You don't have to be a sports fan to know that superstar quarterback Michael Vick has recently been indicted on several felony counts for sponsoring dogfighting. You also don't have to be a sports fan to recognize the gruesome details that are described inside the indictment. All of us are pet owners or have family/friends with pets, and the thought of dogfighting and dog executions is absolutely despicable, but this piece isn't about Michael Vick or his alleged guilt, it is about the rest of us. The blood of these dogs fighting is on more hands than this high profile football player, what about the legions of those people? I am speaking of the ability for our society to assign value to certain lives over others and the way we delegate our prison system for punishment instead of rehabilitation.
I am certain that the federal indictment is going to turn into Michael Vick vs. everyone (including angry fans, pet lovers, general public), which should be okay with Vick because that is how every Atlanta Falcons game I have seen turns out. Vick is the best at ducking, dodging and running his way out of trouble in the pocket, now we are going to see if his legal team can scramble to save the way he does on the football field. If they don't scramble enough he could get sacked, and this time it will be for years not yards!
Lets say he gets convicted. Should he serve time in prison for the punishment of this crime? The prison system carries the name of "correctional facility" as a moniker for the mission of incarcerating convicted criminals. Would sending Michael Vick to prison under this definition help his rehabilitation process as a productive member of society? The fact is that, he is already a productive member of society. He gives to charities and spends his time in children's hospitals in Atlanta. Prison by definition is designed to remove the predators from within the mist, those individuals who cannot function within societal norms. These predators would be murders, rapist, thieves, not just any person convicted of a crime. Why the thirst for the sight of rich young people going to prison, I can see no other reason for our thirst than our jealously! Michael Vick should pay a hefty fine, have some term of probation, and go about his business of playing football.
On the other behalf, people will scream and chant about poor Fido, but in the grand scheme of things this is a victimless crime. How did we as such a 'civilized' society provide a hierarchy for what animals carry more importance than others? What is acceptable animal treatment, and what is excess animal cruelty? How in the world did training a dog to fight become worse than bullfighting? We all know how that story ends... the bull dies. Not only does the bull die, but is humiliated in front of an audience while some guy dressed in frills waves a red sheet and after he tires the bull out he stabs him with sword. I personally cannot contain my excitement when the bull wins! Most will argue that due to cruelty laws bullfighting is not done in the states, that is true, but we do have horse racing. I do not remember ever hearing that the horse had a choice whether he (or she for the phillies) wanted to run in the races. If they don't perform well they can't stud, which is a whole other conversation, they go to the "glue factory". So who is going to argue that it is natural or optional for a horse to run in circles with a 145 pound person on their back while hitting them with a stick?
We need to stop being so stupid as a society! We like watching horses run, and that is why it is legal to bread horses to race. We don't like watching Fido get chomped by the bigger, badder dog across the street and that is why dogfighting is illegal. So lets put away the torches and pitchforks, Michael Vick is not going to kill your Fido!
2 comments:
You know everyone loves dogs, I don't know why you would write these messages in a sarcastic tone. You are so inconsiderate!
1) I do believe this whole Vick thing is being given far too much attention by everyone(ESPN, PETA etc.) but I don't believe it to be because we place too much value on the life of 'Fido'. Its because Vick is Vick, and part of living in the public eye is that everything you do, good or bad, is seen as being the greatest or most horrible thing ever done. Such is media sensationalism. If we placed as much value on the lives of the dogs as we did on human lives, then Vick would be facing the death penalty, not jail time.
2) As for the comparison between dogfighting and how poorly horses are treated in horse racing, there is one very large difference. Dog fighting is illegal. Just because horse racing is bad, does not make dog fighting any better. After reading your comments, maybe horse racing should be illegal as well(or at least the horses should sign a written consent form).
3) Finally, I do agree with you that perhaps instead of a drawn out legal battle that could result in jail time, that maybe Vick should be given a (very large) fine. Along with this, he should be required to spend countless hours doing community service at the animal shelter, and should be forbidden from owning pets in the future. If he is found to have violated any of these conditions of probation, he should be shot (broadcast live on CNN). I also believe that if Vick were to get a fine and community service for this, that should be the standing punishment for this crime. He should not get less of a punishment for being who he is, regardless of how many wonderful things he may have done in the past.
All that said.....good article Lew.
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