Around the world today, people are mourning a dog that most of us didn't even know. I certainly never met Lennox, as he existed in a country I've never even visited, but had planned to. I have, however, met, owned, and loved plenty of dogs that look remarkably similar to Lennox, including my own Staffordshire mix, Joplin.
The summary, in case you haven't followed Lennox's case, is that he was removed from his family in Belfast, Ireland, because he appeared to be a Pit Bull...and in that city, they abide by the most ridiculous concept of Breed Ban legislation. They intended to "destroy" Lennox, but the family fought it. Fast forward through a couple of years, lots of signatures on a petition to free him, celebrity backing, famous dog trainer Victoria Stillwell making pleas on the BBC, a Facebook campaign, and news coverage...and Belfast City Council killed Lennox this am.
Breed Ban Legislation is the foolish notion that by criminalizing an entire breed of canine, the "danger" imposed by that breed will diminish. It bases its "logic" on foolish statistics that claim AmStaffs and Bull Terriers (and Rottweilers and German Shepherds and Akitas, et al) are vicious. Statistics, my friends, are not unbiased, because the gathering of said statistics is done in a flawed system, by flawed people, and though Math is objective, the system in which its collected and weighed is very much subjective.
The idea that we can become safer because we eradicate a creature based on looks and background has been proven incorrect time after time. The eradication of an entire breed sounds a lot to me like genocide, and although at this time it's perpetrated against dogs and not humans, it doesn't make it any less foolish. It's a disgusting, amoral activity that solves nothing.
I tell the story often of the "most vicious dog I've ever met." He was a poodle and made of something like 60% rage and 40% muscle. He attacked me with the intent to rip off my face. Wisely, my parents chastised the owners and not the dog, because he was a product of idiot owners. I know idiot owners of dogs, idiot owners of guns, idiot owners of cars, idiot "owners" of children. They are all potentially dangerous, potentially murderous. "Potential to murder", "potential to harm," that's all still Innocent before proven Guilty. Living in a world where we are Guilty before Proven Innocent means we are all doomed before given a chance to either fuck up, or do well.
I'm skeptical about any blanket statements, anything considered a "blanket truth." No such thing, folks...no such thing. Breed Ban Legislation is one of those Blanket Statement Laws....because the X equals Y, it's bad and it has be destroyed. Insert your own values, and realize that this an evil, foolish equation, and a slippery slope into letting our "leaders" into our homes to decide what elements of our lives are acceptable, and which of them are evil according to the state and must be removed.
I say BULLSHIT. I won't have a moment for silence for Lennox. I will spend a lifetime yelling "bullshit."
Skeptically Yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment