"Intentional" Gas Leak Injures Furry Convention Attendees

[Ryan Hughes]

Before you decide to post a joke or laugh at this:

Chlorine gas enters the lungs via the victim's airway. On contact with water, the chlorine forms hydrochloric acid, HCl. Victims feel excruciating pain as acid is generated inside their lungs, throat, and mouth. The chemical reaction is also exothermic, and can burn victims to cause additional tissue damage.

Think for a minute about this before you decide to laugh or make fun of these people.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

I don't understand the hate towards furries and therians, personally. You'll hear plenty of eccentrics claim they've remembered some of their past lives or that they're psychic vampires or just plain old sensitives, and yet as soon as someone says something along the lines of "I'm not attracted to the human form while still recognizing bestiality for what it is", the pitchforks are raised.

I'm not a furry myself; my interest in anthropomorphic animals is mostly based in literature, anthropology and character design. Animals given human features tend to magnify several human responses, and I've seen a few European comic artists use the anthro concept to stunning effect. If you've got time, look up Dark Horse's English translations of Juanjo Guarnido's "Blacksad" series, or one of the perennial classics in the genre - Stan Sakai's Usaji Yojimbo.

No matter which way you put it, there's never any bestiality to be found in the Furry fandom. Even those with a pretty strong sexual interest in normal animal physiologies tend to rationalize their fantasies by saying "Well, that particular character is a *sapient* wolf, and I imagine her as being consenting."

If it's nothing but a fantasy and no actual animals have had to suffer from that interest, then what's wrong with being a member of this particular subculture? That's what I'd want to ask the holier-than-thou types, if I could. Furries aren't so fragile in their belief systems and morals that they're two or three Rule 34 imagesets away from trying to get freaky on wild animals.

 

[seris]

ah at least the threads relating to the event on this forum doesnt have users saying "those dog f*ckers deserve it" and other things trying to justify this action like on *cough* facepunch *cough*

Some people dont realize we are human beings just like them, nobody deserves to be victims of this terrorist act. just because someone thinks "OHH FURRIES ARE WEIRD" doesnt give anybody ANY right to commit this act of hate towards us.

 

[Seraj33]

I'll be honest I laughed my ass off when I heard about it. Mainly because my mom had called me up because she was at a Bridal show next door and she told me there was some kind of cartoon convention next door and that she heard there was a gas leak. Hours later when I turned on the news I found out it was a furry convention I couldn't help but laugh. I was tempted to tell my mom who they were and what a furry is, but I think I'll let her live in a bliss where these were just people dressing up as their favorite cartoons.

And then you realize that you are laughing at a rather large amount of people begin attacked with a chemical weapon that is extremely deadly and painful.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Well that's a historic event: The first genuine act of attempted "fursectution" ever.

I've been briefly fumigated by chlorine gas before (a train carrying the stuff derailed near my workplace back in 06'); it's nasty shit. More than a whiff of it and it feels like you're vomiting out your lungs.

I'm no friend of furries, but they have my sympathy here...and anger if that was really intentional.

 

[Leonardo Huizar]

Thats attempted murder times 19, plus a literal terrorist act. This idiot is going to jail the moment hes stupid enough to brag about it online. Because you know those idiots tend to do so just to talk how bad ass they are for picking on a culture they think is beneath themselves.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

I'm also upset that the hotel isn't offering refunds. If I were to get poisoned on someone else's property through no fault of my own, you better bet I'd be getting my money back. They are responsible for their guests.

I read somewhere that they were at least ponying up for everyone's hospital bills, but that hasn't been verified. Depending on whether or not they all had insurance, that could have been worth far more than what they paid to attend.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

This has got to be one of the dumbest "attacks" I've ever seen. Did a 5-year-old think this out?

Anyway though, as a furry, I can't believe people are still laying into us like this. I thought we were passed this a long time ago.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

In any case, I can only hope the perpetrator will be outed as being from another subculture. Oh, that would be glorious: "Sanguinarian Plotted to Murder Furries" or "Deranged Steampunk Fan Saw Furries as Creatures of the Devil". If that's the case, this wonderful idiot would get to be excoriated by not only one group, but two!

 

[Vigormortis]

You know, amusingly enough.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/08/chlorine-gas-leak-at-chicago-area-hotel-hosting-furries-convention-sickens-1/

They have.

And... It's actually.. Well, it's not bad, actually.

I just read the same article. I saw someone's earlier comment that none of the major news outlets were reporting on the incident, so I decided to see for myself if this was true.

I was thoroughly surprised at the, um....tempered nature of the Fox report. I even chuckled a little at a few of the segments, including the ending quip.

That said, neither CNN nor MSNBC have reported on the incident yet.

As for the incident itself:
If this was indeed intentional, then it should be viewed as a terrorist attack and those responsible should be accused of 19 counts of attempted murder.

The truly sad part is, I've already heard people 'defend' the attack because they believe it was probably just a prank. Using chlorine gas as a prank is like walking into a crowded store with a loaded assault rifle and firing it aimlessly around the display floor. Even if you somehow don't kill anyone, the act is not a joke.

Though.....the fact that the attendees, as they were evacuated from the convention hall, were ferried into the adjacent hall wherein a dog show was taking place, was kind of funny.

While authorities conducted their investigation, organizers tried to assure the participants that the evacuation would not overshadow the convention. But attendees seemed to think the evacuation was part of the fun - particularly those who recalled being herded into the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center as it was hosting a dog show.

