Posted on 05/15/2008 7:10:46 AM PDT by 95Theses
Many years have passed since Americans were proud to identify with Pit Bulls. Once a noble national mascot, Everybody’s All-American and a popular family pet, the Pit Bull would experience a terrible reversal of fortune, feared and reviled as public enemy number one.
Today, the Pit Bull is the single most feared and legislated-against dog in the world – and also the most routinely abused. Favored by dog fighters and drug dealers because of his awesome strength and muscular physique, the Pit Bull has an inherent loyalty and willingness to please that is exploited terribly by this criminal element.
Dogs are overbred and kept in appallingly neglectful circumstances, forced to fight other dogs to the death, then abandoned or cruelly killed when they demonstrate their truly gentle and sociable natures (”undesirable” traits from a criminal’s point of view). In short, the Pit Bull is roundly punished for the misdeeds of his abusive owners.
Compounding the breed’s undeserved vicious reputation is the media’s unfortunate tendency to characterize these dogs as public enemy number one: unpredictable, bloodthirsty beasts with a taste for children’s blood, more demon than canine. As a result, animal shelters across this country are filled to capacity with sweet Pit Bulls that no one wants to adopt because of the horror stories they’ve heard on the news.
Although millions know a very different side to the Pit Bull – the dependable friend of children, as embodied by Our Gang’s mascot Pete – the “vicious” stereotype stubbornly persists. Breed bans in Denver and Ontario have made it illegal for residents to own one. Everywhere else, animal shelters are overcrowded with gentle, affectionate pits categorically overlooked by potential adopters.
Robyn Smith Astaire, widow of the actor Fred Astaire, has a favorite photograph of her late husband. In the picture, which has pride of place on her mantel, 7-year-old Fred wears shorts and a peter-pan-collared shirt. The adorable smiling boy has his arm around his beloved pet: a black Pit Bull named Bill, named after the man who gave him the dog, William “Bojangles” Robinson (Fred and Bojangles appeared together on the vaudeville circuit).
But maybe things are starting to look up for this poor reviled dog. The Pit Bull is attracting an ever-widening circle of friends in high places – people with names like Jon Stewart, Rachael Ray, Mel Brooks, Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Biel, Bernadette Peters, and rocker Stephan Jenkins.
Hey, if Pit Bulls are really so bad, would such nice people keep them as pets?
The annual human death count in the USA is over 30
WOW, that's almost right up there with drowning in 5 gallon buckets... There augh'ta be a LAW!!!
You got to be kidding. 30 people a year dead because of a stupid dog and you think that is a small number.
they dont allow those who live on base to keep possesion of their firearms
It’s the problem of either the dog owner in managing the dog or the parent managing (i.e. watching) the child.
We have RAFTS of stupid legislation based solely on the mishaps of a micro-handfull of people every year, it’s what politicians feed upon for their fix of “having done something”.
These things are tragedies, but personal ones for few and far between people. It comes solely down to personal responsibility. You have no need to “wipe out the breed” or ban ownership when you merely have to hold the people involved accountable.
What’s the difference between wiping out the breed due to the irresponsibility of a few idiots and banning all guns because of same??? ZERO, it’s the same thing, there just aren’t enough pit bull owners to form an effective legislative defence against the “there augh’ta be a law” crowd and the pandering politician that’ll seize the momentum to crow that they’re “doing something”.
The same mentality screwed legal voting age adults out of the right to drink a beer nationally, and keeps them from being able to own a concealable firearm in many states. Many people in that age group (18-21) might be irresponsable morons, but that definitely wasn’t a legitimate excuse to remove the rights of the responsible ones and the same applies here to dog owners.
You can’t carp about infringing regulation and then turn around and ask for it haphazardly when you see fit, we have to be very carefull about what we’re getting outraged about and demanding legislation for, particularly when it comes to the regulation of activities or property performed or owned by smaller groups.
Please note that one of the attacks is about a proponent of the pit bull who I'm sure argues that it is not the dog but the owner who is to blame.
Here's one:
Pit Bull saves 2 women from deadly cobra, dies wagging his tail
I would never insinuate that all pit bulls are bad but as a breed there appears to be problems with it that are more prevalent than others.
Good info. Could you please post the link to that report?
Thank you.
I know this is from almost a year ago but I just came acrossed your comment. I think it is pretty hillarious. I hate when people come downon the breed. It is all how they are raised. It’s called ignorant people!!!!!!! I must admit I too was against pitbulls at one point in time well all dogs actually. I have been attacked by 2 dogs in my life one being a golden retreiver and another being a little tiny thing I’m not sure what it was. But I am now the proud owner of two beautiful pits. I have a 9 month old and a 4 month old. They are the best dogs ever. They are so loving and friendly. We made sure to socialize them right from the get go. They love everybody and love playing with other animals. I have 3 kids that they just love sooo much. We also have 4 cats and they all just love playing with each other. Ok I won’t make this any longer. In my opinon from experience they are great dogs!!!!!!
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