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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Irish boycott for Lennox the alleged pit bull not a good idea -- Lots of more serious issues that the Irish have to deal with

Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at 08:10 AM
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Protesters at British Consulate in New York
There are protests outside the Irish and British consulates in New York and newspapers in Ireland report their phones are swamped with calls and texts about Lennox the alleged pit bull and his imminent execution.

There are further last attempts to free Lennox, led by Northern Irish First Minister Peter Robinson, and have him sent to another country, and I hope they succeed.

The decision was handed down by Northern Ireland’s top court if you can believe that. I guess after The Troubles they don’t have that much to deal with.

The owners of seven-year-old Lennox deny he is that breed and they seem to have a very good case.

But it was an email in response to an article about Lennox the alleged pit bull who is set to be destroyed in Belfast on Tuesday, because pit bulls are banned there, that really caught my eye.

The email called for a boycott of all things Irish, including travel to Ireland, if the dog is put down.

Apparently, judging by responses, this has been seriously discussed in circles and some Americans have even made their way over to Belfast to protest about Lennox.

I don’t think Lennox should be put down, I think the decision to “arrest” him and keep him for two years is bureaucracy gone mad but I don’t think it is worth organizing a national boycott to protest his position.

I know dog lovers feel intensely connected to their animals and Lennox has had a very raw deal. But organizing boycotts of Ireland and Irish products goes way too far.

There are much more serious events involving humans that deserve attention.

No one talked about boycotts during the church sex scandals when hundreds of priests were revealed as pedophiles.

No one talked about boycotts when banks ran amok and stiffed customers for hundreds of millions and the Irish government then ordered that the taxpayers pay it all back.

Yet there is serious talk over the unfortunate and very bizarre jailing and likely execution of Lennox.
It is a strange world.


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59 comments

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ciaradexy | Jul 11, 2012, 11:49 AM EDT
Ah Eamo, you I see what happened!

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ciaradexy | Jul 11, 2012, 10:52 AM EDT
Eamonn, why have you changed your IC name???

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greyfel | Jul 11, 2012, 10:52 AM EDT
I did not make the comment regarding the woman who was executed. I don't know why my name is on it....my comment was that I am tired of being told what to boycott or advocate. Even though what happened in Afghanistan was horrible, how do you know that I did not protest that also? I protest and advocate many different things, especially injustice to people or animals.

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greyfel | Jul 11, 2012, 10:44 AM EDT
I'm effing tired of people telling me what I should or should not boycott or worry about because "there are more important things in this world". If everyone worried about or advocated for the same thing, then only one thing in the world would be taken care of....there are degrees of importance but it doesn't mean you cannot or should not voice your opinion or advocate for a cause. As much as I would like to visit Ireland, this will make me think twice, it has left a very bad impression. It was so stupid to begin with and then, after a leading dog trainer offered to rehome the dog at no cost to Belfast, and they were still determined to kill him, well what sobs they are.

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greyfel | Jul 11, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT
A dog is put down in Northern Ireland. That is extremely sad and disgusting. There is outrage around the world, the media is full of it, a boycott of Northern Irish goods and services is called for. There is uproar. Meanwhile, "back at the ranch" in Afghanistan, a young woman is shot to death by bullets in the back of her head and her young body, for allegedly sleeping with a man who was not her husband. Hardly a word of protest in the media. Hardly a whisper from the boycotters. Have we all gone stark raving mad? I fear the answer is "yes". Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.

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sheilabella32 | Jul 11, 2012, 10:02 AM EDT
A great philosopher, Mahatmi Ghandi, once said,“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. Lennox was an innocent dog who was killed not because of his breed but by his looks. He was a family pet. People who supported him around the world knows that the BCC made the wrong decision to execute an innocent creature. Unfortunately, animals can't speak for themselves, so we humans have to stand up for them. They have rights too. You'll be amazed on how dogs can treat humans better than our own species. God bless your soul, Lennox! You will be remembered.

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hunter933 | Jul 11, 2012, 09:55 AM EDT
I guess Patrick Roberts is a shill for the Belfast City Council. There is not enough room here to explain why his defense arguments using the church sex scandals and the banks are inane. People don't want to "move on". The council members need to step down and take Mr. Roberts with them.

