Your dog, not mine

To me, all this to-do about dogs running loose and harassing us is a very interesting exercise in human behavior. Not being judgemental is rather difficult because I was directly involved but I am trying. In attempting to sort out the facts with as little emotion as possible:
All of us connected with the traumatic episode, to me anyway, are all nice people and otherwise good neighbors.
Absolutely no one feels inconvenienced or endangered except the two of us who were approached by "Buffy" and "Cuddles", two dogs running loose on public property.
From what I have heard and observed the two dog owners appear to have no remorse or accept any responsibility for the attack.
The premise is that the two offending dogs are only "yappers" and have never bitten anyone.
The general consensus is that I am taking offense for something that could have been easily avoided by not walking on the sidewalk in that area. In other words; I caused the altercation. Not only from the dog owners but several other people from the area that either witnessed the event or heard of it.
Those dogs are well loved by everyone and I am actually treading on thin ice by insinuating they are dangerous in any way whatsoever. It's almost blasphemy.
The police have chosen not to be involved any more than the possibility of a phone call. It's not their job, said the officer.
If a person sees an illegal act that can cause injury to another human being and does nothing, the law states that they are legally liable for any resulting injury.

So, what to do? From these observations I have concluded that:
We have the law and common sense on our side because our rights have been violated and our health and safety put in jeopardy due to neglect on the part of the dog owners.
According to city ordinance it is a violation to allow a dog to harass or approach or cause anyone to fear for their safety on a public sidewalk. There are legal and civil consequences for not restraining your dog.
If I push this further or press any charges, the entire neighborhood will shun me.

There is no apparent physical injury, I should be over the anxiety and able to sleep sometime in the near future. How important is it? Do I want harmony in the neighborhood I've lived in for 30 years or do I want to make sure we can safely walk our streets without fear from these and other dogs? Should I let "sleeping dogs lie"?

What is it that I hope to accomplish here? It is my practice to take at least 3 days to make major decisions whenever possible. We're all good people here so being the immediate threat is over I will do just that..........

Dog attack, trying to reconcile and threats

It's been two days since being accosted on a public sidewalk by a pair of barking, aggressive, threatening dogs owned by two of my neighbors. It's been two sleepless nights filled with anxiety too. I did report it to the police of course and the officer said they'd call the arrent dog owners but I am not at all sure that they did because the offending dogs were running loose again yesterday just as before with the full knowledge of their owners. If I want to avoid them I have to avoid walking in that direction on my own street. Less than 300 feet from my own front door. The encounter we had was with two dogs. However, there are actually up to five dogs that run loose, unrestrained from time to time like a pack. I don't like ill feelings between neighbors. I was sure we could reach some kind of understanding so I spoke with one of the dog owners this morning as he took his daily walk with his dog. (It was restrained and well behaved on a 3 foot leash.) He exhibited no interest in what I had to say nor did he display any remorse for the danger his dog presented by running loose and accosting us. His response was that he pays his taxes and he can do what he pleases in that area. When I start paying his taxes I can have something to say about him and what he chooses to do with his dog. His conclusion was that it wouldn't have happened if we would have walked somewhere else. He accepted absolutely no responsibility for what transpired. We should have avoided being there. He couldn't help that his dog got loose and ran away while he was talking to another neighbor. He said if I didn't like his dog running loose I should call the cops. I said I already did. He then threatened that he will start calling the cops on every little thing I do wrong. I asked if he knew that my wife had just returned home from major surgery and was in a full neck brace to prevent sudden movement or complications. N0, he said. Quickly changed the subject and went on to describe how his wife suffered serious injury from his dog pulling her off her feet and dragging her as if that justified in some way why his dog was running loose. I didn't get the connection and said so. He said again that he was going to start calling the cops on me for everything I do wrong and that he didn't want to talk to me any more and then walked away appearing very much to not agree with my attempt to reconcile our differences and come to an agreement concerning walking on our sidewalks without fear of being confronted by an unrestrained dog.

So, my attempt to smooth things over between neighbors and reach a truce of some kind was for naught. The only understandable response was threats and making sure I understood that his dog or any other dog could run loose and it was up to me to avoid those public areas that they ran in or I will face the consequences. It almost sounded like bullying to me. At least I felt it very much resembled the bullying I faced in school when I was a kid. I don't accept bullying to any degree no matter who it is from. I've been bullied by the best of them and I learned a long time ago that people who threaten you will continue to do so as long as you allow them to. Another thing about threats is that as long as they are secret they will continue.

I want to make it clear that I like dogs as much as the next person. I feel that allowing them to run free is good for them. After all they need the exercise. I don't feel that the public right of way is the place to do it. Especially when it is against the law and endangers anyone or makes them feel threatened. There always seems to be someone even the best of dogs doesn't like. I've been bitten twice, seriously, requiring medical attention and stitches. My daughter has been bitten and required medical attention. All three times was by a "wonderful family pet" that wouldn't harm a flea. Now, by trying to work this all out between respectful neighbors has been met by threats. It just doesn't seem right to me that I'm made out to be the bad guy here. Yes, apparently I'm to blame for being attacked by two unrestrained dogs on a public sidewalk. But I've only spoken with one owner. Maybe more will become known after I speak to the other one. I won't allow it to happen again to anyone in my neighborhood if I can help it. It's just not right to me!

President Obama and the mosque

President Obama speaks out concerning building a Mosque at or near ground zero.

Insensitivity seems to be rampant on the political scene lately. In the hopes of setting themselves up as leaders of the free world, politicians make, what they think to be monumental statements regarding the freedoms set forth in our constitution. Sometimes they appear to get it right, sometimes not. Sometimes it's not a matter of right or wrong, it just depends upon which side of the opinion you are on. It's rather befuddling to say the least. Politics, I thought were a process of negotiation to achieve some type of acceptable middle middle ground on subjects of importance to the local or national concerns. Suddenly it's a method for dictating moral judgement. I'll pass if you don't mind.

With all due respect to the office of President of the United States, I will not allow Mr. Obama to be my moral compass. I do not feel that it is our moral, ethical or legal responsibility to allow a Mosque to be built on or near ground Zero where a terrorist act was committed against thousands of innocents by a radical group of murderous Muslims. I fail to see the importance of building the Mosque there. I do see it as a sign of disdain toward our rights when it comes to freedom. A slap in the face. A sign of degradation. History has shown that those wishing to destroy a free country simply need to use their precious freedoms against them and they will destroy themselves.

"Muslims are a religious group of freedom loving and peaceful people. The terrorist acts are performed by a small radical faction. This Mosque at ground zero will be a sign of peace."

"Nazi's are a peace loving, religious group of people. The murderous acts of the war were committed by only a small radical segment of that group. They should be able to build a Nazi meeting hall next the the Holocaust museum as a sign of respect."

"The K.K.K. is a group of God fearing, loving, peaceful people. Just a misguided few of them liked to hang certain people they didn't like. They should be able to build a K.K.K. memorial in downtown Harlem."

We should take a lesson from the Sunnies and the Shiite Muslim groups. Just build next to each other and everyone will "all get along together." At least after all the suicide terrorists blow themselves up along with the rest of the population. Are they wanting to build a mosque to promote peace? Or, is it a sign of conquest? To the victor go the spoils and the right to record history.

No Thank you Mr. President! I don't think you thought this one out. I disagree! I still have that right, at least for now.......Joe