I am really annoyed with the sentencing of Michael Vick. It may be the lack of understanding but I can't imagine taking away a man's life and livelihood because of the death or mistreatment of a dog. I'm sure there are tons of animal rights activists and PETA people who think the punishment is just, but I'm not one. I remember there was a Green Bay Packers tight end named Mark Chmura who was accused of having inappropriate sexual contact on April 8, 2000 at a Waukesha Catholic Memorial High School prom party with the then 17-year-old babysitter of his children. He was not as demonized as Michael Vick, who killed dogs. He actually hosts a weekly radio show on ESPN Radio. This isn't the only example: How about Atlanta Falcons defensive back Patrick Bates, who was charged with assaulting his pregnant girlfriend and, three weeks after the baby was born, kidnapping the child and beating the mother with a gun. Bates finally was let go by the Falcons, pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was signed by the Oakland Raiders. He was not as demonized as Michael Vick, who killed dogs. Even Falcons all-pro linebacker Cornelius Bennett was charged with rape, sodomy, sexual abuse and unlawful imprisonment. Bennett pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and was sentenced to 60 days in jail. He was neither released by the Falcons nor fined by the NFL. He was not as demonized as Michael Vick, who killed dogs. Even the poster boy of NFL misconduct, Lawrence Phillips who repeatedly was arrested for assault and motor-vehicle violations. Rams assistant coach Johnny Roland minimized Phillips' conduct this way: "Everyone deserves a second chance -- sometimes a third or fourth chance. He didn't kill anyone." Neither did Michael Vick. He just killed dogs. I wonder why hunters aren't looked at with this much disgust. Does PETA protest outside the homes of the NFL players who hunt during Hunting Season? For some reason the hypocrisy surrounding the sentencing infuriates me. It makes me want to kill a dog for every day he is in prison. It even seems ridiculous to type that a man is going to prison for killing a dog, when I have a cousin, a human being, who was murdered and there was no federal investigation or even an arrest. I bet Tupac & Biggie's killers are breathing a sigh of relief, saying "at least we didn't kill no dogs!" But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?
4 comments:
He was convicted of funding dog fighting and of killing dogs. Part of the issue is gambling and if you don't remember (too young) Joe Namath was forced by the NFL to sell his interest in a NYC restaurant because known gamblers frequented the place. He was convicted of nothing, but the NFL really doesn't want to raise any connections between its sport and gamblers (aside from the double standard of using the point spreads to discuss and promote our viewing of their games.)
I agree that a dog's life is no-where-near equivalent of a human life, but killing a dog because he didn't perform well strikes a chord with a lot of people. Why not send the dogs to spar with K-9 trainees? Or guide, and protect, the blind?
The thing that continues to amaze me is that my picture of Southern dog-fighting is a white, redneck culture, so a well-to-do black promoter and dog fight leader still makes my head hurt.
I believe these circumstances epitomize the true essence of racial tension here in the United States of America. How hypocritical is that, to begin the country's title with the word United when much effort is shown to seperate and divide?
True, gambling was an issue but the truth is the wrong man was making money.
Killing dogs was an issue for some. Although,I think, not certain, that we uthanize animals everyday at shelters across the United States of America. Dead is dead, right?
Many times the dfference between a criminal and an average person walking the street is the "criminal" was caught thereby assigning and adorning the acquisition of criminal. Yet another hypocritical title.....
I am saddened and appalled by the Vick sentencing. I am just as saddened and appalled by the content of character of Vick's close confidants.
Michael Vick is undeserving of corporal treatment. He is not only a star athlete but he has proven to be a role model and community activist. Is that usually not a consideration in sentencing? Oh yeah, I almost forgot they said Vick lied. So now they are angry? They as the court system. Lying has been a part of the "American way" since "Columbus" discovered America? Oh, I'm sorry is that the truth?
America has leaned the scales in the protection and security of human life for centuries now. Michael Vick may have had, or still has relatives, family, and friends that have been tortured worse than an any dog, still remaining undenounced as well as unpenalized.
I am sorry for the misguidedness and lack of efforts by law enforcement authorities to find your cousin's murderer.
It's a tragedy to say the least for both Vick and your cousin but the rest is still unwritten.
The possibilty that the judicial system was way too easy on the other criminals you mentioned is more acceptable to me than the idea that the system was too hard on Michael Vick.
You make a valid point with your hunting issue, however misconstrued your comparison of the two subjects may be. The difference is that most, and I stress MOST, hunters do not torture the prey over and over again before delivering the their lethal shot. Hunting, first and foremost is LEGAL, dog fighting is NOT. Are you following me so far? Hunters, possibly with the exception of some lunatics, usually deliver one lethal shot to the animal. They do not terroize it and just shoot it to mame it then pump it full of fluids and antibiotics so they can put it back in the woods and do it all over again. You still with me? Also, alot of the hunted species in North America are used as a source of food. Do the people who condone dog fighting eat the meat from the dead dogs or donate it to the local soup kitchen? No they don't, cause dogs are not used for that purpose in North America. In the area that I am from, if the "sportsman" hunters do not use the meat and do want to be completely inhumane, they may donate the meat to local charities that feed the hungry. This is done quite frequently in the Appalacian Areas of North America. Watch an outdoor channel on TV sometime and notice how a deer or elk will just drop dead if the proper guage of firearm is used for the size of the intended kill. Then if the opportunity arises, get yourself a front row seat to a dog fight and blog on how similar you think the two are. Be careful at the dog fights though..if the cops come, you'll be sitting right there next to Vick. Which might not be bad, maybe you get his autograph. Oh, and then after you watch these pitiful animals being tortured and they are blood soaked and can barely move and infested with severe infections and die horrible deaths, tell us again how Michael Vick "just killed dogs".
So even if we follow your absolute and complete understanding of hunting...can we venture to say you particularly do not have an absolute and complete understanding of dog fighting....I am not proclaiming to be an expert on either but these dogs are bread to fight just as we breed animals such as cows, pigs, chickens, etc...to supply our nutritional needs....hence the end result being death...now the question can be raised on whether or not the killing is humane but dead is dead....if I shoot a dog with all the proper and legal equipment allowed by the United States of America does he die differently...quicker, faster,better? How do you exactly accomplish this great feat of death with dignity for an animal...i think butwhothehellami was attempting to equate an animal life with a human life and there is no comparison but Vick's charge was above those charges that some receive for inhilating human life....i think butwhothehellami referencing hunting was to simply state it is an acceptable and LEGAL practice but dog fighting is NOT....who makes these rules on acceptable animal practices? what is done with horses and dogs once they have been used for racing/breeding and can no longer perform services required by the establishment? Is there a guarantee that their death is humane? Are these animals given a dignified death? There are so many aspects to be explored with the Vick case it is just overwhelming....believe me horrible deaths go by every day both in the animal kingdom and human realm...Vick was an example set forth by the establishment....Please do not think you can make enough money to do as you please w/o inviting the proper people to participate...Vick did not have support when he needed his boys the most, that is the true crime....bad,sad story all around.
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