The NewburyToday 2012 Legolympiad: Jason against Achilles, Ban dogs from Newbury's public parks Options

[Simon Kirby]

The Games of the NewburyToday 2012 Legolympiad: Jason against Achilles

The proposition is: Ban dogs from Newbury's public parks.

Arguing for the proposition is Jason, and arguing against the proposition is Achilles.

When the heros have completed their contest a poll will open in this thread, so please vote for the hero you feel argued their position the best. The thread will be open for comments then too, though please try not to comment until the debate has finished. Many thanks.

[Simon Kirby]

Jason says:

Charles Kingsley, writing at the time of the Crimean War, first identified the English as the bulldog breed, saying "the original British bulldog breed which, once stroked against the hair, shows his teeth at you ever afterwards". It was a powerful image of the ubiquitous pugnacious butcher's dog, and was readily understood. Churchill again invoked the indomitable character of the bulldog when he called the nation to arms at the start of the first world war, and by the second world war Churchill himself was being likened to a bulldog for his steadfast and pugnacious resolve. In a time of national conflict it's understandable to want to emulate the nature of an animal that will fight with that kind of determination, but in a peaceful society it's not a healthy characteristic to emulate.

Our ancestors domesticated grey wolves 15,000 years ago and ever since those dogs have shared our hearths. Some have worked for their supper herding, guarding, and hunting, while others have simply been good company. The breeds of dogs we keep says much about us, a Corgi for those with royal pretensions, the Chihuahua of the Parish Hilton wanna-be, a gun-dog for the upwardly-mobile, a Labradoodle for the soft at heart. That variety is all great, but the fighting breeds betray something of a Bill Sykes complex and that's not so great. That's not to say that any particular dog of a fighting breed is necessarily a fighter, because on the whole they're not, but these dogs have become very popular, and they're popular with people who have an aggressive self-image. That should be discouraged.

[Simon Kirby]

Achilles says:

Dogs are mans best friend. They provide amusement, love fun and frolics for everyone. The problem you have in Victoria Park is the many children running about that are put in danger of being knocked over by a running dog, but that’s not the dogs fault! What we should do instead of banning dogs in fence the children IN! There was a perfect opportunity missed recently when the play equipment was upgraded, as a nation of animal lovers we should have pushed harder for a fence so that our beloved doggies could still run, jump and roll around unimpeded.
Dogs are well catered for in the park, there are doggy poo bins all over the place, the worlds biggest water bowl for them to drink from and more sticks than you could shake another stick at! The large open area running space means that the more elderly and less mobile members of our society can let Fido run around without having to do so much physically themselves.
And what about the tramps? They come to the park to get away from it all with a relaxing drink or two, many of whom have a canine companion in order to increase the benefit allowance they receive. If they cannot bring their dogs in to the park what will happen to them? They will be back into the doorways of Newbury’s empty shops, cluttering up the place and putting people off their Parkway shopping experience. As will the chavs, who also come with dogs. We need somewhere for tramps and chavs to go if not the park, then where?

[lordtup]

Though both these heroes of the ancient world present valid points , I would remind them of the canine Cerberus's raison d'etre .
A servant of man or protector of hades ?

No I don't know what I'm on about either......age

[Nothing Much]

I am afraid I deleted Dante's phone.
Every week, there would be a chap asking?
Have you had an accident?
The dog howling was troubling!
ce

[TallDarkAndHands...]

I think certain breeds should be banned from parks. I saw some numpty let his Rotty off the leash in a park recently and it frightened the life out of one poor old dear. Dogs are not to blame but so many 'undesirables' use dogs as weapons (rather than carrying a knife) when they are out and about that this is the real cause of the problem.
Speaking as someone who has been attacked by an Alsatian its not very pleasant to have a dog chewing on your leg - I can assure you.

[Nothing Much]

I guess you were lucky in childhood,Tall Dark an Handsome. Sea snakes, jellyfish. sharks. bird eating spiders,
Iguaunas in the the shower. but I think my childhood had good moments.
ce.

[lordtup]

I think certain breeds should be banned from parks. I saw some numpty let his Rotty off the leash in a park recently and it frightened the life out of one poor old dear. Dogs are not to blame but so many 'undesirables' use dogs as weapons (rather than carrying a knife) when they are out and about that this is the real cause of the problem.
Speaking as someone who has been attacked by an Alsatian its not very pleasant to have a dog chewing on your leg - I can assure you.

Maybe it was a little previous to ban the local yob element from carrying sheath knives . After all it is easier to disarm a knife wielding drug addict than to remove a bull mastiff which has decided to clamp it's jaw on you arm.
Wonder what the next " must have" will be ?

[lordtup]

I think certain breeds should be banned from parks. I saw some numpty let his Rotty off the leash in a park recently and it frightened the life out of one poor old dear. Dogs are not to blame but so many 'undesirables' use dogs as weapons (rather than carrying a knife) when they are out and about that this is the real cause of the problem.
Speaking as someone who has been attacked by an Alsatian its not very pleasant to have a dog chewing on your leg - I can assure you.

Maybe it was a little previous to ban the local yob element from carrying sheath knives . After all it is easier to disarm a knife wielding drug addict than to remove a bull mastiff which has decided to clamp it's jaw on you arm.
Wonder what the next " must have" will be ?

[dannyboy]

Maybe it was a little previous to ban the local yob element from carrying sheath knives . After all it is easier to disarm a knife wielding drug addict than to remove a bull mastiff which has decided to clamp it's jaw on you arm.
Wonder what the next " must have" will be ?

There are ways & means to permantly disarm a dog.

[Guest_platinum_*]

solano county property management is the great post in which we gets proper system for the property management .

[On the edge]

There are ways & means to permantly disarm a dog.

Just as there are for a 'yob' Not of much practical value at the time if you are young or frail though.

[blackdog]

This debate idea isn't working too well Simon.

Jason 0 - 1 Achilles

Next round:

PS Next time, if there is a next time you should accept that all and sundry will chip in - so let the contestents have the debate in priviate via PMs then put the whole debate on the forum at once. Mind you I'm not sure how you decide when the debate has ended.

[dannyboy]

Just as there are for a 'yob' Not of much practical value at the time if you are young or frail though.

Hmmm, I think permanently disarming a 'yob' might land you in hot water. Killing a dog which is mauling yourself / someone else might get you hailed a hero.

There is also a dog related reason for always wearing a hat, which I read about in a 19th century 'Grand Tour' guide book.

[Timbo]

I read on the BBC that a dog who attacked a child would be, and I quote, destroyed.

[lordtup]

solano county property management is the great post in which we gets proper system for the property management .

Sorry I , along with a lot of other contributors on here , am well aware that galloping senility is getting the better of me but what the **** has this got to do with anything ?

[lordtup]

Sorry I , along with a lot of other contributors on here , am well aware that galloping senility is getting the better of me but what the **** has this got to do with anything ?

The 4 letter word thoughtfully censored was not, in my opinion, offensive. The resulting asterisk has made it so .

[Roger T]

Why exactly is **** and **** censored? Gordon Ramsy's kitchen obviously..

[On the edge]

Why exactly is **** and **** censored? Gordon Ramsy's kitchen obviously..

Perhaps its a competition. Whoever sends in the missing word wins a prize. You know a bit like Spot the ****

[Timbo]

Spot the what?