I read your original post regarding clipping ears and docking tails and I agree 100% that it was originally done for reasons that involved fighting the dogs. Where you go south is claiming only those that fight dogs now have the proceduers performed and that the procedure in and of itself will make the dog aggressive. That's where you turn into crazy conspiracy dude.
Over time, a standard is set. That standard is carried through regardless of why a person obtained the dog. Look at Cocker Spaniels. Their tails were originally docked to prevent burrs getting caught in their tails while flushing game. When is the last time you heard of anyone using a Cocker to flush game? Yet nearly every Cocker sold comes with a docked tail because that is the standard. The original intent no longer matters. It simply is now the standard.
It would be interesting to see stats on how many pitbull attacks are carried out by clipped/docked dogs vs. not clipped/docked. I bet there is no difference.
I never claimed only those that fight dogs now have the procedures performed. But yes, I think if you go out of your way to make a dog a better fighter, even if you only do it because you think it makes him look cool, then you shouldn't blame it on his breed if he attacks someone.
I would love to see stats on cropped vs not cropped attacks. I don't think stats like that are kept, but I'd bet cropped pit bulls attack at a much higher rate.
This has nothing to do with Cockers either. It doesn't matter that people don't
intend to fight the pit. If they are going out of their way to make it tougher (even if they don't realize that is what they're doing) then they can't turn around and blame it on the breed when the dog attacks.
And at no point did I say this was the only reason pit bulls ever attack. I just said it says a lot about the owner (either current or past) of a pit that has his ears cropped.
There are plenty of ways owners can be irresponsible, cropping the ears is one of them.
Cropped ears are like a weapon to a pit bull. They are there to make the dog a better fighter. If you give someone a weapon at a young age (and they keep it for their entire life), and their natural instinct is to use that weapon, don't be surprised if they eventually try to use that weapon.