Originally published in November, 2005
One of the member groups of the Banned Aid Coalition has learned that Haldimand has released the names of 'pit bull' owners in that area to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
OK, so that pretty much completes the sequence.
1. Identify a group widely perceived as marginal ('pit bull' owners) that is readily identifiable by the public based on their appearance.
2. Launch a relentless propaganda campaign in the press and in government legislatures targeting this group. Do this by exclusion of reports on other classes contributing to the perceived danger to 'public safety'. In other words, report dog bites perpetrated by 'pit bulls' and only 'pit bulls', no matter how trivial. Do not report bites by any other breeds, even if they result in maiming, extended hospitalization or death. Hype 'pit bulls', put them on the front page, even if no one is injured, even if they just bark at someone or chase a cat..
3. Announce that you plan to 'protect' the public from this threat, now that they have been successfully whipped into a frenzy by the reports. This is the tried-and-true fallback plan of incompetent and/or power hungry politicians everywhere. Fear sells, especially fear of death.
4. Implement a law that will result in the stigmatization and persecution of this visible minority. Make the law extremely vague so that no one, including those charged with enforcement, understands it completely.
5. Remove rights from this group to render them second class citizens (the right to be presumed innocent, the right to cross examine 'experts' in a hearing, the right to be free from discrimination, the right to freedom of movement within the country, for examples).
6. Turn neighbourhoods into government spy networks. The above steps have made the uneducated public anxious to assist.
7. Use fear to get the targets to 'register' themselves, thenrelease their names to police. It doesn't matter if the police even need this info, but once on file, you can be sure these folk will be under increased scrutiny, so behave yourselves, 'pit bull' owners, and try to avoid calling 911. Drive yourself to the hospital if you are having a heart attack, but drive carefully.
Oh, one more thing. 'Pit Bull' owners in Haldimand should definitely lodge a complaint with the Informaton and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario. http://www.ipc.on.ca/
Is there still anybody out there who doesn't recognize this pattern? I don't care who objects to the comparison. Remember what happened to Black Cats and their owners in the Middle Ages? Notice how even today, the ignorant are afraid of Black Cats? It's hard to realize that you are part of history when it is the here and now.
The outcome may be different, the target may be different, but the process is identical in every case of tyranny throughout history.
I can't say this often enough
THIS LAW DOES NOT TARGET DOGS.
IT TARGETS PEOPLE.
DOGS DON'T HAVE RIGHTS.
When is a dog owner not a dog owner?
When he is a
scapegoat
n : someone punished for the errors of others [syn: whipping boy]
