Monday, August 27, 2007
Michael Vick and Dogfighting
I understand and accept that there are many animal lovers who are angered and deeply wounded by Michael Vick's actions, and I believe that he should be punished for those actions. However, what I do not understand or accept is that people are literally calling for his head on a platter. I read a sports network blog yesterday where someone actually called for Vick to be castrated; a female caller to a CNN talk show host wanted him to be put in a dog house and be fed in a dog bowl, just as a dog would be. People, let's get a grip here! Yes, what he did was terrible, but women are being battered and murdered everyday by their spouses/boyfriends and where is the uproar about this across the nation? Where were the screams of indignation when those three students were executed a few weeks ago? There are people walking around freely that have killed human beings and yet it is quite possible that Vick will serve more time in prison than they did. I think that even if Vick is allowed back in the NFL, he will never be able to revert back to his star status because people across America will not allow him to. If Barry Bonds was booed and heckled for allegedly putting steroids into his own body, can you imagine what kind of reception Vick will receive if he ever plays again? Does a human being deserve to lose his freedom and be hated over an animal?
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27 comments:
I'm not a football fan. I wonder at the gross brutality on the field.
And so it's not a surprise that these guys might not be Tiger Woods or Roger Federers in their home life.
But this dog story has registered high on my horror meter.
Read a book guys. Go to the movies. Travel and visit Paris.
Murdering dogs does not equate to murdering humans, but Vic should be punished. And I think a life-time ban should be imposed.
People have been taking the hatred displayed toward Michael Vick to a bit of an extreme, there is no need to make this man get into an actual dog house and be fed from a dog bowl nor is there a need for any removal of body parts, that’s just ridiculous! Should he be punished for his participation in the cruelty and torture of animals? YES. Should he be allowed to play football? Yes. Will the public support his football career and recognize his talents as an athlete? No. Unfortunately, for Michael because of his celebrity status he has already been convicted in the "court" of public opinion. The reality is that he will be punished for his crimes, by serving the actual sentence handed down by our Justice System and again with the negative impact this case will have on his football career.
Kavion mentioned something that I feel to be the bigger issue here … Why does it take a celebrity being involved for people to take notice and demand action?
I believe that this issue is being handeled by our Justice system quite well. To be outraged, upset, and mad are all justifyible feelings. I have a dog that I have had since she was only 5 weeks old and she means a lot to me.
The point here with Michael Vick, is the fact that he consisted in these actions that were known to be against the law. Yes, he should be punished, for what he did. No, if, ands or buts about it. The fact of the matter is though do we let things in reference to animals aned our pets become more important then humans. To know the fact people are murdered, molested, and raped on many occasions yet, you have much less media coverage, much less outrage, much less people calling for their head on a platter is a dissapointing thing. You would have half as many people standing out on the front steps of the court house steps in Virgina if a young girl under the age 8 was molested, raped, or even killed. I believe that the dog fighting incident should be something to be upset about. Although, I also believe that citizens have their priorities out of order here. When a dog or a pet, comes higher priority then our children and women or even just a person in general in this country and other great injustices of higher magnitude happen on a daily basis and we fail to give it as much attention(media as well) it truly tells you something about where our minds and our hearts are. What I'm pretty much saying is if there were a baby fighting ring he had in his basement, people wouldnt have been as outraged as they are today.
America needs to get their priorities in order, and Michael Vick needs to be put in jail and feel the consequences of his action. However, though he should feel the consequences of his actions and suffer, he should suffer as a human, not be treated like a animal. Due to the reason, that individuals have done much worse and unimaginable and have recieved less harsh treatment and hate.
-nathanG
"Does a human being deserve to lose his freedom and be hated over an animal?"
To some extent I believe the answer to that question is yes. A life is a life. Certainly the life of an animal is not as important as that of a human. However, that doesn't make Vick's actions any less wrong.
I think that sure, they are probably making an example out of him. But I think what he did was horrendous and the punishment is much deserved. I don't think he should get a worse punishment than anyone else in the same situation would. But it's his celebrity status that is making this such a big hit in th media.
