Michael Vick is a record-breaking football player for the Atlantic Falcons who has more rushing yards per game than any other quarterback. He is also the most infamous participant in the Bad Newz Kennels Dog Fighting ring, which had pit bulls fight each other for sport, and treated them with gruesome abuse and torture when not " performing ". Yet Vick has been allowed to return to the NFL and continue to enjoy the limelight, having apparently paid his debt to society.
Certainly Michael Vick has had consequences for what he did-- 23 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of probation, the loss of millions of dollars ( prompting him to file for bankruptcy ), and a permanently tarnished reputation. However, he has been allowed to return to the NFL, and once again receive public adulation despite his horrid animal abuse. Legally, he has faced the appropriate punishment for his crimes. Morally, the fact that he has been able to return to the status of a nationally famous, high-paid celebrity athlete is unfair.
The details of the Bad Newz Kennels dogs' treatment are nothing less than gruesome. In addition to being forced to fight and often kill each other, the dogs were confined in inhumane conditions, and brutally put down if they did not " perform "effectively. This kind of abuse was inflicted upon animals that could have been loving and loyal companions like any other dog. Instead, they became violent monsters because they were treated as violent monsters. Yet even if he grew up in an environment where this was acceptable, Vick was a rational adult human being when he facilitated and participated in the dog fighting ring. It is hard to believe that he was incapable of grasping the immorality of his sport, especially since he covered it up until it was discovered on his property.
Arguments have been made that Vick's redemption has allowed him to make the country aware of dog fighting, and better put a stop to it. It is true that Vick has publicly expressed remorse for his actions. However, it would send just as powerful a message if Vick were banned from reclaiming his privileged old life, showing the rest of the country that this sort of cruelty is not acceptable even when done by the rich and famous. More effective might be to draw further attention to the Vick dogs who have been rehabilitated as beloved helper animals. These creatures were victims of Vick's brutal organization, yet were able to get past that experience and once again become man's best friends. The lessons to be learned from them are more valuable than the crocodile tears of a man whose ball-kicking abilities seem to at least partially exempt him from the stigma he has so thoroughly earned.
|
About the author:
A freelance writer/cartoonist living in LA, with my fiance' and our wonderful cat. You can see my work at www.rubysworldcomic.com and rubynation.smackjeeves.com
more >>
|
See something on the Internet that you'd like us to profile in this column? Anything about pet fashion, technology or interesting is good. Send us an email to editors@yeepet.com or leave a comment below.
Why Yeepet is great for 
