Writers Memo
To: The class
From: David Campos
RE:
Date: 11/26/2012
In this paper I attempt to identify the problem being faced by the tax payers of both Broward and Dade county in Florida. The real problem that has to be address is the BSL which prohibit the owning of Pitbulls in Dade county. This is a persuasive paper that tries to find the truth between how and why the Pitbulls have been banned. Truth seeking is the main ingredient in providing both sides view points and try to find a balance within. The audience I try to address is that of all people who are voters in Dade county and around the nation to fight this injustice.
The purpose of composing this paper is to allow people in Dade county to finally own pitbulls without having to fear the law. How I went about doing this is grabbing information from both sides and addressing the real problem which is to fight the abuse of the pitbull not the breed itself. I faced many obstacles in writing this paper which included a beginning, middle, and final draft with many revisions. I discovered the real reason why Pitbull are banned and how it was bias with no facts. I am very satisfied with this paper and believe I can and will do more to fight this atrocity.
The strengths the paper has is that it allows the reader to get information given from both sides and can gather his own opinion on the topic. And in this i hope that people will see that the truth is to fight the abuse not the breed.
The Term Paper on Maycomb County Silas People Boo
A Study Of The Outcast In Silas Study Of The Outcast In Silas Marner By George E Raveloe and Maycomb, the two towns in the novels, are both cut off from the world, isolated in the middle of the country. Both have strict caste systems, with religion playing a big part in life. Raveloe is a distant rural community, where everyone knows everyone. When Silas invades this closely knit town, he feels ...
I believe that the true weekness with the paper is that it gives the reader a lot to handle in a very fast pace. The other weakness I can address is that I tend to be a bias opinion as i myself am from Dade county and own a Pitbull.
The process of persuasive writing has been a part of my life since I can remember having to write papers. The truth is that I really enjoy writing and expressing my ideas on paper.
I really want the reader to get the idea that BSL are not only bias and unjust but flat out impossible to enforce. Pitbulls shouldn’t be discriminated against because of the mistakes of their owners or other Pitbulls.
The best approach to composing a research paper that must qualify under a persuasive paper is to find both sides of an arguement through truth seeking and then address the problem head on. Find facts, statistics, and even opinions to help you prove a specific idea.
David Campos
ENC 1101
Ms. C
11/14/12
Are Americans tolerating discrimination to an American symbol?
How can someone tell you that you are no longer permitted to have your best friend. That is exactly what happened in 1989, when the Dade county officials, made the owning of a “Pitbull” illegal. Dade County officials lead by two former commissioners had to get permission by the state of Florida for the law to pass against the discrimination of the Pitbull. There’s people out there with many different point of views and opinions regarding this topic. Like those of Osceola County animal control director Lee Radebaugh, who handled the case of an elderly man being attacked by Pitbulls: “This is not an animal issue; this is a people issue. I don’t think you can legislate moral behavior or responsibility or accountability.” and also the victims wife who states: “I would feel much better if there was legislation that prohibited pit bulls. I just don’t think they have a place in society.” Two very different perspectives on how to handle the situation. The reality of it is, that through the ban and illegalization of the Pitbull; Americans are accepting, tolerating and paying for the discrimination of a breed.
Before discussing any further on why and how the Pitbull got to this point you first have to understand who and what the pitbull is. The term “pit bull” isn’t always referring to the American pit bull Terrier, which is a breed of dog recognized by the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association. The reality of it is that is it used to describe a type of dog that has or displays several similar characteristics of other breeds, including the American Staffordshire Terrier , American Pit Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Each dog being an individual breed but still share many physical characteristics, but they’re not the same.
The Essay on The controversal breed of dog “The Pit Bull”
The American Staffordshire Terrier (also known as Pit Bull) is believed to be a man-eating beast. But is this breed all it’s made out to be? The Pit Bull started in the Unites States; it has been developed since the early 1800’s as a result of crosses between the bulldogs of that time and game terriers. Although the early ancestors of this breed came from England, the development of ...
