Thursday, September 6, 2007
Whoopi Goldberg's comment
If any of you watch The View on abc, then you know what Whoopi said the other day. If you didn't see it or haven't heard, she said that one of the reasons Vick was involved in dogfighting was that it was part of his heritage or southern culuture. I do not in any way agree with this! As southerner myself and part of a family that has been in the south since the American Revolution I find that it is not part of my culture. There is no excuse. No one in my family dog fights. Of course maybe she meant it was part of his upbringing, but nontheless, it doesn' t give him any excuse! To say that he dogfights because of it being southern culture is complete rubbish for it isn't just in the south that you find dogfighting but also the north and the west as well. It is not fair that Whoopi palces Vick's troubles with cultral heritage. What do you think?
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25 comments:
I did hear about her comments. Unfortunately, it has some truth.
I grew up in Duluth and there were a group of boys that lived across from my neighborhood that had family members that were involved in dog fighting. They were always inviting people to come watch. No one that I know did but they didn't think dog fighting was a big deal. Dog fighting is more prominent in the South. I don't agree with Whoopi though, just because something was (or is) apart of your upbringing does not mean its right.
I heard about her comments. I think her comments have alot of truth to it. I'm not originally from the south, but ive had neighbors that have been in the south all their life and they say dog fighting was a common thing in the south. What Michael Vick did was cruelty to animals, but if you are brought up a certain way, then thats the way your most likely gonna act.
I heard about her comments, also. I lived near someone who raised pigeons, but that doesn't mean I think it was part of the Baltimore, MD culture.
I saw the #'s of how many people are involved in dog fighting. It was lower than I expected.
As far as I know, I don't know, now or ever, anyone who has participated in dog fighting.
Whoopi may have been playing devil's advocate. I dunno. I would think she should want to appeal more to mainstream America. Of course I've never watched The View either, so I don't guess I should have an opinion about that.
Alright heres my thing. It may be prominent in the south but it is not part of its culture. It is something that is part of the world. I think she should have said it was part of his upbringing not his culture. They are not one in the same. Culture influences upbringing but it is not it.I hope this makes sense. I personally find it offensive when people say that dog fighting is something of the south because it is not part of my culture. It puts this negative lable on a heritage that I am proudly apart of. His dad may have been involved in dogfighting (i'm not saying he is or ever was)it would have been a major part of vick's life. Again this does not excuse him.
I don’t think she was trying to excuse his behavior. It seems like she was trying to make a generalization. I am not—technically—from the south, but that comment really offended me. What he did was wrong but the courts decide what his punishment will be. Even if she meant that it was apart of his upbringing, that is still distasteful. She speaks as if she grew up in his family. I can’t go for that.
Don't you guys think that we (society) are giving this topic too much energy. Yes, he committed a crime that just so happens to include dogs. He didn't kill a human being or molest a 2 year old neighbor, but these things happen every day. Today police found the burned body of a young female in south Atlanta. Isn't that topic a little more important than the Mike Vick? I am not saying that what he did wasn't wrong. I am just getting tired of Mike Vick's story.
I believe it was a slap in the face to all of us southern people that do not particpate in illegal acts and strive to do things right. The south is a amazing place to live, where a standard of respect and other standards are much higher then anywhere in the nation in my opinion in relation to what she said. The very fact that people try to make excuses for this man(Michael Vick) is unbelieveable to me. Whoopi has a lot of things she wants to put out in the media sector, but next time she needs to slow down and think about what she says before she lets it go verbally. However, thena gain I think they pay her to bring conterversy, yet, it comes across as ignorance to me. She is actually a well educated and bright person but, with making comments like she did this time it is truly hard for anyone to tell. She needs to think then talk; instead of talking then thinking about what she says later. I do not see the fact why individuals because they are black(I am), feel they have to defend Michael Vicks actions. What he did was unlawful and wrong, Period. If you want to defend others that are wrongly accused they have been done wrong of the black race there are many cases I guarantee that you can easily find. However, this is not one of them. Michael Vick obviously did not care about the bigger picture of things, when he was particpating in these acts. he didnt think about the litle kids that looked up to him that wanted to be a quarterback when they grew up, he did not think about how it would look people seeing another african-american individual in a high place tore down due to his actions. Because he truly didnt care enough to think about those things, should help people realize the reality of what he truly cared about:Only Himself. I'm tired of black individuals in media feeling obligated to defend his actions and his wrongs. When their so many others that suffering from worse in our race and they dont blink a eye or even look in that direction. To me it just shows ignorant some individuals truly are, because they think it helps to do what they're doing. Although what they are doing is ultimately hurting more then helping. People need wake up to reality.
