Pit Bulls Pulled from Mafia Wars Following Complaint
Pit Bulls Pulled from Mafia Wars Following Complaint
Posted 05/07/2010 at 11:37am
| by Paul Lilly
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So here's the deal - icing rival mobsters, rising in the ranks of the mafia, robbing your opponents, doing battle with flame throwers, and everything else portrayed in Mafia Wars is fair game. But pit bulls? Now you've crossed the line, Zynga.
Such is the stance the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have taken, and following a complaint by the organization, Zynga has decided to remove pit bulls from its virtual mafia landscape.
"Depicting 'man's best friend' as a fighting machine can encourage the wrong type of people--those with no heart and no understanding of a dog's needs--to treat these wonderful animals as inanimate objects," PETA executive Tracy Reiman said in a release from the company last month. "If Mark Pincus--who named his company after his own beloved dog, Zinga--can't portray dogs as loyal and loving members of the family, we'd rather he left them out of the game altogether."
According to CNet, the ordeal reeks of PR shenanigans, at least in part. A blog post from PETA points out that in YoVille, another of Zynga's games, proceeds from purchasing a virtual bulldog are donated to the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In addition, PETA said it is "sending vegan chocolates to Zynga founder and CEO Mark Pincus to thank him for his compassionate decision."
PETA may want to hold off on sending gifts, however. Other animals have either made their way into Mafia Wars, or soon will, including lions and tigers in "Vicious Crates" and a "bloody horse head" item.
Image Credit: MLive.com
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supercourier
May 20, 2010 at 2:36pm
...might even agree with you. Even if those on planet Earth won't!
Trooper_One
May 19, 2010 at 12:44pm
I don't play Mafia War but when I saw that how PETA has such an influence on other entities in regards to free speech, it's scary.
It's like when those cartoonists are being threatened by certain religious groups for drawing a picture of their prophets.
Just to let you know, war dogs have been used throughout history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_dog
trident60
May 10, 2010 at 2:59pm
I've read most of the first page of comments/replies. I think most of you are missing the real point here. And that is this is just one more thing PETA/Government/FDA/FCC/all the rest of the governing bodies had to stick their dirty fucking noses in. First off, I wish Zynga would have manned up and told PETA to go F themselves and not changed the game. Secondly, PETA needs to worry about more important things out there, like animals actually being abused. Or how about the animals that are going to be affected by this enormous oil spill? But no, they need to come back and attack a VIDEO GAME!
I don't know who's to blame. PETA or "people". I place a lot of blame on people in general anymore. Think of the bullshit lawsuits that have come to court and actually won. Think of the bullshit laws that have been made. And why? Why did these laws have to be made? Because of stupid people. The next in line to blame are the ones letting stupid people get away with it. But then I guess that would make them stupid too.
I mean, this thread is just ridiculous, and I can't believe this kind of shit actually goes on with the problems in this country/world.
mdkplus
May 10, 2010 at 10:18am
Some people treat animals way better than they treat humans. I see a pamperd poodle being walked by it's owner right past a poor homeless guy begging for some change who gets snubbed by the dog's owner. Then I think, gee.. that dog's owner must value human life far less than her stupid precious doggy. That's when I decide to say "here, feefee (whistle), pull out my pistol, and blow it away
Pokedex1010
May 08, 2010 at 5:32pm
You've gotta love people's blind stupidity...and boiled cats....mmmmm lol
COMMANDER_COOK
May 08, 2010 at 9:33pm
But everyone hates cats. Even PETA will admit that cats are the "least lovable" of all animals.
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Saigua
May 08, 2010 at 8:01am
I'd have been militantly opposed if they embedded Dwarf Fortress into the mafia game, but wacky infantilised handling of pets makes a kind of sense; next to over-licensing a home kitchen, working slaughterhouses in walk-in pantries, family statuary, facebook use and a personal line of nutraceuticals.
COMMANDER_COOK
May 07, 2010 at 11:15pm
A game called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare comes to my mind here. Why aren't they whining about that.
But I will agree with the other commenters. Almost every time I'm going for a ride on my bicycle and get harassed by someone else's dog, its a pit bull. A few days ago I was riding and there was two of 'em in someone's yard, chained up. They were trying so hard to get at me, I was worried they were going to slip out of thier collars. If they got free, I'm sure they'd have attacked me.
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Fecal Face
May 07, 2010 at 5:54pm
"Depicting 'man's best friend' as a fighting machine can encourage the
wrong type of people--those with no heart and no understanding of a
dog's needs--to treat these wonderful animals as inanimate objects,"If playing Mafia Wars encourages you to mistreat animals, you need some serious bloody help.
...This also relates to one of the things in life I hate the most: People blaming video games for their / other's actions. When you do something wrong, it's nobody's fault but your own. Blaming something else like video games for your own actions is just pathetic.
