Quote:
Originally Posted by Lchoy
Just an observation, and not an attack on dogs or dog owners, but this issue seems to have a lot in common with gun control with regards banning of certain breeds vs the right of owners to own the dog of their choice. There is a public safety issue as well as the argument that a few irresponsible dog owners are ruining it for the responsible owners. Just an observation, carry on  |
It seems like the most moderate and sensible call to action after the Connecticut shootings was not to ban all guns, but rather to acknowledge that there is a problem with gun violence in the U.S., in particular with the access people have to assault weapons. These are weapons designed not only to kill, but to kill at a higher rate than more conventional firearms. Therefore, access to them should be restricted much more greatly, if not banned outright.
The same principle applies to pit bulls and other vicious breeds of dog. I don't really give a damn if people enjoy that particular breed of dog over others, just like I don't really give a damn if someone would prefer to own an AR-33 over a shotgun. The objective risk of public harm (backed up by data related to the breeds of dogs which are demonstrably more prone to violent attacks than others) outweigh the subjective enjoyment that one person may get from owning a dangerous animal.
My family always had guns in the house. My family always had dogs in the house. But we had shotguns or deer rifles, not assault rifles, and golden retrievers, not pitbulls.