Melodi
I agree with you that Whoopi is wrong for blaming the southerns. I believe that he make a stupid decision and now he has to pay for it.
Nathan, couldn't have said it better myself.
I think it is true to some extent that you are what you know.. If you were raised a certain way, no matter in what culture, I'm sure that's what you'll tend to lean to as an adult. Of course anyone can rise above their station in life... But that's not to say you wouldn't be more prone to do something because of the area you came from. I think sadly there is an inkling of truth there.
I happen to agree with Whoopi, a persons upbringing can have a hugh impact or influence over the decesions they make but it does not excuse his actions.
Then why didn't she say upbringing? the whole point of this post was that she said that it was a cultral thing in the south when indeed it is not. Dog fighting is just apart of the rest of the U.S. as it is in the south.
Even if it was apart of his heritage or southern culture there's no excuse if you're endangering the lives of other living things.
How can you blame the man, if he was taught as a child that there was nothing wrong with dog fighting. His father taught him that it was ok, and that it was a sport. How is that any different from a man showing his ten year old how to go out and shoot Bambi between the eyes and drag his head home as a trophy?
good point (hunting is part of southern culture)
How can I blame him? I can blame him because no matter what anyone was taught as a kid-- hurting another live being is wrong. Morally wrong. Not only did he hurt the animals, he LIED about it (which lets us know he Knew It Was Wrong!), and he kept on doing it instead of immediately fixing the situation once he was caught.
I don't watch the view and I didn't know what Whoopi said until just now but I, personally, choose to toss that comment in the dumpster. Just because something is happening more in the South as apose to the North does not mean that it is part of our culture. Dog fighting is illegal in our culture and should always be!
As far as shooting Bambi in between the eyes, you don't shoot them between the eyes, you shoot them in the side. If you shot them in between the eyes, you would have no trophy to bring home because their head would be exploded.
Also, hunters eat the meat they kill. It is being put to good use and it's legal.
Don't misunderstand my comment. I am not saying that what he did was not wrong. What I am trying to say is people are treating him as if he is a serial killer. I don't see any difference in the sport of hunting and dog fighting. It is all wrong.
I'm with you Michelle, I was born and raised right here in the south and there are a lot of things that go on here, but out of nearly 40 years of living here I only know of one person besides Vick that was involved in dog fighting and he was originaly from Kansas....go figure. Putting a label on southerners, as well as giving Vick an excuse is uncalled for. this is the first I've heard about this comment....I knew there was a reason I never watch The View! :)
I also agree with DC about Whoopi playing devil's advocate....talkshow hosts and guests will say anything to get people fired up and watching more tv...I think I'll sit this one out.
Cynthia
I was also raised in the South and I have never been exposed to dog fighting. I did hear about it from time to time but never witnessed it in person. Her comment was irresponsible, Devil's advocate or not. It really makes her seem dumb. To segue a bit, Whoppie has a mission, in my opinion, to get kicked off of The View. Just watch and see what unfolds in the future.
I did not hear her comments, but I agree with Michelle that they were out of line. Yes, a person can be influenced by a specific upbringing, but that person has a choice. I have grown up in Georgia, all my life, and have never even heard of Dog fighting personally until Vicks case came about. Of course because of movies and such I knew what it was, but never have I talked about it, or heard anyone around me talk about it. Several of my friends have Pitts, and never heard them talk about it. I think like with every culture, you have people to do stupid things. In every city, and every state. Pointing out the south is stupid and quite frankly showing that she is obviously oblivious to her surrounding. As a last note, I don’t think that dog fighting is similar to hunting at all. Hunting was passed down as a way of finding a meal for your family; dog fighting has never been used to feed a family. It is only for sport. Hunting now as it has always been, is a way to feed a family. Yes, is it not as necessary as before, but people who hunt do not go out kill animals and let then rot. The "sport" (loosely used) still retrieves the animal and feeds the family.
I too, heard what Whoopi said about the dogfighting as it was on the news following her commentary. She related it to the culture of the "Deep South." The ignorance of thinking that his dogfighting escapades were due to his culture is unacceptable. It would be just as ridiculous for someone to reply to Whoopi that slavery was part of the culture of the south. Just because it occurred, doesn't make it right.
Yes, I agree she is making herself look like an idiot. She is coming off as being a close minded person, to get more viewers or not, she is being stupid.
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