Journalist crosses the line with his opinions on Pit Bulls

[Pit Chick]

I had this article sent to me and thought I would share it with everyone here. I hope that everyone who reads it will give this guy a piece of their mind and let him know this was uncalled for and share their opinions the way he shared his when no one asked for them. Try to be tactful as to not feed further into his stereotyping. I've already sent my scathing reply that I'll be happy to share upon request.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Column...02/946800.html

[Jadapit]

That guy is a total IDIOT!!! I need to write him but I need to compose myself or I might say something I shouldn't. I bet the guy has never even been around a pit. I would like to see what you had to say to the guy. I bet it's good.

[K9soul]

I think it was written for attention and he is going to get enjoyment out of the angry and outraged replies he gets. The best thing for him to get is total silence and dismissal but I know he will get what he wants. He deliberately said anything he could think of that would hurt and enrage just about any true animal lover.

[Kosmo&Cuddles]

I think he's an idiot too. I am going to write to him, but like Jadapit I want to compose myself as well. I'd like to see what you wrote Pitchick if you don't mind sharing.

[Pit Chick]

Should I post my response to him on this thread, it's kinda long and it's too long to PM.

K9Soul,

I see where you're coming from. This is a double edged sword situation. If you say something nasty, he gets the attention he may have been going for, but if you don't say something, he thinks he was right and can get away with writing these sorts of things without being called out on it. I'm sure if he had said something descrimanatory about a race of people he would be getting death threats by now. But as long as people use tact and get the point across without any name calling, he might think twice about what he writes.

[Kosmo&Cuddles]

Post it in the thread, don't think you'd have any complaints.

[Pit Chick]

Your complete and total ignorance truly shines through in your article. Anyone who would write such an article without first learning the facts and gaining experience is the one with a "psychological disorder". People are killed in car wrecks all the time, so should we ban the cars or the drivers? Lets think about that one for a minute, a car is only as dangerous as it's driver, the person in "control" of the car. The same applies for a dog, of any breed. Pit Bulls have been around for over 200 years without problems, it's only until the last few years that their population has grown and they have become the trendy ego booster of the decade, paraded around by pathetic criminals with low self esteems that associate with their dogs the way they would a car. I'm sure you were around in the 1970's when the breeds that were considered "dangerous" were Dobermans and German Shepherds, then on to the 80's when the Chow Chow took on that role and on into the 90's til now, Pit Bulls and Rottweilers have become the next unfortunate victims of society's cruelest citizens who to some may "look and seem harmlessly normal, even loving". (These same kind of people could even be your next-door neighbor or co-worker.) Do you see a pattern here? Pit Bulls are banned here and there as a knee jerk decision by politicians to make it look like they are doing something to protect their constituents, when in reality, they are just trying to win over the masses by feeding into their ignorance and lack of education, passing laws that do nothing to prevent dog bites, in hopes of winning more votes in another term. Do you really think that people will be safer if Pit Bulls were gone? If Pit Bulls are outlawed, then only outlaws will own Pit Bulls, because let's face it, criminals care nothing about the law and they are the ones causing the problems. Not the law abiding citizen who's Pit Bull has never shown an ounce of aggression, is already neutered, and lives in the house as a part of the family. These citizens are the only ones that the law applies to because they are the only ones who abide by the law and they turn out to be the ones that suffer when a ridiculous law is passed banning their pets. You're not comparing apples to apples when comparing Pit Bulls to Mike Tyson. Any dog of any size can inflict serious injury, depending on the size of the person. While a Pomeranian may not do much to hurt a full grown adult, there is record of such a tiny dog killing an infant, which I'm sure to that infant, felt like a punch from Mike Tyson. There are dogs much larger than Pit Bulls and even some people, that have the ability to fit a human head in their mouths, which you can just imagine the amount of damage that could do. I foresee these being the kinds of dogs that irresponsible, thugs will move on to when Pit Bulls become hard to obtain. A law will be passed, more breeds will be banned, and I'm sure we'll see another article such as yours babbling on about something you know nothing about except what your closed mind chooses to buy into from media hype. Everyone has their right to their own opinion, but to plaster total nonsense in an article hoping to get a pat on the back by those who read it is unjustified and uncalled for. You crossed a fine line by labeling anyone who chooses to own a Pit Bull as a "closet oddball with psychological disorders". Stereotyping equals bad journalism, which I as Pit Bull owner/rescuer find very unacceptable. That's right, I rescue these outstanding "brutes" and have seen the pain, abuse, and suffering heartless humans can inflict upon these innocent animals. And we're supposed to be the more "civilized" species. When a Pit Bull or any dog attacks it has a reason whether it's be because they were trained to or provoked, but what reason does a human have to torture one of these animals whether it's by dragging them behind their car, holding them down on a burning BBQ pit, beating them with a baseball bat, or throwing dogs in a ring to rip each other apart while a crowed watches and cheers, placing bets on the outcomes of the violence. Feel free to take a look at what your fellow man is capable of:
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/sadreality.html
http://www.deviantart.com/view/11454716/

