NFL to Sick Vick: What dog thing? Welcome home!
By Gina Spadafori
July 27, 2009
From the L.A. Times Unleashed blog:
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who served a federal prison sentence of nearly two years for dogfighting, has been conditionally reinstated for NFL play by the league’s commissioner, Roger Goodell.
I’d post more, but I need to throw up now. And then take a long, hot shower in hopes of washing off the scum I picked up just from typing that name.
It’s not as if the NFL ever got a lot of my money, but as of now and as long as this dirtbag is eligible — not signed, not playing, but eligible — they’re not getting a dime or an eyeball.
The only thing Michael Vick is sorry for is that he was caught. He’d be dog-fighting this afternoon if he thought he could get away with it. And he never, ever showed any regret about the dogs.
Shame on the HSUS for “laundering” this dirtbag. Does it really pencil out for you, when you look at your donations?
Update (thanks, EmilyS!) from Nathan Winograd:
The most notorious animal abuser of our time was just given what he wanted most by being reinstated in the National Football League. I have to wonder how much he pleaded for mercy and empathy, even as the dogs he abused and killed received none from him. But most of all, I have to wonder how much Michael Vick played up his association with Wayne Pacelle and the Humane Society of the United States in his meetings with the Commissioner and others who held his fate in their hands. How he is now an HSUS spokesman. How the nation’s largest animal protection organization is now in his corner. How they forgave him, so why shouldn’t the NFL?
Michael Vick is Michael Vick, a person who enjoyed seeing animals suffer. We know what he represents, and we know what he cares about.
But the HSUS is the Humane Society of the United States. Shame, Mr. Pacelle. Shame. Even PETA had the sense to back away from this evil man.
Update2: Shame on the ASPCA, too. From their official statement:
“Leaders are challenged to make difficult decisions on a daily basis–often under intense scrutiny and pressure,” said [ASPSA President Ed] Sayres. “Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decisions surrounding the Michael Vick case are no exception. While his decision to reinstate Mr. Vick undoubtedly will be met with cheers by some and derision by others, it is clear that the Commissioner has been particularly thoughtful and has weighed every factor in his deliberations. The ASPCA can only offer him our gratitude for the gravity to which he has lent the issue of animal cruelty, as well as the provisions that the Commissioner has set forth to ensure that Mr. Vick has a positive impact on the NFL and his community.
“Opportunities for redemption are rare—but that is exactly the opportunity that awaits Mr. Vick. We hope that he rises to the occasion and proves worthy of the rare second chance Commissioner Goodell has granted him.”
Nice of them to look out for the animals. “Redemption,” my eye.
http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=1692
what he said
Comment by EmilyS — July 27, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
For both HSUS and Vick - it’s not about needing money; it’s about wanting money and, of course, the power that goes along with having lots of it.
Comment by Janeen — July 27, 2009 @ 2:50 pm
Regime change. Now.
Comment by JenniferJ — July 27, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
it’s all about politics and money - maybe not in that order - the fans may not be so forgiving - as soon as HSUS and the NFL put their fingers to the wind and realize it’s not the popular PC move - they may have to reconsider…..
Comment by mary francis — July 27, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
Gah, cut off.
The NFL has been way too forgiving of athletes with regards to any number bad decisions and episodes of abhorrent behavior, the other major National sports farnchises have pulled some doozies too.
These are very well paid young men. part of being able to participate in their chosen sport and get paid a small fortune at the same time should be a basic code of conduct. Not a decent human being? Out you go.
And HSUS need to show they are for the animals, not the money here. Letting Vick in bed with you for pulicity, AKA $$$, is a filthy thing to do.
Just knock it the hell off. That “decent human being” thing goes for everyone.
Comment by JenniferJ — July 27, 2009 @ 3:00 pm
Do you suppose Jennifer Fearing or emerging media Sarah of HSUS will emerge to comment on this?
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 27, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
I sincerely doubt it is a coincidence that this news dropped AFTER the attendees from their Take Action For Animals conference went home.
The attendees might have wanted to take some action that the HSUS didn’t want.
I figured this was coming, but I still can’t believe any animal-advocacy group would be so utterly tone-deaf or greedy (or both) as to help this sick f&*ck get his job back, making millions playing a game.
