I would be very interested in Vic's comments on this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1025050/The-days-tiger-cubs-condemned-misery-British-circuses-meant-over.html

   As the voice of reason says, people are free to choose if and what they protest about. Vic was poking fun at them and deserves pulling up for it especially when dogs are so important to him personally.

The point me and Slinky were making (and that you chose to ignore in your tedious & predictable diatribe) is that dog fighting is arranged by dangerous criminals, involves illegal betting & no doubt other nefarious activities and i can imagine your average punter at such an event being a pretty dangerous person. Some harmless and defenceless protesters turning up at such an event could well end up in hospital or even dead.

I remember you mentioning Gary Newlove and how he got kicked to death by yobs and how disgraceful it was well the people attending & arranging dog fights would make those yobs look like model citizens and they would not take kindly to their activities being interupted. In short, to repeat again, it would be highly DANGEROUS and if Vic feels so strongly he should put himself on the frontline or indeed join the protestors and help them in this quest. I suspect he wont, because it would be highly DANGEROUS.

Please respond Mr Turner and tell me that is isn't.

   The comment 'circuses are not cruel' is clearly a matter of opinion, to which you are entitled. Others people, including the protesters, hold a different view, to which they are equally entitled. By protesting, they are drawing attention to the issue, with a view to influencing public opinion and eventually bringing about a change in the law. That's how democracy works! I think the intention of Mr Barlow was to poke fun at the protesters for standing up for something they believe in. However, he misses the point, that that is how change in the law often occurs in this country. He may feel that there are other more 'worthy' causes to protest about, but that again is a matter of opinion. If people were not prepared to protest we would still have the poll tax, women would not be entitled to vote, and our government would have continued to support appartheid. Standing up for what you believe in is a worthy thing to do, and should not be derided and sneered at by newspaper columnists.

   Leigh, pls don’t label SC as anti Barlow, both SC and I like some of his articles and have been known to agree with him(and you) on a number of occasions.

In this article thou he (Vic) puts down a group of noble animal rights protestors to make a point about dog fights. I don’t personally think it’s a good piece of journalism.

Arranged dog fights are not the place for this style of demonstration. They are arranged by dangerous people. To suggest that SAD would do more good at an arranged dog fight is irresponsible; it would put the protestors in danger, now that would just make a bad situation worse.

   If the satisfied customer wants to see a clown, then, look in the mirror. In my humble opinion some people are deliberately backward, and yet readily decry other opinions, rubbishing any opinion which does not suit their, anti Barlow syndrome. It was quite plainly stated in the article. “Dog-fighting rings are sprouting up at an alarming rate and, with huge sums of money at stake, animal welfare is zero. Puppies are deliberately stuck with needles and burned with cigarette ends to make them mean, and dogs who refuse to fight are routinely tortured. Unlike the dwindling old circus, these rings are on the increase and I can think of no nobler cause for animal rights protesters than to find out their location and stage demonstrations. Focusing national attention on the hundreds of maimed and tortured dogs forced to take part in this abhorrent and illegal activity will do far more for animal rights than disrupting a small family circus.” Now I think most civilised people would find the treatment described as abhorrent. Surely with these practices described, there could indeed be no nobler cause than to protest against real animal cruelty.

   Please grow up, I think it is rather obvious that the point is: that compared to Dog fighting which is nothing but abominable cruelty and illegal, Circus's are not cruel, the animals are not ill treated, and the RSPCA regularly monitor them.

It is no different from Zoological Gardens, and even something like the abominable “Sea Worlds” who exploit creatures and hide behind the “Conservation” tag.

Every effort should be made to expose dog fighting, and I have no doubt that should Vic every have any information of these atrocities, he would pass it on. He would have to have great faith in the enforcement though.

   The point being missed here is that dog fighting is illegal. Circuses subjecting animals to humiliation is not, but should be. Therefore protesting against the circus has some point, as it could lead to a change in the law. Protesting about dog fighting would be pointless, as you are hardly likely to influence the perpetrators. If you know of such activities, however, you should inform the police.

   The only clown here is Gordon, if his brains were made of semtex he wouldnt have enough to blow his own head off with. Of course i read the article as did Slinky, did you? What are the valid points Vic makes? I'd like to see Vic down at a dog fight in Salford waving a placard! But of course he wouldnt, because it would be highly DANGEROUS. Thats if he could locate the venue in anycase. Yet again Vic picks on some poor harmless souls as the subject of his ire. Or maybe thats why you like his article Gordon?

   OMG, what?, pathetic comments?.

Sorry gordon but what credability you had has vanished in one post. Are you seriously saying that it would not be dangerous to protest at an arranged dog fight bearing in mind that it is probably arranged by hardened criminals?

Seriously mate, calm down.

   Two pathetic comments. Do you not read these articles, or get the point being made, or perhaps you are too thick to appreciate the point.

Your Mr Barlow makes va ery good and valid point.

   Agreed Slinky. Practice what you preach as well Vic, you seem to have your finger on the pulse re these dog fights and given your profession shouldnt you be doing something about it rather than castigating others for not?

   Sounds rather dangerous protesting at a arranged dog fight.