The truth is that many people don’t even know what a pitbull really is. There is much confusion, even among dog experts, care takers, and animal control when it comes to identifying a pit bull . For the most part a pit bull-type dogs are “medium-sized, around 35 to 55 pounds, with short coats and wedge-shaped heads”- (DeGregory).
Pits are considered to be very loyal, affectionate, and strong willed. As a whole they are by some estimates probably the most common and popular dog in the history of the United States. And yet stories of pit bull mauling are all over the media. In many of those cases, the dogs turn out to be boxers, mastiffs, American bulldogs, or some other strong, big-headed breed. Maybe do to the fact that they are mixed breeds of indeterminate lineage. Studies using DNA analysis have shown that adoption agencies misidentified a dog’s breed wrong 75 percent of the time. How can you expect your neighbors, pedestrians, law enforcement agencies, and even media reporters to fare any better. A study done by Dr. Victoria Voith who performed a test on “experts” that job regularly are involved with canines. The test consisted of having to identify different dogs breeds based on characteristics. (both pure breeds and half breeds alike).
The results again were unbelievable, which showed, that about 75% of the pros answered wrong when having to ID pitbull based on characteristics. (nose, face, body, mouth, coat, even teeth.)
A real American hero, Stubby, was an American Pit Bull Terrier who has been a beloved symbol of American. During World War I, Stubby, captured the hearts of the whole nation. Stubby was the unofficial mascot of the 102nd Infantry Division and has been credited with saving the lives of many human comrades. Because of Stubby’s courageous service, he won several medals and was even awarded the rank of sergeant! On his return home from the war; he came home to a hero’s welcome and eventually even became the mascot for Georgetown University.
The Term Paper on American Pit Bull Terrier: American Icon Or Demon Dog
Pit Bull is simply the name of a dog. As monikers go, it’s an ominous one. It means many things to many people with one more or less commonly understood connotation: risk. I have had my Pit Bull since he was a puppy, going on nine years now. Until two years ago, I would have strongly disputed the general consensus that these highly controversial dogs are actually dangerous. If asked now, I would ...
Yet since the beginning of the century our friend the Pitbull was not accepted by the American Kennel Club which was formed in 1884 with its sole purpose of promoting the interests of purebred dogs and their owners. The way they tried to accomplish this was, they sponsored events in which dogs were given a test according to the various breeds in the areas of performance and conformation. Because of the AKC’s unwillingness to accept and include pit bulls as a “bonafide” breed, in the year 1898 a new group was formed called the United Kennel Club. The purpose of the UKC was to certify breeds that were not eligible for certification by the AKC. And of course the main and most important member of the UKC is its charter member: the American Pit Bull Terrier.
For some reason there are people out there that truly believe and want the ban on the Pitbull to continue. The majority of the believers are people who view the Pitbull as a vicious, cruel, and un thoughtful being that is only out to kill. These type of views are those of myth, legend, and ignorance. Others are those who have sadly been victims of an accident. What may surprise some people is that pit bull is not a breed of dog. Instead, it is a term used to describe several breeds of dogs including the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, The English Bull Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier. Most people would believe that if these breed of dogs becomes what it was bred to do through hundreds of years of pure breeding, that they will never be able to coexist in society.
Supporters of the bad try to say and gain support through the mistakes of Michael Vick. They used the media to attack not just the superstar quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, who was convicted for the fighting and breeding of these “vicious dogs”, but also the Pitbull itself. And who could possibly say that those dogs that were rescued from the house of Michael Vick could one day be dogs of norm in society. Even PETA stated at one point after the trial that: of the 47 dogs seized at his home 25 of those dogs had the capability to go to different shelters to be adopted by new families. Of the other 22, who had been said to be unable, vicious, and among them the worst cases; were sent to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a shelter located in the state of Utah that specializes in dogs with difficult pasts. In other words dogs with “no hope” like those rescued from the house of Michael Vick.
