AR-News: (US-MD) "Cyber Bully" Neiman Marcus Tries to Shut Down NeimanCarcass.com Web Site, Stifle Criticism of Fur Sales

[Tracey McIntire]

For Immediate Release

Cyber Bully Neiman Marcus Tries to Shut Down NeimanCarcass.com Web 
Site, Stifle Criticism of Fur Sales

Silver Spring, MD (April 20, 2004) -- The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. has 
filed a domain name dispute to shut down the web sites 
NeimanCarcass.com, NeimanCarcass.org, and NeimanCarcass.net, which are 
critical of the companys sale of fur products.

The disputed domains, which are owned by The Fund for Animals, use the 
parody Neiman Carcass to protest the retailers cruel and unnecessary 
sale of fur. Although parody and satire are protected forms of speech, 
Neiman Marcus argues in its complaint that the Neiman Carcass site 
competes with its business because it provides informational links to 
other animal protection organizations, some of which sell merchandise on 
their own web sites.

Michael Markarian, President of The Fund for Animals, said, It is 
laughable that any reasonable person could be confused between a luxury 
retailer selling fine apparel, jewelry and housewares, and a non-profit 
animal protection organization selling t-shirts and bumper stickers with 
campaign slogans. Neiman Marcus is simply engaging in cyber-bullying 
to insulate itself from public criticism of its socially irresponsible 
practice of selling fur.

The Fund for Animals is an animal protection organization that has 
campaigned against the horrible abuse endured by fur-bearing wildlife 
since 1967. The groups founder, Cleveland Amory, best-selling author 
and social critic for national media outlets such as TV Guide and The 
Today Show, used social commentary and parody to raise awareness 
regarding animal cruelty. The Fund uses parody in this same vein, 
including a three-minute musical cartoon in the style of Dr. Seuss, 
which also names Neiman Marcus and is linked from the Neiman Carcass site.

Pierre Grzybowski, Grassroots Coordinator for The Fund for Animals, 
added, In the wild, animals trapped for fur suffer for hours or days in 
steel-jawed leghold traps, chewing through their own limbs trying to 
escape. And in fur factories, animals live their entire lives in tiny 
cages, their misery only ending when they are gassed, anally or 
genitally electrocuted, or have their necks broken. With the many warm 
and elegant alternatives, there is no reason for Neiman Marcus to sell fur.

A copy of The Fund for Animals response to the complaint is available 
online at: www.fund.org/uploads/NeimanCarcassResponse.rtf

More information on the web: www.NeimanCarcass.com