Maybe something good will come of this. Maybe it will make people more aware of this issue and actually do something to prevent it in the future. I think what he did was disgusting and he should certainly be punished accordingly. I really have no sympathy for someone that would do that to animals in the first place.. And certainly not someone that has that much money and could be doing literally anything he wanted.
I agree to some respect about it being rediculous that people are in such an uproar over this when countless people are murdered and raped everyday. I also share the views of an animal lover and it is agreeable that what he did was atrocious and he should be serving some form of punishment. I think that people should concentrate their energies more towards helping Vick with his obvious problem and paying more attention to the horrors that we just seem to shrug off like the happenings in Iraq and Darfur. Instead of hateing on Vick, we should pay more attention to our fellow human beings who are still suffering from diseases and disasters like hurricane Katrina. As for the outrage that has occured with Vick's dogfighting scandal, maybe people are just saying these things for attention. It's as if there is a competition on who can say the most grotesque punishment because it is almost like a game.
michelle B
Michelle held a very strong point when she said that we need to focus our energy on the more inportant issuses like the happenings in Iraq and the aftermath of Katrina. Michael Vick does have a problem but that doesnt give us the right to shrug off the important issuse that affect our future such as the war in Iraq, where the candidates for the upcoming elections stand, helping those in need, etc. What Michael Vick did was a senseless act, but that doesnt determine our tomorrows.
Does his wrong doing really deserve this much media coverage?
I love animals and I have had a pet most of my life. I am not suprised that animal rights activists would go to this extreme. I do think that Mike Vick should get the same punishment as the next guy, but animal rights activist are using this case purely for publicity. This case has been in the headlines for days and the "real" news has taken the back seat. I am so ready for this case to be closed, so that we can get past it.
I completely believe that Vick has done something horrible. And yes, there are millions of people that are beaten, raped, abused, etc. everyday and those things are equally (if not more) horrible. However, Vick is in the spotlight and therefore there is much more publicity about the whole dog fighting issue. Honestly, before this whole Vick battle began, when was the last time you heard about dog fighting? Not too often. This case brings to light the severity of the problem. These arenas and people who host these aweful torture rings have not gotten the recognition they deserve. Dog fighting is a real issue (just as many other crimes like rape and battery) that needs to be dealt with head on. Maybe Vick needs his "head served on a platter". Perhaps this will be a time for example on how Americans will not deal with such barbaric behavior.
I have to agree and disagree with you on this. What Vick did was horrifying. Not only did he mutilate innocent lives (the dogs) but he publicly lied about it and to me, it doesn't seem like he is sorry for what he did to those poor animals but sorry that he got caught. Dog fighting is a horrible and useless hobby, for lack of a better term.
I believe the people that are saying Vick should be castrated and fed out of a dog bowl are just talking out of pure anger. I don't think people sincerely feel that way, I just think they are hoping society sees what he did as utterly discusting and see to it that he be punished for his actions.
I do feel he should be fined and serve time in prison. He ultimately murdered innocent lives. The fact that others have committed murder and beat their wives and did not serve as much time as Vick may serve should not matter. If we base prison time on previous circumstances, eventually no one would serve prison time because justice seems to be served the minority of the time anyway.
Im a animal lover but not an animal activist. Still I feel like the act that was commited is disguisting. No matter who does it they need to face the consequences. The fact that he is famous should not play a role. If it had been any regular person it would only be covered for a short period. It seems to have moved away form the issue to persicuiting this man for his fame. Everyone makes bad decisions unfortunately for him he lives under a microscope. As stated the problem is that they are taking focus away from much more important issue that we face today. When a person can get off for murder for being
"insane" but he faces possibly years in jail for this is absolutely ridiculous. Our justice system needs to be reevaluated.
