and I managed to successfully transfer some stuff over from the other draft. This actually started out with six very different options and went through many changes.
In fact, option 1 was taken from Ransium(since the draft I put it in was canned, although I still plan to work with it for that other idea CWA gave me),
option 4 was taken from Ransium(originally it had a completely different speaker and two variants, but I broke down and kept the old one),
5 and 6 were different options with a different reason for its split(and originally there was none), and then 7 was thrown in because I realized
that the validity of the whole thing could be - and should be - much more free.
Ok, ramble out of the way: My draft.
Title: Banning Pets a Minor Faux-Paw?
The Issue: Children and obsessive animal owners are up in arms about the prohibition of keeping pets. After seeing a small group of children cry as they were forced away from some cats and a dog they "rescued", you're beginning to wonder if something should be done about the people affected.
Validity: (Co-authored with Ransium) Pets are banned (regardless of elimination)
Option 1: "Look, you made the right decision banning pets," chirps animal patrol officer @@RANDOMNAME@@, blocking your view of the children. "Sure, there are some emotional repercussions, but think of the benefits! No more animal abuse, no more time-wasting cat videos, and... plenty of other things, too! You should fund some rehabilitation programs to make people see what a good thing this is - for everyone involved."
[effect] ex-pet owners must undergo extensive therapy to get over helping animals
Validity: Nation has zoos
Option 2: "You know, you could keep some of the more dependent and adorable critters in some zoos," purrs @@RANDOMNAME@@, a zookeeper who's desperately looking for some extra income. "People can still see the animals, and maybe even play with them for a while. Sure, the critters won't get the 'freedom' that they deserve, but at least we won't have to worry about abusive owners or crying children anymore."
[effect] feral animals are forced into concentration zoos to be oogled over by snot-nosed rugrats
Validity: Nation has high scientific advancement
Option 3: "Why have real pets when you can use substitutes?" yips famous eccentric inventor Dr. @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@, while pulling out an adorable, if somewhat off-putting, robotic dog. "Meet Rex! With just a bit of government support, I could have 'Rex' in every household in @@NAME@@ within a year. Just think of it: no more pet food, no more housebreaking, and best of all, they never have to die!"
[effect] @@DEMONYNPLURAL@@ claim real animals are robots to avoid the national pet ban
Option 4: "Why can't I have Fluffy back?" cries a five-year-old girl who was separated from the cats you saw earlier. "You took away my puppy, Fluffy. I love Fluffy very much. I fed him, and walked him, and played with him! Then Mommy said, the gov-ment said we couldn't have Fluffy anymore, and people came and took Fluffy away." The girl then begins to tear up. "I want Fluffy back, because I love Fluffy, and he is the bestest puppy in the whole wide world, and, and, I want Fluffy back!"
[effect]cats are abducted from the wild and forced to wear sweaters
Validity: Pets are not being eliminated, nation is not hunter-gatherer based
Option 5: "I have no sympathy for these slave-driving idiots," hisses @@RANDOMNAME@@, who then hisses at a cat that catches @@HIS@@ eye. "Why should we be thinking about ourselves and ignore the freedom that these animals have been given? We need to go one step further - ban plants from captivity. Sure, farms may suffer a little loss, and famine may sweep across @@NAME@@, but at least the plants will be free from our oppressive tyranny!"
[effect]thousands of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ go hungry so plants won't be held in captivity
Validity: Pets are not being eliminated
Option 6: "Just kill 'em like I said," says a mustachioed local-government employee. "Problem solved."
[effect]animals are killed so people stop trying to feed them
Oh, also, if you can find a way to put in the Garfield reference I made in the previous draft, I'd be delighted.