The Research paper on American Pit Bull Terriers
Thesis Statement: American Pit bull Terriers are not a dangerous breed, the myths about this dog created a false images for the animal which made people afraid of them. Pit bulls are one of the least aggressive dog breeds, they do not have a locking jaw, and they are a reflection of how their owners raised them. Annotated Bibliography Twining, Hillary, Arnold Arluke, and Gary Patronek. &# ...
At one point the PETA representatives even testified in court that there was “no hope” for those 22 dogs. That no matter what anyone said or did those dogs fate was irreversible. They could never be rehabilitated by any means. The animal activist themselves were saying that the only solution was to euthanize the Pitbulls. Yet the infamous “Vicktory Dogs” as they have been grown to be called by their family at Best Friends, have proven that PETA representatives were wrong. If the people who are so called experts can be proven wrong to the will of the Pitbulls, who says that they can’t change their reputation in society. Of the 22 dogs sent to the Best Friends facilities, they have been made to be agility dogs, therapy dogs and beloved family pets. Most are now or will soon be placed in a home by the shelter. Yet there are two dogs that will never be rescued because they have already found permanent homes at Best Friends!
Yet for some reason we still have places in the nation that have banned the Pitbulls from their districts. But according to the American Kennel Club Web site, an appellate court in Ohio ruled BSL to be unconstitutional. Yes they ruled that breed discrimination is illegal to our United States Constitution! The AKC Web site states: “The Court found no new evidence to prove that these breeds are any more dangerous than others. Regulating or limiting pit bull ownership was therefore “arbitrary, unreasonable and discriminatory” The Ohio BSL was made to legislate dogs that had bitten or killed a human, killed a dog or was identified as a Pitbull. Yet again there is no such thing as a “Pitbull”. The Ohio court went on to even say, “Since we conclude that there is no evidence that pit bulls are inherently dangerous or vicious, then the city ordinance limitation on ownership is also arbitrary, unreasonable and discriminatory”. Still in Dade county official still discriminate again the breed. I see hope that one day we can make the American symbol of greatness legal everywhere. Pitbulls are not naturally vicious and have been trained to act, help the enabled, and even work for law enforcement agencies. By making this great dog illegal based on myths, opinions, and media coverage of accidents; we as Americans are promoting discrimination to our children. Not a discrimination of a human or a race, but of a specific breed. By allowing people to ban a dog based on prior mistakes of a few. We are generalizing and even stereotyping in our own backyard. Even Pitbulls that were in the environment of fighting were able to surpass expectation and now are loving family dogs. If the Pitbull was vicious, aggressive, and implosive how would this be possible?
The Term Paper on Investment Of Time Dog 8216 Breed
The decision to get a dog is not something to be taken lightly. An adorable puppy can tug at our heartstrings but, in the end, will require a significant investment of your time and money for a significant number of years. Socializing and training a new puppy is time consuming and, occasionally, frustrating. It can increase the amount of stress on the family, and the dog, working to provide the ...
There are many people that are against this injustice and are writing about it. Like the renown author of, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics, Karen Delise. Delise is now the Director of Research for the National Canine Research Council and has been quoted: “My study of fatal attacks occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of the household for purposes other than as family pets (i.e. guarding/ protection, fighting, intimidation/status); owners failing to humanely contain, control and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs; and owners failing to spay or neuter resident dogs not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program” To make a short story long the real problem behind the vicious dogs are not the dogs themselves but the environment. But who hasn’t heard the famous quote “you are a product of your environment”. I guess this doesn’t apply to dogs for some odd reason. The worst part of it is that there isn’t any legitimate data to support that the breed is dangerous.
The Essay on Hill County Rebellion State Gathings Law
Radical Republican-dominated Twelfth Legislature of 1870 attempted to control crime in the state. In October 1870 Davis threatened Hill County with martial law for its tolerance of criminals. Conditions in the county seemed improved by late 1870, but in December a freedman and his wife were murdered in neighboring Bosque County, and State Police qv Lt. W. T. Pritchett moved into Hill County ...