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Zune HD = Happiness
Fecal Face
May 10, 2010 at 4:49pm
That's my signature >_>
|Intel Corei7 920|BFG Tech GTX295|Corsair XMS3 6GB RAM|Caviar Black
1TB|Lexa Blackline Red|Razer Mamba + Carcharias + Moray +
Destructor|Logitech G15 + X-540|Zune HD = Happiness
Caboose
May 10, 2010 at 10:59am
That's his signature genius!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
MyWayNYC
May 09, 2010 at 7:09am
While i agree mistreating animals is dead wrong what about the humans killed in the game (LOL) and the poor cars getting smashed in the game(LOL) and damaged furniture....This is why i HATE EXTREMIST OF ANY SORT!
AKA T'Challa Of Wakanada
Tekzel
May 09, 2010 at 5:56am
I mostly agree with you. I would say, in most cases, their parents share some of the blame when they don't know right from wrong. It was the parents' job to teach them that.
The exception being, the odd sociopath. Those are rare though, most of the time its because they were raised by dumb parents.
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You know users... Buncha bitchy little girls.
Vual
May 07, 2010 at 5:03pm
A rattlesnake loose in the living room tends to end all discussion of animal rights.
thesmilies
May 07, 2010 at 4:00pm
-1 for all of you arguing over the internet.
=P
EDIT:
-1 for all of you who can't structure a valid arguement. (Fury,Tech, looking at you)
ZOMG ITS ON THE NEWZ THEREFOREZ IT HAPPENZ ALL THE TIMEZ!
Can I see proof?
NO! BUTZ I KNOWZ ITZ OUT THERZE!
*Facepalm*
TechJunkie
May 08, 2010 at 4:03am
ZOMG! SOZ YOUZ SAYINZ thatz IF itz wuZ POsTEDZ on DA NEWZ, that itz DiDn'tz HappeneZ?
EDIT:
Cause we all know that all the video we see on the news is altered to make poodles look like pits.
And are you aware that they show news (like in central Florida) that aren't seen in say....Wisconsin? It's a little thing our local stations call "The Local News". WOW...some people amaze me.
-1 for....hell just -1
Dman222123222
August 29, 2011 at 5:32pm
My math teacher once said:
Would you rather stay silent and people think you an idiot, or open your mouth and erase all doubt?
This post reminds me of him
SillyElf74
May 07, 2010 at 2:43pm
I get the point PETA is trying to make here, but seriously, it's a text based game. I highly doubt that anyone is going to be influenced by Mafia Wars to either hurt an animal, or train it to be an instrument of terror. It's a GAME - not real life.
xveganx
May 07, 2010 at 3:18pm
Coming from the person who suggests all dogs of certain breeds should be shot.
Yup you haven't lost all credibility or anything.
Dadud
May 07, 2010 at 3:51pm
with a name like xveganx you're probably no better. i bet you get off to animal porn you sick son of a bitch.
http://www.apathbeyond.com/
Tekzel
May 09, 2010 at 5:59am
That was overboard. I think vegans are a strange bunch, but their wierd philosophy doesn't hurt me. Were you molested by a cucumber or something?
---
You know users... Buncha bitchy little girls.
COMMANDER_COOK
May 09, 2010 at 11:42pm
Vegetarians piss me off, too. Eat some damn bacon.
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bikerbub
May 08, 2010 at 5:41am
I bet he does. Because that's the new meaning of vegan. One who watches beasteality porn.
Dadud
May 08, 2010 at 6:34pm
No, seriously, he "cares" too much about animals.
http://www.apathbeyond.com/
Rocketpop
May 08, 2010 at 7:47am
*bestiality
But xveganx is getting on my nerves for his ridiculous crap. If I were an animal rights activist, I'd be ashamed to have someone like him representing the cause.
kevaskous
May 07, 2010 at 2:28pm
Sorry but you are highly misguided. dog bites happen, LOTs of them, ANY breed aswell. you'd be far and suprised to know how many happen with all breeds, not any single one. The -ONLY- reason pits are more noticed and to some extent more often, is the hype the -OWNERS-. They aren't genetically aggressive, that's bullshit, but they notoriously raised to be mean because they are built well for it. I can make -ANY- breed tear your throat out.
Having said that my brother has raised 15 pits and not any of them have ever bit anyone, They are obedient and well behaved, they even lick and cuddle. Stop spewing BS you know obviously next to nothing about. Don't blame the dog for piss poor owners and lots of Hollywood hype.
Righteous Fury
May 07, 2010 at 2:44pm
You have got to be kidding me. This particular breed was bred for several hundred generations as a "fighting dog"... and you honestly try to convince others they are not genetically pre-disposed to aggression? I am sorry, but you obviuosly know nothing about which you speak. These animals are bred killers. Pure and simple. You are correct that other breeds cause bite injuries, sure. I have to review these claims for several insurance agencies on a daily basis... so I speak with some actual KNOWLEDGE of what I bring to the table. Pits are the worst offenders; period. Also, while any breed can produce a "biter" Pits are the ONE OF THE FEW breeds that are renowned for their tendancy to MAUL their victim, instead of bite, wait and see. Everything you said is based on pure fantasy; leave your misguidance at the door.
kevaskous
May 07, 2010 at 3:34pm
to add insult to injury.
http://www.bulldogbreeds.com/americanpitbullterrier.html
Please read their history, and no excerpts please as one line doesn't say much of anything about a breed.
