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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > People and Politics > Irish boycott for Lennox the alleged pit bull not a good idea -- Lots of more serious issues that the Irish have to deal with

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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garbo55 | Jul 10, 2012, 07:59 PM EDT

The Northern Ireland Government (aka) the United Kingdom seems to have the same mindset that the Nazis had,exterminate an entire race/breed. Don't just boycott Northern Ireland, boycott the United Kingdom also.

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KSERRAHN | Jul 10, 2012, 06:49 PM EDT

It's so true that most of us (Americans) don't know the difference and more's the pity. The dog Lennox was the service dog of a young Autistic lad and should never have been taken. But once it was proved that he was not as they say a bad breed then it was up to the Belfast City Council to give him back. I have a strange feeling that had this happened in the Republic of Ireland and Not Northern Ireland (UK) The dog would have been returned. But yes it is sad that we show our stupidity when it comes to all things Irish.

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MT | Jul 10, 2012, 06:36 PM EDT

(1) What makes you think people can't multitask and be activists for more than one cause? And (2) In this case, it's the government itself that's perpetrating the crime, not priests, not bankers--the government itself.

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Ana Canelo | Jul 10, 2012, 06:00 PM EDT

So, now Mr. Patrick Roberts, after all these comments, I guess you can say that again. It is a strange world, isn't it?

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LynnetteS | Jul 10, 2012, 05:43 PM EDT

Many Americans make no distinction between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and have no idea what "things Irish" come from which place. Because of this, the boycott of "all things Irish" will include exactly that. ALL things Irish. If it bothers you, have a chat with your brethren in Northern Ireland or, more specifically, the city council and so-called justice system of Belfast. The fault lies squarely on their shoulders. Will a boycott hurt Northern Ireland? I certainly hope so.

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PitzRdaBest | Jul 10, 2012, 05:42 PM EDT

I had so much to say, then I read these comments and everything has already been said and very well! "The Lennox Army" is the salt of the earth and i love it! Patrick you sir are an idiot, and talk about a distracting article and such a crucial time, smdh FREE LENNOX by any means possible!!

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Linababe2012 | Jul 10, 2012, 05:39 PM EDT

So MURDERING an INNOCENT is RIGHT??? NO way.. I for one am boycotting Belfast and anything NI related.. and I for one will be contacting as many people I know if I hear of tours visitng I will make sure I tell them of the INJUSTICE that BELFAST CC are responsible for and teh heartless people that work there.. I will also inform them of staff standing up in court ander OATH AND BLATYANTLY LIEING and are allowed to walk free while an INNOCENT is destroyed.. I am only 1 person.. but 1 amongst the many 200,000 ... I will never forget what Belfast CC have done.. they have blood on their hands!.. All this could be solved but Belfast CC Choose not to listen to the world.. Ok so what happens? Lennox is sentenced to death.. if we all forget about it then what happens when another dog is destroyed and another.. Animals cant speak for themselves we have to be their voice.. the Human race is slowly destroying this planet all over the world.. if we dont start here then we will never start... I am sometimes ashamed of being Human the way most humans treat animals.. they are also GODS creatures.. what gives Humans superior rights?... Lennox is being murdered because of RACISM.. and I thought Racism was abolished.. guess not hey?

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erikagesue | Jul 10, 2012, 05:37 PM EDT

This is a much bigger deal than the gross legal misconduct carried on by the dog wardens and the Belfast City Council. This is about a legal precedent, which could senselessly condemn many more animals to the same fate. This is also about bigotry in a region with a not-so-great track record on that subject either. What makes Belfast, now, so unappealing internationally is that the system there has shown itself to be so rife with corruption that they have gotten away with the murder of a being that committed no crime. For better or worse, the internet has allowed the entire world to see how dishonest the BCC is and now, Northern Ireland will face these consequences. It will be interesting to see how much longer the people in question will hold their current positions because like it or not, the repercussions of this act will be long-lasting.

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LeeM | Jul 10, 2012, 05:34 PM EDT

No doubt there are bigger, "more important" issues. We "vote with our feet". Yes, there have been protests and calls for the Catholic Church to turn over pedophiles to the law for jail time. Yes, there have been protests in almost every industrialized nation over bankers run amok. We care about those things, too. Most of us don't get to make the "big decisions" about laws, healthcare, etc. This is something that many of us "get" having a beloved pet. This might possibly be something we can actually do something about. And yes, for the first time, I am ashamed of my heritage, because this is more than "just a dog" or bureaucratic insanity, because there are alternatives to killing this dog. Even the First Minister of Ireland contacted the Mayor of Belfast recommending that they consider alternatives. The Belfast City Council appears to be determined to go through with this, and if they do, we will be "voting with our feet" again.

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JulieSwan | Jul 10, 2012, 05:33 PM EDT

Just because we can't fix ALL of the world's problems (church paedophiles and crooked banks as mentioned, etc.) doesn't mean we shouldn't try to fix what we can. A dog being killed because of its breed is something entirely unavoidable and just plain perverse. This *can* be fixed. I stand by my word: if this is done, I will never step foot in Ireland - which is a shame, of course, since my family has Irish roots. What's a bigger shame, though, is the sheer retardation of this case. Yes, it's certainly a strange world - especially when one person with access to online journalism (if you can call this putrid Dear Diary entry "journalism") says, "oh, we didn't fix this and that, so who cares - it's just a dog." Non-human animals have rights and deserve protection just as we do. Patrick Robert, I sincerely feel sorry for those who are unlucky enough to know you. So do the right (and easy) thing, people. Let this loving dog live the rest of its days with his family and put your time/money to the issues that actually matter.

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nadinect23 | Jul 10, 2012, 05:28 PM EDT

The difference is that the church sex scandals and swindling banks are recognized by all, including the government, as wrong and awful. In the case of Lennox, the Northern Ireland government, particularly the Belfast city council, maintain that killing this dog is right and just. In their minds, they are not doing anything wrong. And there's every reason to believe that many more animals will suffer at the hands of this government. The only way save these animals is to make the NI government understand that their viewpoint is cruel and inhumane and unacceptable in the eyes of the world. And because the vast majority of us have no sway power with their government, the only way for us to do that is to hit them on their bottom line by boycotting. It might not change their hearts but it may change their laws and therefore save the lives of countless innocent dogs.

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OrcaJayP | Jul 10, 2012, 05:28 PM EDT

Mr. Roberts is like so many ill informed narrow minded people in the world. Although I suspect he wrote this article to garner attention...ALL issues are important, animal OR human. Yes Belfast tourism will suffer. I do agree with Mr. Roberts on two things, murdering Lennox is bureaucracy gone mad and it is a strange world.

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CY | Jul 10, 2012, 05:28 PM EDT

I also signed up just to say to Patrick Roberts, "You are an ass and this article that you wrote was ass dung".

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Karen Batchelor | Jul 10, 2012, 05:27 PM EDT

There is NOTHING more important to everyone everywhere than JUSTICE, Patrick. This entire situation stinks from start to finish and shows Northern Ireland in an irretrievably bad light. Here in New Zealand Lennox and his family have huge support. I think the BCC and courts have sorely underestimated the size of the backlash to come. If ever there was a case for the abolition of breed specific legislation and it's appalling fallout this one has to be it.

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mlujano | Jul 10, 2012, 05:22 PM EDT

Compassion is compassion and smart reasoning is smart reasoning. If these leaders can not address this issue as smart human beings then they probably are NOT.

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