I really don't understand the hype over this particular incident because people hunt animals for sport and not are not viewed in this same light. for instance, Dick Cheaney accidentally killed a hunting buddy while hunting. He was not relieved from his political duties. People hunt and display these animals as decoration and no one says anything. Also some people enjoy watching boxing, thats just as brutal and sometimes fatal, So why should Michael Vick's career be sacrificed for a mistake that was made. People just like to see each other fail to often and the most lucrative things are overlooked and swept away. If any animal is a justifiable sport then they all should be.
I don't understand why there are such laws for dogs, but no laws against killing deer or chicken for that matter,
Why are people getting so angered over dogs dying (who if census did a population count on would probably be 1:2 against humans!!) when there is no such hype over other animals?
I understand he broke the law and so make him pay a fine or do some community service. Vick should not loose a $100 plus million job over it. Think about it, if he’s fired; the falcons do badly which in turn means less sales which causes a negative domino impact on the market, which creates a negative impact on state revenues which then affects you personally!
What do I think . . .
I think that had this been any "normal person" the publicity would not be so high. We do have animal cruelty laws that have to be followed as with any other laws. I myself have two dogs one in which is a pit bull and would be devastated if anything were to happen to either of them. Animals are not humans, but have laws to protect them against people that want to "play" with them this way. Everyone in the world are aware of the laws and know the consquences behind the crimes they do. I think he should be punished, but only to the extreme that anyone else would be. The public is all over this just because of his fame. America does need to get their priorities together as far with other crimes in the world that are happening. But everyone only loves a good talk and with him being a "big shot" why not make him the talk of the month.
First off, dog fighting and/or killing is nowhere near equivalent to a murder of a human. I am a huge animal lover, and yes, I do believe that if you are capable of killing an animal you are not far off from bigger or better things, but the fact of the matter is that we live in a county that you can only be punished if you are proven guilty. He did something horrible, he will be punished, and then once his time is over, people need to forget about it.
Dog fighting was once completely legal and was sanctioned and promoted during the colonial period (1600s through 1776). Dog fighting lasted through the Victorian era in the late 19th century. In the early twentieth century, the brutality in dog fighting was no longer tolerated by American society.
So, dog fighting is not something new. Vic knew what he was doing was illegal. He just did not think he would get caught. Millions are earned each year in this blood sport. Just think, if this were still in the colonial period he would not have even gotten tried in court. [Oh but wait. He would have because during the colonial period he would have been a slave with no rights.]
Yes I think the blood sport is wrong, but the media really should have let up some. This situation goes to show what some Americans focus really was for the past 2 months ‘Michael Vic and Dog Fighting’. That is pretty sad.
Im going to have to agree with clinton and the others, I just don't understand why everybody is making such a fuss over this. There are people killed everyday. Why isn't there wants of the killers' heads on platters everyday, or even want for the killers to experience the same thing they put their victims through?
There is a correlation between people who dogfight and other criminal acts. I'm not saying Michael Vick participated in any other acts, but the ASPCA is involved in many investigations of animal cruelty and they have found that these people typically are involved in other criminal behavior, including abuse. In addition, I don't think Michael Vick should be allowed to play football. He committed a felony and as a sports figure, he should represent the sport in a manner where children are able to look up to him.
I believe that if Michael Vick proves to us that he really is sorry for what he put those dogs through and realizes what he did was wrong, he should be able to have a second chance in the NFL. Being a dog lover and a fan of the Atlanta Falcons, I was shocked when i found out about the dogfighting case but did not really think anything of it. When news broke out that Vick plead guilty to the whole dogfighting ordeal and was suspended from the NFL I was stunned. Honestly, I think he deserves another chance and if serves his time and takes the opportunity to reflect on his sins he should be forgiven. come on.. it's MICHAEL VICK!
Clinton,
Chaney didn't actually kill the guy. He wounded him. You do make a good point about hunters. My husband went hunting with my Mississipi nephews and shot the deer with a CAMERA instead of a gun. They still aren't over it. These sports stars though are examples--like it or not--to young kids. I want them to think about that.
