Pit bulls are being freed from their bad reputations and returning as America's top dog

[1]( [Pit bulls are being freed from their bad reputations and returning as America's top dog]( Believe it or not, pit bulls used to be one of America's favorite dogs, a trusted family pet with a great temperament. People are often shocked to find out that the block-headed pups deemed as aggressive by society actually score really well on the temperament test, landing at 87.4%—only two tenths away from the score of golden retrievers. Yet for the past 50 years or so, they've been in a battle for their lives due to bad press and misinformation. But it looks like their luck is turning around. Pit bulls have essentially been victims of a half-century-long smear campaign that they didn't sign up for. These extremely affectionate dogs are the product of cross-breeding bulldogs and terriers for the purpose of capturing and restraining livestock. Of course, eventually some not-so-nice humans decided this breed could serve as a money-making endeavor and began to breed them to fight and train them to be aggressive, though those traits are not inherent. Basically pit bulls are much like any other dog—if you train it to be aggressive, it will do what it's trained to do. If you train it to give you its paw and sit pretty for a treat, it will. [Read the story]( [2]( [Leslie Jordan leaves behind a legacy of kindness, laughter and delightful sass]( If you thought you didn't know Leslie Jordan, chances are you've stumbled across at least one of his videos during the pandemic where he said something funny and a little sassy with his unique southern drawl. Jordan was more recently on "American Horror Story" and "Call Me Kat," but many people remember him as Karen's BFF on "Will & Grace." His character Beverley Leslie was to Karen as Ethel was to Lucy, always a hoot when they got together. Jordan passed away unexpectedly October 24, he was 67. It's suspected that Jordan had a medical emergency while driving when he crashed into the side of a building in Hollywood. Heartfelt tributes have been pouring in from celebrities and fans alike, with the overwhelming theme being how genuinely kind he was. It has truly been a celebration of life unfolding across social media for the star after TMZ broke the news. Several celebrities took to social media to share their disbelief. Loni Love simply retweeted TMZ's article and added "Noooooooooo" at the top. Jordan seemed to somehow be everyone's friend and it shows in the tributes to the late star. Some fans are recounting how he helped them through the pandemic. [Read the story]( Did a friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( [3]( [Film studio's statement on canceled Kanye West documentary perfectly calls out antisemitism]( In response to recent antisemitic remarks made by Kanye West, now known as Ye, film studio MRC Entertainment has announced that it is scrapping an upcoming documentary about the music producer and fashion mogul. West has made claims of being mistreated by the Jewish community, as well as not having as many opportunities for not being Jewish, which he has doubled down on both in interviews and on social media. His outbursts have been excused by companies he’s partnered with for years, namely due to his mental illness (according to CNBC), which has undoubtedly given him a sense of impunity. On Oct. 20, West declared in an interview that “I can literally say antisemitic s--- [to Adidas] and they can’t drop me.” Whether or not this seemingly impulsive behavior is related to a mental health issue (West has been open about his bipolar diagnosis) is almost irrelevant due to the incendiary influence his words have. His allegations not only amplify Jewish stereotypes, but have fueled certain extremist groups—on Oct. 23, the Los Angeles Times reported that demonstrators showed up on the 405 freeway overpass giving Nazi salutes and waving a banner which read “Kanye is right about the Jews.” The toxic power of West’s celebrity is clearly palpable, and therefore dangerous. [Read the story]( [4]( [Pete Buttigieg uses 7 perfectly chosen words to show how we can all work to uphold democracy]( America is a country based on the idea that people can believe and say whatever they want. Those core values have helped create a country with a rich tapestry of viewpoints but oftentimes they come into conflict. The key to the nation’s survival is how we can make peace with that conflict. It hasn't always been easy, but we've always pulled through these struggles by embracing a common belief in democracy. Unfortunately, given the recent spread of election conspiracies, America’s way of healing itself and finding peace in a pluralistic society is in danger. This problem is confounded by the fact that in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections, [nearly 300 Republican candidates]( don't believe that Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2020. The assertion that Biden didn’t beat Trump has been [proven false]( time and [time again.]( Many are rightfully fearful that the widespread[acceptance of election denial]( come to a head during the midterm elections, further weakening American democracy. Transportation Secretary[Pete Buttigieg]( [a strong statement in support]( of democratic values Monday, October 24 on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” He made a simple, but powerful statement to reaffirm the core values that each American must support to maintain a civil society. [Read the story]( [5]( [Video of 8-year-old's fierce martial arts skill with a sword is wowing people all over again]( Her name is Jesse-Jane McParland, she's from a "[wee small Irish town,]( and she's one of the best martial arts performers in the world. McParland, who is nicknamed JJ Golden Dragon, holds [more than 300 martial arts titles]( including 12 European Champion titles and 21 World Champion titles—and she's only 16. She's been called a [martial arts prodigy]( and a video of her competing in the [World Kickboxing Championships in 2014]( that has resurfaced shows why. People simply can't get enough of her sword skills and her gumption at such a young age. "Absolute ledge," [wrote @Itsweary,]( captioning the video, which has been viewed more than 9 million times on Twitter and 11 million times [on TikTok](. "The ending…" The ending they're refering to is McParland letting out a primal scream after wowing the audience with her sword routine. It's clear that she gives her all to her sport and people loved seeing such fierceness and discipline in such a small package. [Read the story]( Find us on the World Wide Web: [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2022 GOOD | Upworthy, All rights reserved. 1370 N St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028 You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.