Occupy Denver Elects a Leader: Shelby the Dog

She's more like a person than a corporation, organizer argues
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 9, 2011 10:23 AM CST

The Occupy movement has been pretty adamant about remaining leaderless, but Denver’s mayor has been pushing them to name one to deal with city officials. So the protesters put democracy to work and elected a leader: a Border Collie mix named Shelby. Shelby is “a smart and fun dog,” organizer Aaron “Al” Nesby assured his fellow protesters. Plus she “can breathe, bleed, and show emotion. These three things alone obviously prove she’s more like a person than a corporation."

Nesby nominated Shelby because he was annoyed when Michael Moore showed up and acted like the movement’s leader, he tells Westword. He figured a canine leader would be more down to earth. Shelby’s owner, 27-year-old filmmaker Peter Jentsch, promised to be her “bodyguard,” but not to speak at all in any meetings with officials. Shelby was elected by an overwhelming margin, but there were voices of dissent. “What assurances do we have that Shelby will not sell us out for belly rubs?” one occupier asked. (More Occupy Denver stories.)

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