Throwing dog owners under the bus in NYC Hizzoner raises funds for Gotham's Prince of Darkness: Peter Vallone Jr. Bloomberg uses and abuses his dog owning constituents So there's Hizzoner, cuddling for the cameras with a distinctly pit bull-looking pup. The photo-op was sound dog politics on the part of Bloomberg, the guy charged with riding herd over some of the most assertive, pit bull-friendliest dog owners on the planet. Not long ago, NYC's animal law power players, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC Animals and the A S P C A , scrambled to schedule face time with Bloomberg. Where are they now? Running for cover? Bloomberg's fundraiser for Peter Vallone Jr.-- support for a politico that will kill that puppy $2000 per ticket for the privilege of networking at millionaire Bloomberg's Manhattan townhouse. . .all to benefit the political aspirations of pit bull hating Peter Vallone Jr. . . . the guy who wants to ditch a ten year old state law so that cities, towns and villages all over the state of New York can profile dogs and discriminate against their owners. Peter Vallone Jr. wants "pit bulls" the hell out of New York. Now, ain't that a kick in the head? Vallone Jr. and the Politics of Hatred Peter Vallone Jr. is big on fear and hatred. Its not just "pit bulls." He hates baggy pants, and proposed legislation to eliminate them from the Big Apple. In language which reeks of poorly-veiled racism, he encourages fear and hatred of the owners of certain dogs, profiling them as "drug dealers and gangs seeking to intimidate and terrorize neighborhoods." Vallone hates peeping Toms--but his overly broad proposal set off alarm bells among the civil rights-minded. He says he hates graffiti, but his law snagged a six year old who created a chalk drawing in front of her Brooklyn home. Vallone's many, many brain storms -- 56 legislative proposals as of October 1 -- rank him as #1 in the New York City Council when it comes to sheer quantity of legislative submissions. Hate-mongering leads to hate crimes? ? ? Ya think? Politicians in New York are pondering their responses to a recently reported 20% rise in hate crimes. Nooses and swastikas have appeared on college campuses and synagogues. This is a city of tolerance, a city of justice and a city where we won't allow hate to grow unchecked," Quinn said at a City Hall gathering of dozens of government, religious and civic leaders and scores of multiethnic supporters. Hate crimes are contagious," said Michael Miller of the Jewish Community Relations Council. . . Vallone's response to the spike in hate crime in New York City? He's gonna whip out his pen and sponsor a new law. Naturally. City Council Speaker Quinn is right. New York is a city of tolerance, despite Peter Vallone Jr.'s best efforts. Which makes Mayor Bloomberg's support of Vallone even more outrageous. Really sick puppies: Hate-mongering as a long-term strategy in True Blue New York Where will you be in two years, New York? Peter Vallone Jr. is term-limited. His City Council gig is just about over, and he's preparing to run for Queens Borough President in 2009. That much is clear. Is Bloomberg really okay with the politics of hate? Or does Hizzoner need to hear from civil rights-loving dog owners?

Write Mayor Bloomberg a letter, the sooner the better:

mbloomberg@cityhall.nyc.gov Is that a dog in that NYC voting booth?

Its election day in New York. In two years time, it will be again. Will dog owners--both in New York and across the country--stand up for their dogs and for themselves, and against hate and fear? Civil rights at the crossroads Connect the dots, dog and pet owners. You can vote for the Peter Vallone Jrs. of the world. Or against them. Its up to us.