Why some people hate dogs?
Well, looks like we found one answer from T.A. Uqdah, former candidate for the Ward 4 Council.
Even though he was promoting the use of dog parks and putting dogs and kids in the same level in his campaign for dealing with gentrification, his last email to the Petworth Dogs listserve shows a clear position against dogs.
His hate against dogs is based on childish and outdated views more than real reasons. His words clearly indicate that he is a fanatic and had some bad encounters with dogs back in the 60’s and his early years.
He generalized about dog owners, not realizing that people that take dogs to parks are responsible owners.
He concluded that ‘dog people, canine lovers are annoying and fanatical’.
He continued to say:
‘they are annoying in the sense that they view themselves and their canines as a protected class. They are fanatical in the sense that they think anyone who opposes them is a hostile enemy to them and are annoyed at those of us who don’t understand their fanaticism’.
‘I can’t understand for the life of me, why anyone would move into a land / space challenged urban setting like Washington, DC and expect to have dog parks established for their animals? I want a horse, but you don’t see me asking for a horse park to run them, do you? So where does this sense of entitlement come from?’
I personally do not think about him as an enemy. This not a war. We are civilized people and we should talk and try to solve our differences in a civilized manner and not, do like he did. He came and exposed his hatred for dogs and walked away. He did not try to talk to us nor to understand why dog parks are necessary. They are good for the dogs (dogs that are not socialized in parks are the ones that escape and bite people). They help people to meet other neighbors (that is how I met most of my neighbors).
He was a candidate for the Ward 4 Council. He should know that if he has a horse he has a place to take the horse to be exercised within walking distance from his house.
He says that DC is a space-challenged urban setting, but DC has plenty of unused green areas. NYC does not, but they have 100+ parks.
He explains his hate against dogs towards the end of his email, where he says:
‘… I have trouble reconciling owning an animal that in my genetic experience was used to hunt and track me down for my continued enslavement or lynching, not to mention these were the same mangy animals used by law enforcement and other southern crackers to intimidate, bite and in some instances maim or kill human beings fighting for their civil rights; and I’m expected to embrace offering them a dog park?’
I think that he is confused and living in the past, he should realize that he is in DC in the year 2007. We live in a very diverse city, where no one should try to take any rights from anybody.