Being a girl with a small dog of my own, causes me to think twice about the situation. Michael Vick, is an amazing athlete, and has enstilled a scence of pride in the Atlanta Falcons fans. Yet, when this fiasco become public, fans were forced to question their loyalty. The sever brutality that several dogs experienced, on his property while under his careful supervision, was something not to be taken lightly.
However, I think that the media and the general public are going to the extreme. Putting his NFL status on the line as well, as possibly recieving the maximum penalty for the crime. I think that they are blowing this a little out of proportion.
People need to keep in mind the facts of what happened, and leave there personal opinions out of it.
What everyone is seeming to forget is that Michael Vick is an icon to young children. That's why he lives underneath a microscope because he chose to do what he does for a living and knew, in advance, that he would be watched closely.
I feel hunting is no where near what dog fighting is. Without hunters hunting animals, deer in particular, the species would be so overpopulated. The deer would be walking on one another, more would be getting hit by cars, and nonetheless; hunters (I like to hope that most of them do, anyway) eat what they shoot, follow the law when they're hunting, and are not by any means causing pain to the animals and watching them suffer for their own selfish entertainment.
Michael Vick's carreer is now in jeopardy, not only because he did what he did, but because he took advantage of how much money he is making and used it torwards fighting dogs. Not a smart career choice, not a smart choice for an icon to make, and not a smart choice for someone to make that knows they are closely watched by everyone. Vick did what he did to himself and he deserves to suffer because of his actions. No one forced him to break the law.
I agree that what Michael did with the dogs was wrong. Do I believe he should go to jail for it NO. To be honest I believe if this was a no name superstar then the media would not pay that much attention. Basically I am tried of the media. They blow everthing out of proportion and we as a people been corporating with them looking at it. Eveyone wants to make a name for them selves. Those animal activist suggesting all these negative things that should happen to Michael. Why ae they not fighting for children who are being stolen from their families and ship to other countries and being sold as sex slaves. What about children that's right her in America being killed in gangs. Children that are hopeless. If your are going to fight for something , fight for something with a real cause. Michael did some thing that was wrong and I believe that every bad thing comes a good. I believe their are two sides to every story.
I see a larger issue than just Vick and dogfighting, but has been made obvious by this case. The issue is, quite simply, that he's a celebrity accused of a crime. It seems to me that recently, there's been a backlash against celebrities accused of just about anything. The mere possibility of the appearance impropriety is enough to send most police departments so far the other way that having 'name recognition' is a major handicap. There have been and certainly still are cases of people using their fame and influence to get out of being caught or get their sentence reduced. With all the major coverage these big trials get, that's getting harder and harder. But people are still weary and quick to believe the worst. I just wonder, how many people, famous and otherwise, have been hounded more and given much stiffer punishments because of the amount of the publicity the defendant gets?
Just because he is Mike Vick and he is getting too much media coverage does not mean he should not go to jail. With all of the factors in place, he still confessed to committing a crime and should still pay for it like any other citizen. The only thing that I'm not fully grasping is the fact that he was very,very well paid, had million dollar contracts, and was basically set to where his kids' kids would have money. In my opinion, he's not a dumb guy. He wouldn't throw all of that away over dog mutilation. I've dealt with the F.B.I. before and knowing how they work, I doubt he really did it. Would he really tarnish his image even further by saying he was not guilty, then saying he was? Could it be possible that he is covering for another person?
I like football and I dont approve of what Vick has done. I think he should be permanitly banned from football and should do at least a year or two in jail so he can learn a lesson. But some of the punishments that people have said he should have to indure are quite ridiculous. People are making a bigger deal of this than the people who rape and murder people on a daily basis. I think it is a major problem that dogs mean more to America then other people. I think our time should be given to more important things than this!
Well, I have to agree with it. There are so many other issues thats going on in America. True it was wrong and he should pay for his actions; but not so steep.
There are child molestors, murders,rapist, etc. just to name a few who go free; or given a pat on the back with probation.
So I feel that the legal/government treat everyone equal, and if one does something, this is the penlty period. Not be soft no matter who they are. For all crimes.
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