In your world an animal can't have rights? Wow.
z | 05.22.07 - 12:24 pm | #

It can have any rights its owner gives it so long as those rights don't interfere w/ other people or other peoples' property.
Baylen | Homepage | 05.23.07 - 9:25 am | #

You can argue with Portis from a libertarian perspective because dog fighting is animal abuse.

To me, this was just another low for the Redskins.
Leonardo | 05.23.07 - 6:17 pm | #

No right-thinking person could possibly defend dog-fighting.
It's wrong. Period. End of discussion.
Stephen Tobey | 07.19.07 - 3:52 am | #

"In the end, if animals are property -- and they are -- then their owners should be fit to do with them as they please."
In the beginning, animals are not property. Nor are they property in the end, either. That definition of the situation is entirely smothered in layers of value-making that no one, including libertarians, can make except in highy contingent form. Human Slave-holders have made this same arguement about divine Property Rights from the beginning. Such essentialist arguments about Property are BS.
Chris Darrouzet | 07.21.07 - 11:37 am | #

Indeed. People have the right to do with their property as they will. But, in our society, property-rights are determined by the government. Libertarians should be the first to recognize that any market-interference by the government (even ostensibly necessary interference, like guarding property) should not necessarily be expected to advance libertarian principles: government sanction of slavery is a perfect example.

This is just to say that maybe we should take a more nuanced look at property. I don't think animals and humans have the same rights; pets are clearly different from slaves. But that shouldn't lead us to conclude that animals are on the same level with rocks and chairs, either.
RC | 07.21.07 - 5:32 pm | #

No right-thinking person could possibly defend dog-fighting prohibition.
It's wrong. Period. End of discussion.

fixed that 4 U Tobey
Single Issue Voter | 07.21.07 - 8:23 pm | #

My dog is my property in that it's wrong for you to take her from me.

But obviously my dog is a different kind of property than, say, a television. She has feelings, she feels pain, and most importantly she lives every day like it was the greatest day of her life.

Baylen's and Portis' arguments are incredibly immoral. Who cares whether they are "libertarian" arguments or not? Dog abuse is wrong and should be punished.
Rufus | 07.22.07 - 11:45 am | #

there are dozen of violent sports out there..like dog fighting but boxing people have and havent died along with dog fighting dogs have and havent died..there are many violent pictures about dog fighting that people are disgusted but even there are pictures of boxing that are horrible. FREE VICK
nick | 02.14.08 - 1:37 pm | #

Rufus my dog is way tougher then ur dog..and it would take its life away
nick | 02.14.08 - 1:39 pm | #

Libertarians. The bitter fucks are now taking it out on dogs. What if Ann Coulter was in the ring? You'd change your tune then wouldn't you.
Dee Schusted | 09.24.09 - 4:20 pm | #