I guess if we replace the words "dogs" with expat Goans or Goans, the
same arguments would hold! As my friend Hartman's status message on
Gmail talk often reads, "Until lions have their historians, tales of the
hunt shall always glorify the hunter - African Proverb".
As for Dotor Aires, I respect his intelligence and his persistence. But
for his campaigning, Tony must be joking when he says "Aires has a
reputation for fighting for just causes".
At best, Aires campaigns for stray causes (no pun intended), in a
zig-zag and blow-hot-blow-cold manner, suddenly changes tracks (look at
his multiple and conflicting approach to the BJP or Manohar Parrikar for
instance). He oddly and for no convincing reason drops cases (remember
the "German girl" and Babush/Rohit Monserrate?) and chooses targets
which easily might not be the most serious cases around (Eduardo
Faleiro?)! Besides, I've been often appalled with Aires' ability to
target single cases rather than take up wider issues. Even assuming it
was true, is Ribandar the only case of sex-abuse by the clergy in Goa?
This makes one wonder -- on what basis are such cases selected?
Aires can represent trawler owners, and of course that's his job as a
lawyer.
[http://lists.whatwg.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2003-March/086665.html]
By switching roles, one can explain away some stands and make a noise
over others.
Sometime back, I remember Aires talking about a dog who banged (or words
to that effect) his friend's car! What next? People who run into a
murderer's knife?
It's easy to take off against politicians, and easier still to lambast
NGOs. (By contrast, the misdeeds of the corporate class can be targeted
only by those willing to be dubbed as Naxalites, I guess!)
While our Moira friends (Tony and Jose) are critical of the
animal-rights NGOs, let me say that I appreciate the work they've put in
over the years. Even as middle-class pet owners, we've rushed our
animals (including dogs!) there in case of emergency, for routine care,
operations and vaccinations. They've delivered quality and affordable
service each time, regardless of whether it's Anjuna or Porvorim, one
group or another.
I've introduced my daughter to people like Lynn De Souza, who holds a
very senior advertising job in the commercial capital of Mumbai, but
heads the Alto Porvorim/Torda centre and dirties her hands and clothes
with the strays of the gutters when she's not sitting at corporate
boardrooms.
I appreciate the work these committed persons are putting in; they walk
their talk. We need to concede that, for the young generation, the
commitment to the environment means a lot. It is their form of
commitment to a better world, just as the generation of the sixties,
seventies and (to a lesser extent) the eighties had other forms of
engagement in the quest for social justice. FN
PS: I have nothing personal against Aires, and he too hasn't taken my
criticism personally (which cannot be said for everyone!). In fact, he
continues to invite me for his many parties (which I choose to stay away
from, so that I have the freedom to criticise when needed).
Jose Da Gama Pais wrote:
The mating season for dogs is just round the corner. >Over the years crores
(del)
crippling the state Exchequer. The mating season of >our politicians is
throughout the year. >Aires Rodrigues <airesrodrigu...@gmail.com>
I fully agree with Dotor Aires Rodrigues. The stray dog menace is truly a
nuisance. Stray dogs permeate all nooks and crannies of Goa.
The problem here is that a few animal lovers have moved the supreme court to
ban the shooting of stray dogs. If Aires could spearhead a team of legal
eagles to take up the matter with the honourable supreme court explaining
that the culling of stray dogs is essential for the well being of the human
beings, I am sure the court will permit the culling of these pariahs perhaps
not by shooting but in a more humane manner say lethal injection or any such
method to be determined by a team of veterinary experts.
Since Aires has a reputation for fighting for just causes, I do hope that he
will take this request seriously.
Dear TONY
This Idea of yours seconded ...............
SURE This is a menace beyond cure. and for the animal lovers, I suggest they
give their address
and take care of all of them and not come with rubbish like looking after
them and bringing them back to their habitat etc.
All those theories only end up in making us very vulnerable to rabies and
all other problems..
Hope something comes up.
Hope Aires really takes this up.
My full support to him.
JDGP
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