Tony Soprano would be proud of the laundering of criminal activity done here.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 27, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
“These are very well paid young men. part of being able to participate in their chosen sport and get paid a small fortune at the same time should be a basic code of conduct. Not a decent human being? Out you go.”
Morally, spiritually, I’m with you. The dormant legal mind in my waves a red flag at this, though. We as a culture have a weird relationship with our celebrities, a large part of which is envy. Strip away the notion of fame and money, and I get back to this: I am terrified of the kind of world wherein my employer would make not just cold, business decisions about my life (bad enough) but could judge my morality in this way.
I believe that what Vick did was evil and horrible. There are people who believe such things about homosexuality. Employment laws and conventions protect all of us, including Vick’s, from people who would impose morality ahead of the culture.
In this kind of situation, the NFL’s shunning him will lag behind the culture; it will be a hallmark of a cultural change that has already occurred in a culture that unequivocally condemns this behavior. We’re not there yet. That’s OUR job. That’s where I agree with Nathan that the HSUS ain’t helpin’ with pushing cultural evolution and are more culpable here than the NFL.
I see a better use for my energies in legal advocacy to increase the penalties for animal cruelty - to get the legal system to adopt a different view of it. Like troopers enforcing school integration, this pulling the country from the front is the job of the law, not the NFL.
Comment by Barbara Saunders — July 27, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Michael Vick will rot in Hell someday. Everyone should stand up and PROTEST about his return to the NFL. Maybe if enough people protest, the NFL will change it’s mind. Please don’t support this human piece of trash. Think of all the suffering he caused.
Comment by D Link — July 27, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
“I believe that what Vick did was evil and horrible. There are people who believe such things about homosexuality. Employment laws and conventions protect all of us, including Vick’s, from people who would impose morality ahead of the culture.”
OK, but what went on here is that the man committed a crime and served time for it. That crime caused intentional pain and suffering to living things, in clear violation of the law.
How would it be innapropriate for the NFL or other organizations or employers to implement a policy of no second chances for individuals who choose to commit certain crimes, say crimes which involve intentional acts of felony cruelty to people or animals, and either plea or are found guilty? Then there is no judgement call to be made based on personal views of morality.
Comment by JenniferJ — July 27, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
NFL can choose to rehire Vick, and HSUS can choose to do whatever it is they are doing.
The rest of us can choose to boycott, condemn and take other actions to highlight the moral degradation exemplified by the NFL and HSUS decisions
Comment by EmilyS — July 27, 2009 @ 4:24 pm
Really I’m not surprised by the NFL - they ‘roid up all their players sacrifice their health…basically they’re making sausage and it gets ugly makin’ sausage….so what’s a few fightin’ dogs…now the HSUS and the Waynes of the world - well that’s a more complicated critter - we’re talking major betrayal here - and about that call for shame…well it’s sad to say but save your breath because they have none….some real sickness going on here with certain so-called animal advocates…worthy of a Russian-type novel I’m afraid - and one day it will be told…meantime Nathan Winograd is sure giving it his all..
Comment by mary francis — July 27, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
I say let the sick f&*ck get a high paying job. Then take most of his pay away to…
1 - support every dog (for life) that got out of his kennel alive.
2 - pay the gov’t back for the money spent on housing, feeding, and clothing his sorry ass while he was in prison.
3 - take care of other slimeball sick f&*cks who do the same thing to dogs.
Yea, I know…none of this will never happy but it seems appropriate.
Gina, hope you don’t mind me using your “sick f&*ck” term but it just fits so well!
Comment by Therese — July 27, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
I think what he did was heinous, and I would never want any dog to go through what dogs used in dog fighting do. Because of that, I think this has potential to be a good thing - I think it’s best said from Wayne himself in his blog.
“When Michael Vick asked to help, I was as skeptical as anyone. And then I put my strategist hat on, and tried to imagine what a guy like Vick could do to help us combat the problem. We used his case to strengthen the laws in America, and now we can use his celebrity and the story of his fall as a parable to reach kids in the cities who will pay attention to him.”
