OK, first of all, i'm really happy that this thread hasn't become heated and i hope it stays that way!!
now i want to add my opinion.
i have had good and bad expierances with "vicious breeds". about 2 years ago my dog rusty was attacked by a pitt bull who lived across the street from us. i personally had seen this guy hit the dog numerous times. i knew right from the start that he was abused. i was like 6 years old i think, and walking rusty. my dog was on a leash, his wasn't. i heard the guy yell something and the next thing i knew he was ontop of rusty. a nice man walking by broke up the fight and helped me get rusty home. then he left. when the cops came they went to talk to the other guy. he told them that MY dog attacked his!!! this made me soo mad i could have killed him with my bare hands. then the cops came back and were playing with rusty to see how "vicious" he was. he didn't even get up, he was just sitting there licking their hands. so baiscally the guy was told if the dog was ever in the town again it would be put down immedatly. a few months later he showed up with the same dog. my neighbors knew what happened to rusty so they called the cops. they came and picked up the dog. the guy was fined. i felt so bad for that poor dog. i was glad that he wasn't around to attack any thing else, but i would have been so much happier to see that man get put to sleep!! he just got out of jail for robbing a bank, personally i think he should have been in jail from the start. rusty has become more protective of me since then, one time the guy came by to visit his mom. i didn't recognize him but apperantly rusty did. he was barking and growling and showing his teeth. then i realized it was the same guy, because i recognized his truck. ok that was the bad expierance.
now for the good one. my uncle has a rottie named lacey. she is the sweetest dog you could ever meet!!! so personally i think its wrong to judge a dog by their breed.
just thought i'd put in my thought on this subject. i realize it will probably never be settled, this is a very touchy subject, but i hope that this bad rap will ware off soon enough