It ain't necessarily so if it comes from the Humane Society of the United States
Hint for journalism students: take those HSUS press releases for what they're worth. Jack shit.
Goodwin, HSUS's "issues expert" on dogfighting has just one mission: get HSUS propaganda in front of the public. That's what he's paid to do, and that's what he does. All day, everyday.
Nothing but propaganda from the Humane Society of the United States
The media had better wise up and start checking the "facts" HSUS and their "Issues Expert" John Goodwin feeds them. This could get embarassing.
Take the pickle Metro -- which styles itself as the "world's largest
global newspaper" now finds itself in. Metro, a long, long way from the Wall Street Journal and a publication whose finances are shaky at best, got royally snookered by Goodwin and HSUS earlier this week.
Or maybe it was a simple cash transaction -- money paid out by HSUS for media placement in a financially-stressed, third rate publication?
To quote Metro's story on how New York is the "capital of dogfighting"--
"For 30 years, the Sporting Dog Journal, the central organ of the dog-fighting world, came out of New York. “It had 6,000 subscribers and ran 120 pages a month, with several hundred detailed fight reports,” Goodwin said."
Metro reports old "news" like it happened yesterday
Get a clue, Metro. The publisher of the Sporting Dog Journal was busted five years ago on dogfight-related charges. Back in 2003.
Friccione went to prison. Despite the "weak" laws in New York.
Expertise from books
The Metro article then passes on Goodwin's titillating rendition of what an organized dogfight entails. But don't mistake his description for expertise. You can get the same thing from one of Richard Stratton's books -- available via Amazon.com -- if you're really in to that kind of stuff. Did Goodwin get his "expert knowledge" from a book?
I think the facination with gruesome dogfight material in some circles -- particularly some "rescue" groups -- is similar to porn addiction. Some people get their rocks off in the sickest ways.
Which makes publications like "Metro" -- and John Goodwin -- panderers.
Just make shit up: "NY is the dogfight capital of the country" ?
Not according to the ASPCA, its not. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is charged with animal cruelty law -- including laws against dogfighting --enforcement in New York City says. . .
"Organized dog fighting in New York City does not appear to be prevalent, and the ASPCA rarely sees arrests for such activity."
Fake "dogfight crisis" based on no information
The ASPCA also comments that. . .
"Currently, there are no reliable statistics [that address the prevalence of dog fighting state -by-state]. This is an underground, illegal activity so it is almost impossible to get accurate information about its prevalence."
So other than its own press release, what kind of information did HSUS and Goodwin base themselves on? Huh?
Imagine of CNN got wind of all of this. How humiliating for Metro.
Controlling the news: HSUS's bevy of friendly bloggers
Patrick Kwan, HSUS's New York State Director, emailed the Metro story link out to his list of friendly bloggers. And they dutifully put the story out there.
Hey, in a world where a lot of people can't distinguish between a blog and a news article, why not?
Another internet "truth" successfully created.
John Goodwn is an expert. An expert liar.
Unless you want to dance to a tune piped out by convicted terrorist, employed by an animal extremist organization which despite all its propaganda does not operate a single animal shelter, check the facts before you believe a word of what John Goodwin says.
You're in for a big surprise.