As much as I can’t stand it, the fact is there are going to be people out there, who think Vick didn’t even deserve a prison sentence. THOSE are the people who we need to reach, and showing them photos and prison sentences only goes so far.
But what convinced me personally was seeing the positive effect of one the HSUS outreach programs. It’s called the “Pit Bull Training Team” in Chicago, and involves working with ex-dogfighters, who are now ambassadors for The HSUS and show at-risk youth that change is possible. It actually works, and more and more inner city youth are changing their ways. Hopefully, Vick will be able to accomplish the same thing, as he is able to reach a larger audience. If you’d like to see the blog entry from which I quote Wayne, click on my name and it will link you to it.
Comment by Sarah@HSUS — July 27, 2009 @ 5:16 pm
Really no surprise that NFL has sick vick re-instated. HSUS is another matter, although not a surprise either..
Do not we remember how they(HSUS) tried to cash in when the case first broke and sneakily attempted to drum up donations for the Vick dogs? While at the same recommending to have all the dogs destroyed? Many , myself included , stopped donations to the HSUS at that point.
Having sick vick as a spokesman for the HSUS , I predict, will rather back fire. And not result in positive $$$, rather negative $$$.
Kind of similar of having a convicted child molester/murderer as a spokesman for the Klaaskids foundation.
Totally bizarre.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
Kind of similar of having a convicted child molester/murderer as a spokesman for the Klaaskids foundation.
Totally bizarre.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009
Well, if he served his time … I’m sure Mark Klaas would WELCOME him as a good example to others … not.
It’s not up to the A to pat the NFL commish for his “leadership.” What crap.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 27, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
Sarah, if HSUS and Wayne had been long term advocates for the victims of dog fights, the dogs, then saying that this COULD somehow be a good thing might carry more weight.
But you know, in light of years of “kill all fighting bred or used dogs even puppies” type stuff, and the tremendous damage and devaluation that message has done to pit bulls everywhere, HSUS has a looooong way to go to make a controversial decision like this feel like anything more than publicity on your organization’s part and career laundering on Vick’s.
The stripes to say “this will help” and have it sound sincere or believable have not been earned in this case. Successful grass roots outreach programs to help stop dog fighting, help the dogs and people and educate the public do NOT need sociopathic animal abuser.
Comment by JenniferJ — July 27, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
I’ll try to shorten this. Item in sports page from the AP. Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills) wants NFL to reinstate vick. Says any extension of his suspension would be similiar to kicking a dead horse. Thinks it’s “unfair”. Owens lobbied to have more of league’s high-profile players voicing opinion in support of vick and asked NFL Players Assoc to become more involved. Owens says, “I think he’s done the time for what he’s done. I don’t think it’s really fair for him to be suspended four more games”. “The guy’s already suffered so much and to add a four game suspension on a two year prison sentence that’s ridiculous”. There’s more, but it makes me more than sick and I don’t want to sicken the Pet Connection bloggers any further, either.
Comment by VJ — July 27, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
I saw that. “Kicking a dead horse” is an interesting word choice, don’t you think?
Pox on all their houses.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 27, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
This is disgusting and vile. I deplore the public statements and actions of HSUS and ASPCA. Let the NFL and Vick’s fans and laywers and managers worry about his “redemption.” Animal welfare organizations should be the voice of the DOGS who he brutally killed and tortured, and for whose suffering he has NEVER EXPRESSED ONE WORD OF REMORSE.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 27, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
No offense Sarah (well, not much), but Pacelle’s statement here “And then I put my strategist hat on, and tried to imagine what a guy like Vick could do to help us combat the problem.” translates to me as he put his $$$ hat on and tried to imagine how he could make money of Vick’s notoriety.
I am not surprised but am still sickened. I think Tim Racer said it best when he asked the question, “what the hell does it take to get kicked out of the NFL????”
Comment by Becky — July 27, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
Sarah@HSUS, I’ve yet to see any story on Vick that indicated he felt any sincere remorse for his actions, or, for that matter, any interest whatever in what’s happened to the dogs. I have, however, run across quotes from him to the effect that other have done worse and got less.
Yeah, that really gives me confidence, it does.
As far as I can see, Vick and the HSUS are scratching one another’s backs for venal profit. And with Gina, I think: a pox on all of their houses.