In to Miami-Dade about 3,000 dog bites are reported to the Animal Services annually. Yet the agency fails to document the data down by breed and there’s no national agency that collects dog bite information either. Yet the reason why the “pitbull” is illegal in Dade is due to an accident many years ago. In Dade county Pitbull have been illegal since the 1990s because of a dog attack on a then 7-year-old girl, Melissa Moreira. She continues fighting Pitbulls in Dade county since! Melissa strives to keep the breed down by myths and untruthful arguements. People argue that they have the right to be afraid of this breed but then I have the right to segregate my car and ban a specific racial group. If I did this it would be unconstitutional and racist but since it’s not a human we are discriminating on but a dogs, it’s somehow okay. There are many important and renown government and private agencies that are against this injustice. The Humane Society of the United States, American Veterinary Medical Association, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are all extremely opposed to these breed-specific laws like the BSL. The funniest part of these fear against Pitbulls is that one is more likely to be killed by: drowning in a 5-gallon bucket, a falling coconut, or getting struck by lightning.
Many of the fears and arguments used by the activist against Pitbulls are myths. The most famous is probably that of their “lock jaw”. They believe Pit bulls have locking jaws that once they bite the dog will never let go even at its own desire. This is a fallacy no dog of any breed has the capability or possess any mechanism in their jaw which would allow them to “lock” their jaw. There is no such thing as a locking jaw! Lets tackle another fallacy like that of the Pit bulls having some sort of a “unique” bite style that consists of them biting down, holding, and shaking their prey. These characteristics of biting are not subject or unique to the Pitbull only, any dog can be trained to perform this bite methods or to not perform them. Moving on to the most common and misconstrued myth of all: Pit bulls are genetically aggressive and are driven to kill people. Just like all Germans are Nazis right? It is unfair to generalize a specific group based on prior mistakes. According to the American Canine Temperament Testing Association, 82.5% of the American Pit Bull Terriers that took the temperament test passed, compared to a 77% passing rate for all breeds on average. So there goes that argument for those who like to throw that around. The Pit Bulls have achieved the fourth highest passing rate of all 122 breeds test by the ACTTA.
Breed-specific laws are just not working in protecting the community. The truth is that if there’s an individual who’s intent is to use his dogs for malevolent, cruel, or malicious acts he simply has to get a new dog, like a Rottweiler, and continue his mayhem in jeopardize public safety. The list of regulated breed is only one in Dade county but don’t allow the problem to grow and affect more breeds. The problem to be addressing is the responsible dog ownership. In other words deeds, not breeds, should be addressed. Dade officials should look to other alternatives like those made in the state of Illinois. Illinois state law: Under the “Ryan Armstrong Law” the owners of the dogs are held criminally responsible for the acts of their dogs. If your dog attacks, it can be deemed dangerous and or vicious by law! Even better they go on to say that if your dog strikes again, now you, the OWNER can face a felony charge. One can face up to five years in prison pending on the circumstances.
Going back to BSL which mentioned before are extremely hard to enforce due to the requirements needed. Breed identification of the Pitbull requires the official to have expert knowledge of the breed. These means more tax money in education the local officials so they don’t continue to mistake the breed. These can also place a great burden on local officials. Breed-specific laws increase costs for community immensely. As the community is forced to abandon targeted breeds and adopt new dogs; their old dogs of the targeted breed would be euthanized. In many communities nationwide the BSLs have been overruled on constitutional grounds. The law is almost impossible to enforce and even deemed unconstitutionally vague. It can also be said to involve the taking of property without proper process which is also unconstitutional. There is nothing wrong with strongly enfocred animal control laws. People should be held accountable from their animals. People should have leash laws, a guideline on how to deal with legally deemed “dangerous” dogs, and promote the responsible dog ownership. These are the things our government officials in Tallahassee should be discussing. To fight the abuse of Pitbulls not Pitbulls themselves.