Please keep in mind I can name many breeds used to viciously guard temples and castles and mansions etc that you would NEVER consider aggressive.
kevaskous
May 07, 2010 at 3:24pm
lol you're a funny man, and sadly this is why these dogs never get the chance, people are too guided by Hollywood and news, i can give you many, many occasions where breeds you don't list or think would, can and do destroy their victims. You have little to no idea what you're on about because you don't raise them do you? I have raised many dogs, including pits, my pit, never even growled at anyone.
Rocketpop
May 07, 2010 at 3:40pm
Wow, a dog you domesticated yourself doesn't growl at you. What a fluke occurrence. You've apparently never watched Cesar Millan talk on TV.
Actually, dogs do maul people. Sorry.
mdkplus
May 10, 2010 at 10:31am
Had to shoot a pit bull in the head because it wouldn't let go of my goat's neck I had staked out in my back yard. It wasn't my dog, and the goat died from the stranglehold. If it was my son out there I wonder what would have happened, other than I would have sought out the dog's owner and shot him in the head, too.
Rocketpop
May 08, 2010 at 8:08am
My point is that what you're saying is evidence of a thought disorder, since it's pretty obvious you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Here's a crash course on why your dogs don't bite you: Because they consider you a part of their pack. That's how dog psychology works. If a dog considers a human part of their pack, they're an ally. If they're not part of the pack, they're a potential threat.
You raised your dogs, so they're not going to attack you or humans with whom you associate. It's not because they're naturally peaceful creatures, because they aren't, and it's very dangerous to assume otherwise.
Do all animal rights activists pass off stories of children getting mauled and murdered by pit bulls as somehow misinformed? Should we just ignore the stories and pretend they didn't happen, and that the victims' families are just giving pit bulls a bad rap?
TechJunkie
May 08, 2010 at 4:15am
Amoebas kill humans too. But Amoebas, cats, ferrets, birds, earthworms, grubs, moths, and an occasional tent catapillar, don't specifically go for the throat of another animal, including humans, with the intent to kill it. OK so your a pit lover, I get it. Nothing wrong with that. I see it as this though, a pit or a rott (including coyotes) walks into my yard to pee, it will get a mouthful of lead.
TechJunkie
May 07, 2010 at 2:42pm
Dog bites happen. Yup. But most dogs don't rip a baby apart just because it's there. There is a difference between a dog bite and literally gutting someone's inards out. The reason they are more publicized is for the reason I just mentioned!! Tigers can lick and cuddle. Tigers can be obedient also. Tigers have lived a whole life in captivity without hurting anyone. So does that make them family friendly?
kevaskous
May 07, 2010 at 3:25pm
Furthermore most tigers, since you bring it up, born and raised in captivity never, ever, harm their owners. There is actually less cases of this then dog bites, again learn what you're talking about.
TechJunkie
May 08, 2010 at 4:37am
PSSSST.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_attack
http://www.digtriad.com/news/most_popular/article.aspx?storyid=141804&provider=top
http://www.pitbulllovers.com/pitbull-attacks-deadly.html <-14 month old was mauled here.......but it fucking infuriates me to HIGH heaven that you pit lovers say it's the owners fault, that they're ignorant, blah, blah, blah. Never the animals fault for it's instincts, nope. Never.
Those are just a few.....so, I think You need to do a little research before you call out other people to learn.
Besides, there are less tiger to human attacks because, i hate to say this, but not to many people OWN THEM! 99% are in zoo's. In cages. Locked up. The other 1% are in circus's and moron's who have them as a pet.
kevaskous
May 07, 2010 at 2:44pm
Do your homework on dog breeds first, not news paper dog bites, and get back to me. Also goto a animal rescue for the breed, and ask them what they say. Until you do, and actually know what you're talking about, I'm done :)
xveganx
May 07, 2010 at 3:13pm
Bahaha, sorry dude you showed a long time ago that you were WILLFULLY ignorant on this issue.
Talk to people who WORK with these dogs and see what they say. You my friend are brainwashed.
kevaskous
May 07, 2010 at 3:21pm
Agree'd, I love dogs, it is unacceptable what people have certain breeds do, simply because they are physically built for it. The mentality of a dog is dictated by it's owner, learn to raise any breed before you own one, and you will never have the issue. I do not believe anyone should own a dog, or really any animal, without proper know how of training it. Not having this in place is why we have so many destructive animals.
Neufeldt2002
May 07, 2010 at 9:25pm
Actually, the disposition of a dog (or any animal, human included) is dictated by its breeding, not owner. But they can be broken in the right circumstances, and not necessarily by humans
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The stupidest question that you could ever ask is the one you never do.
xveganx
May 07, 2010 at 1:56pm
Can't malign an entire breed over a couple incidents.
Once we understand the breed we can help them.
Watch dueling pitbulls with Cesar Milan
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