Stupidity

Once again, terrible dog owners are getting their dogs, mainly pit bulls, in trouble. The news stories would be so different if the pit bulls were the ones starving their owners, strangling and electrocuting them, forcing them to fight each other, and kicking them to the streets to fend for themselves. Instead, it's the pit bulls getting abused. This is one area where I would actually support the "eye for an eye" motto. Those who abuse deserve to be abused. Maybe hell will be punishment enough for the owners when they die. I'm serious.

Children who have extreme behavioral problems from being abused are taken care of, treated as victims, and are given chance after chance to have normal lives after abuse. Dogs get abused more or put down. How corrupt are we? Have a look here if you're not the queasy type and see if your heart doesn't break. Pit-bull abuse and fighting are becoming an epidemic. As mentioned in that Cleveland story, some people view owning pit bulls as a badge of strength. Anger problems, anyone? I think so.

When NFL superstar Michael Vick pleaded guilty in August to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge, animal lovers and the general public responded with revulsion.

For 'dog men' and other participants, however, the Vick case was an affirmation that dog fighting is 'glamorous,' Bengle said.

Having a pit bull and fighting it is like 'walking around with a gun. It's like a badge of honor,' he said.

But for dogs like E.T., it is a life filled with brutal training and vicious maulings in the ring. And not long ago in Philadelphia, even a rescue meant likely death at the city shelter, where pit bulls were routinely euthanized because the breed was regarded as dangerous.

It must make people feel powerful to kick around such a noted breed and turn them into scared fighting machines. I imagine they wouldn't feel the same boost in confidence if they just tossed around little chihuahuas.

If people would stop being so gullible and believing that pit bulls attack more than they submit, they could stop fueling this ridiculous stereotype. People who've had no experience with pit bulls have no right at all to call pit bulls monsters or threats. That's like me saying that all Iraqis are dangerous and evil. Think about it.

AKM