What it boils down to is that squirrels have a media and image problem. They have never had an effective Spokessquirrel and, for whatever reason - and that reason might, in fact, be the clue to their problem - have never been able to establish a sympathetic identity through the persona of a cute or cuddly or wise or clever or all-of-the-above public figure, an Ubersquirrel, a public face of squirrelkind everywhere, a credit to its species - and a role model for future generations, for scrambling litters yet unborn.
Mice and ducks and chipmunks, dogs and cats, coyotes and even turtles all have a well known and likeable cartoon character providing favorable publicity and image support, and generally establishing that image with the susceptible young. Pigs, for God's sakes, do nothing but roll around in the mud all day and fart, and they have numerous likeable public faces, and are even portrayed as sturdy and industrious. Savage carnivores - lions - have their own Broadway show, and nobody ever pickets, waving photos of butchered wildebeests (note to self - check with appropriate members by PM.) Bunnies have Bugs, and Rabbits get sexpot Jessica, and she gets Kathleen Turner's voice.
But I'm not aware of any squirrel who has achieved stardom, let alone a good supporting role. Squirrels appear to be the Rodney Dangerfields of the cuddly animal world.
What is required here is not a string of posts whining about squirrels or their poor treatment - that's reality, and it's as distasteful as talking about Guantanamo while the President is posing with his flags - squirrels simply need a good media team - a cartoonist, an agent, a PR guy. The raw material is all there: bulging cheeks, terrific darting moments, bushy tail, bright eyes, good poses. If Porky Pig could succeed, if Britney Spears can make it big, then certainly the Eratosphere can create Wystan Squirel. (Thomas Stearns Squirrel? Percy Bysshe Squirrel? That part might need work.)
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