex hysteria. Beneath it all, dirty town politics.
They said they had photos of two costumers doing “simulated” public sex. Everyone freaked out and pointed at each other – but it was a wild rumor. The accusations failed burden of proof. Accusers are responsible to give evidence, but they failed to produce photos or even names, when harm made it critical to be fair. I say if it happened, we’d at least know names. If you’re a furry, you know how rumors go. Sure, evidence could have been held for confidentiality – but there’s no credibility for that. Photos didn’t just fail to exist – there were extra allegations of lying, a money incentive, and an unreasonable rush to judgement that was too perfectly provoked. It’s way past time to call it a HOAX. This may be the first headline to do it. (I found support from this DJ who was there.)
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