Pit Bulls or Camels' Noses

Here's an exchange from December 9, with WFLA AM540 radio host Bud Hedinger, arranged chronologically. Bud replied almost immediately (and that was nice), with an emotional answer. It's too bad his fine voice isn't matched by an ability to think.
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From: Tim Kern [mailto:info@timkern.com]Sent: Thu 12/9/2004 2:40 PMTo: Hedinger, Bud (Orlando)Subject: Pit bulls

Hi, Bud.

I share your opinion of pit bulls, but I don’t like your whiney solution: having Big Brother ban them. Consider: if your arguments against these critters are so good (and they’re pretty good), why not try educating people about these dogs? Approach owners, and urge them to at least spay and neuter. Talk especially to prospective owners, and warn them of the ‘ticking time bombs.’

If you’d like to have a “safe” neighborhood, organize your neighbors, and go (en masse) to pay a visit on local pit bull owners on your street. Urge them to get rid of their dogs, or leave. Convince locals (who feel as strongly as you) to refuse service to pit bull owners, to put up anti-pit bull signs in their store windows – to demonize pit bull owners as if they were pedophiles or gun owners.

Too much trouble? You’re saying it isn’t important enough to do it yourself, because it’s too hard to make a good argument -- so you want the taxpayers’ hired guns to do it for you.
Having Big Brother force people to carry your water diminishes the power of communication, reduces the effect of neighborhood and community, and shows the elitist streak you harbor: YOU know what’s good for everybody… you just can’t convince them, so you want Momma to take their toys away.

Freedom: it isn’t free, ya know!

Tim KernWinter Haven, FL

"...error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." --Thomas Jefferson, first inaugural address, March 4, 1801
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-----From: Hedinger, Bud (Orlando) [mailto:bud@540wfla.com] Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 4:02 PMTo: Tim KernSubject: RE: Pit bulls

Tim, A four year old boy is dead.

How many more have to die at the jaws of these killer dogs? The boy is dead, Tim!

If you want to save the most lives in the future, the solution is elimination...not education!

Best regards,

Bud
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Bud,

You’re right. 4-year-olds can’t protect themselves… not from pit bulls, not from car accidents, not from swimming pools, not from stupid parents. We need to first eliminate pit bulls, and then go after cars, swimming pools, and stupid parents, just for starters.

Your argument against pit bulls is the same argument “the liberals” use, when they want to eliminate something. The only difference is, this time, you feel strongly… so you’re right. It’s your method – sic Big Brother on them – that I find unconvincing, whiney, and cowardly.

That having been said…

a pit bull is a LOT more dangerous than a revolver that’s left around the house. You can leave a revolver alone, and be perfectly safe. You can’t do that with a pit bull. On that, at least, we agree.

Thanks for the speedy reply.

Tim

"It's true that one person can make a difference... but in most cases, I'm not really sure she should." --Marge Simpson