And please, do yourself and anyone who may take the time to actually read your article, a favor and stick to your think less job of sports journalism and quit trying to dummy-up society with your uneducated assumptions.

Yours Truly,

The Proud Guardian of Pit Bulls
Michelle Reilly

[Kosmo&Cuddles]

Well I think that was Awesome!! Now hopefully this journalist will read his e-mails concerning his article. You should e-mail something to Micheal Bryant (the person who started all this crap) and tell him how you feel as well. I sent him an email, I don't know if it did any good but made me feel a little better.

Thanks for posting you response to the idiot.

[K9soul]

I of course realize and empathize with your outrage. I felt the same way yesterday when I read it, and my first reaction was one of incredible anger and outrage, I kept thinking of all the things I'd like to say to him...

And then later after thinking about it more, I realized I have seen his sort before off and on in life. They are people who really don't care what others think or feel, they just get a kick out of pushing buttons and insulting people's emotions and passions. It is futile to waste your emotions on him and it's what he wants. I realize that venting to him might make you and I feel better, but it's also what he's fishing for, what he wants. Imagine how disappointed and let down he would be if no one responded to him at all, that he didn't get one rise out of anyone and was totally shrugged off and ignored like the fool he is. He'd get no satisfaction, none at all. That type of person is not going to be swayed or look at other viewpoints, he's not interested in them and even in his write-up he simply mocks the people who have tried to explain the truth to him.

It'd be nice if the publisher of that garbage would also publish something written from the opposite viewpoint, but I wouldn't hold out hope of that. Just keep trying to educate the masses as best you can and let your voice be heard to your politicians. It's all any of us can really do unfortunately.

[PJ's Mom]

My first response was "What the hell is wrong with him,?!". Then I went back and read it again and realized it's obvious he's trying to piss people off and he will sit back and laugh at all the angry responses he knows he's going to get. It's sad that people use the media this way, but they do and it usually gets them exactly what they want.

[RICHARD]

PC,


One thing about these "opinion pieces".

You get an editor that needs to fill column inches and some D-wad that can write, all because he has Spell Check on Word.

Don't get riled up over an opinion, it's just like, well you know..
EVERYONE HAS ONE!

It's just a way to get people to talk about the author, read the paper and get people to go "primate" over the topic.


BTW,
Who is Michelle Reilly??

If I were you, I'd stay away from her, She sounds like she is a take no prisoners kinda person......very scary!!!!

[PJ's Mom]

^ That's what I was trying to say but as usual Richard said it much better.

[wolflady]

Nice letter Michelle. It was well written and tasteful:-) It is sad that the dogs are the ones who pay for stupid people's ignorance...why don't we ban the damn people??

Ugh

[Pit Chick]

Originally posted by RICHARD
BTW,
Who is Michelle Reilly??

If I were you, I'd stay away from her, She sounds like she is a take no prisoners kinda person......very scary!!!!

lololol.....and I was actually being tactful. Very out of character for me.

Michelle is my alter ego, I only let her out to write stuff like this every once in a while.

Here's another journalist that also wrote a BS Pit Bull bashing column:
http://www.jsonline.com/lifestyle/ad...ar02/31443.asp

And this is her realizing it wasn't such a great idea:
http://www.jsonline.com/lifestyle/ad...pr02/36650.asp

I wrote to her when this column first came out. It was long, but tasteful and informative. I wish I still had that email.

[dukedogsmom]

That first link broke my heart. Animals don't deserve that! I just don't understand how people can be so cruel and inhumane. Makes me wish I could give them the same kind of treatment. I wish the dogs would attack the idiots that do this to them, take them out of this world. But, they're way too good for that and too smart. I sometimes wish that animals, especially dogs, were made so vicious that people wouldn't be given the opportunity to hurt them.