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PatsyGarretty | Jul 11, 2012, 08:55 AM EDT
Articles like this are proof that only a boycott will be understood by these idiots. The author doesn't understand that how a country treats its animals and other innocents is a direct reflection on its morals and character. Unimportant?? I don't think so, Mr. Roberts....getting these sick people out of office is paramount.

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Renee750il | Jul 11, 2012, 07:49 AM EDT
It isn't about "only" a dog. Petty tyrants must not be tolerated, nor those who enable them by allowing them to maintain power. And what about the child?

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dingle999 | Jul 11, 2012, 07:10 AM EDT
Hmm guys Northern Ireland is part of the UK... thus boycott the UK

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katinthehat | Jul 11, 2012, 05:06 AM EDT
Loving and caring about animals does not preclude loving and caring about humans. "I love St. Francis of Assisi, because he had a great love for animals. He used to talk with them and play with them - and scold them if they did harm to anybody. I love animals, too. Animals are such simple creations of God's beauty." Mother Teresa “I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings called human, but I want to realize identity with all life, even with such things as crawl upon earth.”—Mahatma Gandhi “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated…I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by [people] from the cruelty of [human kind]”—Mahatma Gandhi “Life is life—whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage.”—Sri Aurobindo “A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is a bad as an act of cruelty to a human being.”—Prophet Mohammed “The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different.”—Hippocrates “How can I teach your children gentleness and mercy to the weak, and reverence for life, which in its nakedness and excess, is still a gleam of God’s omnipotence, when by your laws, your actions and your speech, you contradict the very things I teach?”—Henry W. Longfellow

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Kata Kimbe | Jul 11, 2012, 04:19 AM EDT
Seriously, who are you to say what is worth it or not. When a group of people like these politicians and leaders are acting in such a cold hearted manner and not even giving another workable outcome a shot... it says something is wrong with them and they should not decide on anything of value. I guess they are all drunk Irish people. After all, isn't stereotyping what has been done to a dog that has done NOTHING? Furthermore, you seem to think that just because so many people are advocating for this dog also means that they are not advocating for other serious issues you mentioned. I can almost bet yyou that people who take their valued time out for a dog, also spend time on things you consider worhty... unlike those people who just sit on their hands and do nothing but watch wrong being done. I have always wanted to come to visit Northern Ireland. I will now be taking my money elsewhere. Shame on your leaders and I hope Karma comes their way if they kill Lennox. Actually, I am starting to think that he has been killed already since the family has been refused to visit their dog for a final goodbye, or get his body when done. I smell something dirty, like corruption and cover up. Has anybody not in the click of killers seen this poor dog lately? Shameful. And I will happily boycott anything from your country. Racism and BSL is not acceptable.

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pgbmaloney | Jul 11, 2012, 03:59 AM EDT
Mr Roberts I can tell you that there will be a massive boycott of all things Irish and I will participate. And save starving children at the same time. And raise money for other causes at the same time. Seriously? Don't boycott because there are more important things to do? Like can you do only one thing at a time, sir? Do you have relatives on the BCC? Maybe dimwitted runs in the family

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LMD1` | Jul 11, 2012, 12:56 AM EDT
I understand. Some thoughts... People can speak up and defend themselves - animals depend on us to be their caretakers. In the other terrible events you described, there were adults spoke up and because people were victimized, others most deservedly went to prison for their acts. Please note - none of them were killed! This was different. Within his home/community this animal NEVER had a complaint or a problem. He was ripped out of his home and killed when a perfectly reasonable offer of rehoming well out of Belfast and NI was made. The robotic refusal of the courts and local government has shocked the conscience of many citizens around the world. It was simply unbelievable. I will not boycott Ireland. I would ask that the many, many kind people in Belfast that tried to stop this unite to legally remove the ship of fools known as the BCC from office - along with the dog warden and the judges. Then, I will be happy to vacation in Belfast.

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Musetta | Jul 10, 2012, 10:29 PM EDT
Do most people REALIZE that there has been a recent amendment to BSL , whereby it is no longer only the dog s MEASUREMENTS that are taken into account, but also its AGGRESSIVENESS??? ONLY, THIS DOESN T APPLY TO LENNOX BECAUSE HE WAS CONFISCATED BEFORE THE AMENDMENT WAS PASSED!!!! WHEN BUREAUCRACY BECOMES LUNATIC, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS!!! NO WONDER THE WORKERS AT BCC ARE BEING THREATENED! I reach out to the Barnes' family, who were even denied a last good bye to their boy..

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