what can be done about this ridiculous phenomenon among moderate dog people?

[ravennr]

a friend watched a single video made by some nobody, talking about pit bull breeds and BSL. the video started pushing MSN laws, and so did she in her comments following the video, so I just mentioned that the laws don't work, and why they don't work.

obviously, I wouldn't just post "these laws don't work" and expect everyone to accept that without question. naturally, you follow that up with why, and with evidence of their failings across the nation.

and naturally, I'm met with so much ridiculous hostility for 'being on a soapbox' and 'posting too much information'.
uuuh...are you kidding me?

is that the grandest idea, to announce to the world that you DON'T want information? you want people to know that you got this from a single video that was 4 minutes long and that you didn't investigate it but want others to agree with it?

also it is apparently no big deal for the government to tell me what a well-bred dog is. do they really not see how a big wig telling people what a well-bred dog is could severely harm the dogs and whoever buys those dogs in the future? what is to stop them from creating their own puppy mills that are just a bit nicer to look at to appease the public eye?

this is a huge problem these days. how in the hell do you get people to care when they're so offended by you trying to give them any advice or information/facts? how does that help anyone?

I am so completely appalled at the fact that this person literally said "you're posting too much information" that I don't know how to reply to her. like I'm blowing the cover on how stupid MSN laws are? is that what you mean? am I making you look stupid by showing you something beyond the youtube video you watched a few minutes ago?

 

[Emily]

I... would probably respond with something insulting and totally non-productive, tbh. LOL But maybe there's a way you can point out that anyone interested in these laws (on either side) should want all the information there is, and then some.

 

[Red.Apricot]

There's little that makes me angry faster than someone pushing new laws and ignorance at the same time. Oh, is your opinion so awesome that everyone should have to live by it under threat of fines/jail time, and you should never ever have to listen to any information surrounding the subject because that's too much work? Really?

 

[ravennr]

I... would probably respond with something insulting and totally non-productive, tbh. LOL But maybe there's a way you can point out that anyone interested in these laws (on either side) should want all the information there is, and then some.

initially, I gave two links, and pretty much summed up their contents following (because I really don't trust people to click links that matter anymore, unfortunately). basically said "for more information, click here" and hope for the best.

apparently, THAT was too much information. heaven forbid people might have to click 'see more' and READ something.

I mentioned to her directly, since she messaged me whining about 'taking over her status', that she should want to learn the results of the law she is suddenly saying she wants put in place everywhere.
she said she was mad because I "made her look stupid and uneducated".



to that I just stopped talking. I don't know how she turned it around to play the victim card but it caught me so hard by surprise that I just walked away.

 

[Emily]

I mentioned to her directly, since she messaged me whining about 'taking over her status', that she should want to learn the results of the law she is suddenly saying she wants put in place everywhere.
she said she was mad because I "made her look stupid and uneducated".



to that I just stopped talking. I don't know how she turned it around to play the victim card but it caught me so hard by surprise that I just walked away.

Well, honey, if the shoe fits...

 

[Renee750il]

Hey, why not. That's how they decide who to vote for :wall:

People freaking scare me.

 

[ravennr]

she deleted all of my comments and hit unfriend. sigh


we always say education is the better way to deal with this. but then things like this happen, all too often, and I just start to doubt that anything is going to help no matter how good it sounds.
is this as big of a problem outside of America as it is in it?

 

[Renee750il]

Well, it IS the ideal way to deal with it.

Sometimes, though, a baseball bat seems to be the only effective way

 

[Paige]

For me I just stop beating the dead horse. If they are going to tell me I gave too much information when just trying to throw another idea out there then they are happy remaining in their bubble and so be it.

 

[ravennr]

if we had enough money to run commercials, maybe we'd reach as many people.

guess I'd better start saving for coinstar.

 

[Aleron]

It's crazy how otherwise normal, sane people can fall for the AR stuff. I was just extremely surprised to see this dog person I've known for years - highly competitive sport person, shows in breed and her parents are extremely well known in their breed so from a dog breeding/ showing family, pushing a law that would make anyone with 5 or more intact dogs a commercial breeder. Along with anyone who sells puppies to people who aren't local, anyone who ships puppies and anyone who advertises on the internet. The claim was that this would "help fight puppy mills" but laws aimed at people with as few as 5 breeding dogs are not aimed at "puppy mills". Isn't it obvious they are aimed at hobby breeders? Hobby breeders who couldn't meet USDA criteria for becoming a licensed commercial breeder...and wouldn't want to.

 

[ravennr]

It's crazy how otherwise normal, sane people can fall for the AR stuff. I was just extremely surprised to see this dog person I've known for years - highly competitive sport person, shows in breed and her parents are extremely well known in their breed so from a dog breeding/ showing family, pushing a law that would make anyone with 5 or more intact dogs a commercial breeder. Along with anyone who sells puppies to people who aren't local, anyone who ships puppies and anyone who advertises on the internet. The claim was that this would "help fight puppy mills" but laws aimed at people with as few as 5 breeding dogs are not aimed at "puppy mills". Isn't it obvious they are aimed at hobby breeders? Hobby breeders who couldn't meet USDA criteria for becoming a licensed commercial breeder...and wouldn't want to.

that sounds like a disaster of a law. people seem to be very anti-reading the fine print on these laws because they kind of sound good (well, to them anyway, not to me).

 

[sillysally]

What exactly is a "moderate" dog owner?

 

[elegy]

Hobby breeders who couldn't meet USDA criteria for becoming a licensed commercial breeder...and wouldn't want to.

I find it depressing and astonishing how many people simply do not understand that. My puppy is from a licensed breeder! Find a licensed breeder to buy your puppy from... don't go to a puppy mill! HELLO??!! The USDA licenses LIVESTOCK.

 

[Romy]

Some people (a lot of people actually) find it easier to endorse something that looks good, because it gives them a superficial feeling of doing good without actually making the effort to do anything (including educate themselves).

 

[ravennr]

What exactly is a "moderate" dog owner?

the average dog owner.

not someone very involved in the dog community.

that is how I've always seen the term used on chazhound and in blogs, etc. to describe the majority of dog owners, the ones who are just kind of there, with their own dogs, very much HSUS/ASPCA-educated in my experience or just not interested in any large issues enough to learn about them.

I used dog people, though, to include those who like dogs, but don't have them, and don't get involved in anything.

they're the people who, if they did know more about x issue, maybe they'd care (in this case, care enough to at least want to LEARN about what they're talking about).

I'm fine if anyone wants to change the wording though. I couldn't really think of anything more appropriate at the time that encompassed that huge middle ground of dog owners/lovers that takes up the majority and that either side is fighting to get the attention of.

 

[Miakoda]

I continue to educate people whether they want to hear it or not. At least there's a chance someone listening (or reading) gets to hear it.

And if that doesn't work, I have been known to recently remind some ignorant morons what a vicious thug I am (like all "pit bull' owners are), so don't mess with me.