Matt, look at the first paragraph. It's not good. It's actually really fucking atrocious. None of us look to the Merc for "unbiased" reporting, but shit like that is so cheaply manipulative. It's a slap in the face of all readers, regardless of their feelings on the subject. Ick. I'm gonna go take a shower.

I always like hearing what children think. I thought it was a great first paragraph.

If the people of the United States refused to buy a puppy in a pet store, the misery of puppy mills would end. Please tell everyone you know about the puppymill and petstore connection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HM8UmHM8Uo
www.prisonersofgreed.org

A cat>>>

Why do you give soo much a damn about the content of the 1st paragraph?! I'm faaar more concerned about the fact that an individual was bum-rushed & ASSAULTED by mall security brutes, IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THEIR OWN POLICY!

Don't you all get it? The Mercury just hires A Cat to play the goading role of the intentionally apathetic coolster with too much free time. I saw on the home page he has the most comments of anyone (and will prolly change IDs now if he doesn't have several already)

If you want A Cat to waddle away...just ignore him

Well another thing i do find concerning, but not at all surprising, is the LAST paragraph.

The fact that Mark Hanson, current LC Security Gestapo/former Clackamas Co. pig, has been over-seeing an [informal] policy of brutalising & "arresting" patrons in clear violation of ORS policy is not at all surprising, being the punk-ass n00b that i'm sure he is.
And the fact the Mr. Hanson was too damned cowardly to give comment for this article is also very telling.

DamosA, I think journalism as blatantly manipulative as this one starts off is completely irresponsible because it comes off as tabloid trash. Matt can be a good reporter at times, and would be taken far more seriously by the general public if he wouldn't borrow tropes for The Enquirer and its ilk.

On your godwin-ing of this discussion five posts in, fuck you. Three of my great-grandparents were killed in the camps; to call Mark Hanson "gestapo" is to spit in the face of millions. Fuck you.

A Cat,
only the most overweening and fastidious keyboard-warriors would ever be offended by hyperbole.

Yeah, the holocaust was a bundle of fucking lulz. Thanks, gcsickboy.

'Cause that's what I said.?.or in any way implied?

why not hear what a child thinks?
why shield children from knowing what's right or wrong?
is the only reason a kid will eat meat in the first place.
think about it.
take your kid to a slaughter house and they'll never eat meat again. they still have a conscious.
either way, I respect Matt as a parent.
I see he and his partner and their way of parenting little Felix and I think to myself, of all the people out there having baby after baby after baby, here's a couple who are raising a kid with true moral ethics and values in life.

about mall cop/police officer.
the mall cop originated the tackling of Matt to the ground.
cop cop arrived on scene right as the tackle took place,
which is why the event seemed simultaneous.
either way, the mall cop still went against the policies... well beyond.
it won't be hard to win this case against the mall.

A cat: "On your godwin-ing of this discussion five posts in, fuck you. Three of my great-grandparents were killed in the camps; to call Mark Hanson "gestapo" is to spit in the face of millions. Fuck you."

gcsickboy: "A Cat,
only the most overweening and fastidious keyboard-warriors would ever be offended by hyperbole."

Sorry I misunderstood, gcsickboy. The fact that people like DamonA will compare an abusive asshole mall-cop with the fact that my grandma had both of her parents murdered as part of a systematic genocide pisses me off. A lot.

Now that we're on the same page, I must say that I don't find anything "overweening and fastidious" about finding overtly manipulative "reporting" to be insultingly lazy. YMMV, obvs.

This is really a shocking story if you think about it. Here's a guy, with his wife and 2 year old, in a PUBLIC mall that is on private property, doing nothing offensive or illegal or dangerous to society, who is physically assaulted by private security guards as if he were a dangerous terrorist of some sort. My god people, what is this country coming to? Have we no self-restraint and respect in treating other human beings (not to mention animals). It's time for overly-testosteroned people like this guard to be called on the table for this type of dangerous behavior that is what is truly harmful to our democratic society. I hope this gentleman sues the guard and the mall for this illegal assault and his physical pain, suffering, humiliation, and illegal detention.

Let's keep the focus on the animals, shall we?

People who care about animals should support this pending legislation, which cracks down on puppy mills in the state of Oregon.
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/OR_200…

Improving the law is far more effective than staging protests at the mall.

Video here:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blogto…

DamosA, thank you for saying like it is!

"PUBLIC mall that is on private property"

Getreal, what's a public mall? This is a serious question. You seem to think it means something. I can only imagine that you think that this means something legally. Do you? What makes the mall "public"? What rights should this guarantee people in the space? When (and how) did we establish these rights? I'm very serious. Other readers, feel free to chip in and argue for this mysterious "public space". Teach me.

Now all of a sudden, you're NOT "a cat"? Go goddamn figure...

Keep up the good fight against the inhumane and criminal puppy mills that trade on abuse and cruelty...and the retail outlets that keep them in business. This is a black and white issue that speaks to our inhumanity, and stewardship.

And, in the telling, it also speaks of the modern day thugs that no longer exist to protect the public, but are used instead, to protect questionable businesses that support inhumane practices, like the pet stores, that traffic in animal misery, and the puppy mills, where animals are bred to to the point of ill-health, for one more litter of puppies and profits.

The information on puppy mills is out there. Look it up and decide for yourself. Dogs (and cats) languish and suffer, and are often euthanized in shelters around the country, because there are not enough informed people ready to give them all a home and a life.

We should be thanking those people willing to speak up about this side of our inhumanity - where the creatures that share the world with us are treated with abuse and indifference.

rarpan,
thank you for this comment.
likely one of or the best comment
I've read on this specific topic so far.
There's many... many many many.
But you did bring it to home, and I
think it's safe to say it needed to be
said.
meow

First go to the fur/puppy farm and expose the bad stuff they
do if any. Treating the symptom instead of the problem is parallel to what baarack and the goricle do to draw attention to themselves and their revenuing. Wake up and spend time smelling the real stink/atrocity.

Matt - you are a hero, as are all humans who advocate for defenseless animals. The cops who manhandled you are as cowardly as people who abuse animals. Thank you for everything you and IDA are doing, and may those of us who love and respect animals follow your courageous example. SDW, NY