But don’t fear our representative is here! Today there is a Miami Dade representative that is fighting the illegalization of the Pitbull in Dade County. Our own Carlos Trujillo of Dade county is leading the fighting against this injustice! Carlos Trujillo along with Jim Norman are collaborating together to help amend the law that allows Dade County officials to discriminate against the Pitbull. Miami Dade county is the only county out of 67 that has this law. Why? Because prior to the illegalization of discrimination of the Pitbull Dade county had already passed their law. This law is unjust and unconstitutional. Is it fair that a whole county has to deal with a law that was implemented after the attack of a seven year old girl, who is still alive and doing very well. Corruption in Miami Dade county was at its peak during the 80’s and how ironic that this law happen to be passed in that decade. Then it was followed by the illegalization of breed discrimination in the state of Florida in 1990 everywhere but Dade county! This is called section Section 767.14 which prohibits breed discrimination in FL except places with prior Laws to Oct. 1 1990. Yes our state government allowed Dade County to keep violating my constitutional right.
What hurts the most is how the Miami Dade government cheats its voters thinking everyone of us has some sort of PHD in English. On August 14, 2012 Dade County voters said no, by a vote of 63% to 37% to the question on their ballots that stated: Shall the ordinance repealing the County’s 23 year old law prohibiting the ownership of pit bulls as a dangerous breed of dogs become effective? Lets break this down; a “no” met that the ban will remain as such. Many voters went on to later and still complain saying that the language was confusing. “When I first read it, I thought ‘no’ would mean ‘no I don’t want the ban’.” Once more the Dade County tax payer is without its companion.
I believe that most people who are in favor of the illegalization of the Pitbull are cruel. If the majority of the people don’t even know what a real pitbull is; how can you really expect the officials in that county “to stop violent dogs”. Dr. Victoria Voith performed a test on pros that job regularly are involved with dogs. The test was to have them ID different dogs breeds. (both pure breeds and half breeds alike) The Test results showed that about 75% of the pros answered wrong when having to ID Pitbull based on characteristics like: nose, face, body, mouth, coat, even teeth. (Animal Law Coalition).
With the help of Carlos Trujillo and Jim Norman, hopefully the people in the state of FL will see the mistake theyv’e made by allowing Dade county to have an exception on the Law. Why did they make it illegal to discriminate dog breeds a year after and Dade county gets away with this because they established their law before that Dog discrimination has never been right whether the year is 1989 or 100. The bills S.B 1322 and H.B 997 are fighting dog discrimination. Head of the fight in Miami is The Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL).
Personally being a Dade and Broward County tax payer I believe it is not right Broward County tax payers to have to pay the cost and decisions made by Dade County. Owning property in both counties I am forced to live in Broward solely due to my unwilling desire to leave my best friend. Having ran away from the almost dog like Holocaust in Dade, me and Matt continue to be affected by Dade County Laws. Today our Broward County dog pounds are being over populated by Pitbulls. The Pitbulls that are residents at these pounds are mostly brought, captured, or sent from Dade county because of the illegalization of a breed. Most Dade county officials seem to mistake the real characteristics of Pitbulls and are even said to discriminate. If your dog even sort of looks like a Pitbull he will be taken from you and brought to the pound to either be sent off to Broward or euthanized. Yes they take man’s best friend and kill it based on how he looks. “We have a lot of pit bulls,” said Lisa Mendheim, spokeswoman for Broward County Animal Care & Adoption. “Can’t say they all came from Miami, but it definitely impacts what we have here. 85 pit bulls have ended up in the Broward County dog pound that were brought directly from Miami-Dade County.