"In walk all these people dressed like dogs and foxes," said Pieter Van Hiel, a 40-year-old technical writer from Hamilton, Canada, chuckling as he thought back to the scene.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

I'll be honest I laughed my ass off when I heard about it. Mainly because my mom had called me up because she was at a Bridal show next door and she told me there was some kind of cartoon convention next door and that she heard there was a gas leak. Hours later when I turned on the news I found out it was a furry convention I couldn't help but laugh. I was tempted to tell my mom who they were and what a furry is, but I think I'll let her live in a bliss where these were just people dressing up as their favorite cartoons.

Cause a bunch of people being harmed and could have been killed by chemical substances is fucking hilarious. Yeah, ok.

OT: All of them have my sympathies. It's too bad it might be difficult to find the culprits, but who knows, maybe a lead will pop up somehow? Doubt it, but we can hope for *some* kind of justice, right?

ah at least the threads relating to the event on this forum doesnt have users saying "those dog f*ckers deserve it" and other things trying to justify this action like on *cough* facepunch *cough*

Some people dont realize we are human beings just like them, nobody deserves to be victims of this terrorist act. just because someone thinks "OHH FURRIES ARE WEIRD" doesnt give anybody ANY right to commit this act of hate towards us.

Damn straight. Honestly, I was expecting at least one post that went along those lines, but to my surprise, people have been pretty cool about it. Good on you, Escapists~

 

[snekadid]

ah at least the threads relating to the event on this forum doesnt have users saying "those dog f*ckers deserve it" and other things trying to justify this action like on *cough* facepunch *cough*

Some people dont realize we are human beings just like them, nobody deserves to be victims of this terrorist act. just because someone thinks "OHH FURRIES ARE WEIRD" doesnt give anybody ANY right to commit this act of hate towards us.

To be fair, Furries are weird by definition being "outside of the norm", something that triggers human nature in many that results in acts of violence. But no, this is wrong on many levels.

The use of gas makes this a lot worse than typical gut reaction acts of violence. It not only marks a certain level of planning and forethought, but a defined malevolence that supersedes normal hatred. Chlorine poisoning is a very nasty way to die, something someone planning the dispersal of the agent would have learned, and they didn't care. There are reasons that chemical weapons are banned by the Geneva Conventions, because it is far more merciful to be knifed or shot than gassed. This is a sick person and deserves the full penalty of their actions and more.

 

[higgs20]

Not going to lie, the whole furry thing weirds me out a bit (ok a lot) but Fuck me!That's just not something you do, to anyone.

 

[RicoADF]

chemical weapons are not EVER a valid response to fandoms you don't like. If this was really a intentional malicious act the person/s responsible need to be caught ASAP because they are clearly sociopaths and fully willing to harm and potential kill others for immensely petty reasons.

This is literally terrorism with chemical weapons, those responsible should be hunted down and charged accordingly.

I've never cared about furies, never really met one (afaik) and don't mind the idea. Whatever floats their boat as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, but there is no excuse for committing an act such as this. Seriously America, sort your shit out.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Alright, I can understand why people might find furries distasteful. But wanting to risk killing them? That's really extreme.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I won't even pretend to be surprised. In the dregs of the Internet, you've got these little cliques who just love to tell each other how awful furries are, with terms like "dogfuckers" and "faggots", how they're so much less than human and deserve to be made to suffer just for their fandom. Wasn't it really just a matter of time before some mental reprobate internalized all that garbage and actually went out to make it happen?

 

[Atomic Spy Crab]

Now, Im not a fan of furries, infact to be honest they kinda creep me out sometimes but despite all that Chlorine Gas is a very excruciatingly painful and long death I wouldn't wish upon anyone except Nazis and Orks

Edit: Im honestly surprised this didn't happen sooner given all the stigma and hate they have to deal with regularly.

 

[Something Amyss]

I wonder why this isn't bigger news, it's awefully close to terrorism but none of the major news outlets mentio anything.

Same reason attacks on gay clubs and "pagan" groups used to not get much coverage most of the time. Because nobody cares (or nobody is perceived to care) when someone deemed undesirable is harmed.

Can you imagine how Fox "News" would report on this? Those assholes make me want to vomit enough as it is.

I'm not even sure I want to imagine.

And... It's actually.. Well, it's not bad, actually.

Because it's a 90 second news byte and a piece that's mostly AP writing.

Well that's a historic event: The first genuine act of attempted "fursectution" ever.

Probably a poor time to say that.

This is literally terrorism with chemical weapons, those responsible should be hunted down and charged accordingly.

Even assuming it's an attack, that doesn't make it "literally" terrorism. That's not to say it makes an attack right, but at this point my assumption would be closer to "hate crime." Still not a good thing, still in no way right.

 

[Rahkshi500]

Holy shit, this is messed up. Thank god that no one was harmed by this, but seriously, all of these hate crimes are just too much.

 

[shintakie10]

This is literally terrorism with chemical weapons, those responsible should be hunted down and charged accordingly.

Even assuming it's an attack, that doesn't make it "literally" terrorism. That's not to say it makes an attack right, but at this point my assumption would be closer to "hate crime." Still not a good thing, still in no way right.

Hate crime wouldn't apply unless you somehow tied furries under sexual orientation. I mean, I can see HOW you could do it, but whether anyone would actually give enough fucks about furries to do so is entirely another matter.

On topic!

Yeah, this shit is garbage. No one was severely hurt, but someone could have died from this. Its barely possible that this wasn't a directed attack at furries, but I'm more willing to believe that than any of the other alternatives. Its sick, wrong, and scummy that someone would hate someone like that.

Hell, its not even like furries stand for anythin as a group. We're not campaignin for anythin, we're not shoutin at anyone, we're just hangin out in our corner of the internet and sometimes hoppin over into conventions that bring the cities they're in a ton of business. Yet that seems bad enough that people literally want to kill us? What the fuck yo.