Another 435 pit bulls were picked up during that time from the streets of south Broward, their origins unknown.” (Wallman) Why do Broward tax payers have to suffer for the decisions made by the neighboring county. We might as well reemployment the Jim Crow Laws if discrimination is not only allowed by but promoted in Dade county to a specific breed knowing its unconstitutional. . 50 dogs were brought over to Broward county from Dade that were not pure Pitbulls or had characteristic of Pitbulls. The daily cost to Broward county pounds of $20 per Pitbull on a daily basis. Not including the cost of euthanizing a dog is very expensive and hard from those who don’t wish to do so. The saddest part is that 73% of the Pitbull in Broward County shelter were put down. Another heart shattering statistic is that 325 of dogs in Broward county pounds were Pitbulls. Guess who has to pay for all these Pitbulls? Yes you guessed it Broward County tax payers not Dade!
The thing is, most folks don’t seem to really understand the Pitbull. People are somehow afraid of a dog based on prior mistakes made by others. Can one really say that though Pitbull have been known to produce vicious attacks all Pitbulls are vicious? That makes as much sense as all gypsies are thieves. You can’t generalize a breed so much that you try to encompass the whole thing under one superstition. Through myths and false allegations people of Dade County have grown fear a specific breed due to media propaganda. Tax payers and animal activist are fighting to end BSL and allow Americans to freely love, nature, and care for their best friends. Through the ban and illegalization of the Pitbull; Americans are accepting, tolerating and paying for the discrimination of a breed. Number don’t lie and the he statistics are out there and people try to hide themselves from it by standing behind a myth that have no basis. Even the so called “experts” are unable to fully identify the Pitbull with many dogs being mistaken for the medias public enemy number one. The basis behind BSL are immoral, cruel, and prejudice in every way possible. No breed should be deprived the ability to exist based on the mistakes of a few individuals.
Works Cited
“BSL.” BSL. The Real Pitbull, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.realpitbull.com/laws.html>.
DeGregory, Lane, and Leonora LaPeter Anton. “Fears Unleash Bill Targeting the Pit Bull.” – Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay Times, 11 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article1086363.ece>.
Elfrink, Tim. “Five Damn Good Reasons to Vote Down Miami’s Pit Bull Ban Today.” – Miami. Miami New Times, 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/08/five_damned_good_reasons_to_vo.php?page=2>.
Goobs. “Miami-Dade County Elections: Vote YES to Repeal Pit Bull Ban!” There’s ALWAYS a Message Involved. N.p., 12 Aug. 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2012. <http://www.antisteez.com/news/miami-dade-county-elections-vote-yes-to-repeal-pit-bull-ban/>.
Interview. Blogging Gets My Wife Hot … and I Like It. N.p., 21 Sept. 2010. Web. 31 Oct. 2012.
Lauraallen. “Animal Law Coalition.” Miami Dade County Voters Reject Pit Bull Ban. Animal Law Coalition, 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.animallawcoalition.com/breed-bans/article/1902>.
Morral, Timothy. “Pit Bull Breed History — Pitbull.” Pit Bull Breed History — Pitbull. Pitbull 411, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.pitbull411.com/history.html>.
“Pit Bull Faq ::Â Download PDF File.” Pit Bull FAQ. N.p., 31 July 2012. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-dogs-pit-bull-faq.php>.
“Should Pit Bulls Be Banned.” Should Pit Bulls Be Banned. N.p., 1 Aug. 2011. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. <http://www.hidingthetruth.com/should-pit-bulls-be-banned.html>.
“The Truth About Pitbulls.” The Truth About Pitbulls. N.p., 16 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.dontbullymybreed.org/StopBSL.php>.
“Video: Bill To Overturn Miami-Dade Pitbull Ban Advances | Naked Politics.” Video: Bill To Overturn Miami-Dade Pitbull Ban Advances | Naked Politics. The Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/02/video-bill-to-overturn-miami-dade-pitbull-ban-advances.html>.
Wallman, Brittany. “Banned in Miami-Dade, Pit Bulls Find Their Way to Broward.” Sun Sentinel. N.p., 04 May 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-04/news/fl-pitbulls-broward-dumping-20120504_1_pit-bulls-breed-specific-bans-bully-breeds>.