Comment by Eucritta — July 27, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
Best Friends puts out a statement that says … what?
If you can figure it out, let us know.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 27, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
Umm, basically no comment but in other news…..?
Comment by JenniferJ — July 27, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Wayne’s strategic hat. No way, rather a strategic dunce cap.The only way they will make some money off this is if sick vick pays them.
All HSUS members care about animal welfare, some are NFL watchers/aficionados. We will never forget nor forgive sick vick.
Fervent NFL fans are not all animal welfare advocates, many will forget or forgive vick sick cruel criminal behavior.
Two quite different homogeneous groups of people.
Hopefully this last strategic caper will be Wayne’s swan song at HSUS.
IMO, Wayne hosed up big time PR wise.
Time will tell.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Wow, very neutral statement from Best Friends.
HSUS antics are completely ignored. I do see nothing wrong with statement however, just the facts, no insertion of their personal opinion.
They do emphasize the fact that their mission also consists of improving the public opinion of pit bulls/pit bull lookalike dogs.
Something the HSUS never did. Their credo is exterminate, exterminate like the Daleks on Dr. No. In a backwards way like Vick himself.
If Wayne/HSUS has any balls, they should publicly acknowledge the fact that many of vicks dogs were rehabilitated eventhough they publicly stated it could not be done.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
Oops. Dr No =Dr Who.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
OK, I never thought I’d see the day I see Daleks mentioned on a pet blog.
For the record and before anyone asks: Tom Baker, of course.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 27, 2009 @ 8:17 pm
While Sarah has relayed her thoughts and pointed you all to Wayne’s I wanted to share mine as well.
Some of you in this forum know me well enough to know I don’t always tow the party line; that like many people in their workplaces, I don’t find myself in total agreement with every position my organization takes. Rather than condemn, I work to make change.
This isn’t one of those times.
I’m 100% behind HSUS’ decision to give Vick an opportunity (that’s all he’s getting) to reach those who may not be reachable by those on this forum (who I imagine are mostly like me: white, educated, middle-upper class women).
Vick told Wayne that his life in dog-fighting began when he was eight years old. Eight years old. While my family was dropping me off at swim lessons and taking me to Sunday school, Michael Vick’s was showing him how to torture dogs.
His culture, clearly, from a very young age was one of violence, desensitization, and cruelty.
While Vick surely had ample opportunity as an adult to realize that this culture was out of step with mainstream America’s view, he didn’t. And we all know plenty of people in our own lives whose childhood exposures have been difficult, if not impossible, to shake as adults. We hold them accountable for their actions, but some part of us (I hope) understands and empathizes with how they ended up on such a terrible road.
To my mind, part of creating and living in a truly Humane Society is not throwing human beings away. Even those whose actions we abhor. Even those who have not shown a previous ability to act civilly.
Many of us at one time viewed or treated animals (or people) in a way we no longer do. I used to eat animals; I don’t anymore. I used to blame “irresponsible pet owners” for all the deaths at animal shelters; I now believe in the possibility of avoiding most of those deaths.
The vast majority of the suffering endured by animals in our society is legal — factory farming, invasive animal research, puppy mills, seal hunting, and on and on. Only a small fraction of our exploitations and infliction of cruelty on those over whom we have complete power have been outlawed. There is much more to be done.
If you don’t like that Vick was only put away for 2 years, then press for longer sentences. Step away from the comfort of your living room, the pulpit of your laptop, and do something about it. It’s only thanks to the diligent work of The Humane Society of the United States (long before I got there) that there were even laws to put him away for that long.
In my humane society, when the law has meted out its punishment (which presumably is the punishment that society writ large has deemed appropriate), then we recognize that none of us is bettered by condemning people forever.
In my humane society, we give people incentive to mend their ways and find their way back to contributing productively if for no other reason than to avoid paying again the price of their cruel behavior and incarceration.
In my humane society, we give people the chance to redeem themselves. They may fail. And if they do, then they cast their own lot and damn themselves.
If Michael Vick is cast aside, he does nothing more, contributes nothing to ameliorate the vile culture he once celebrated and promoted.
All he’s been given is a chance. The rest is up to him. And I, for one, hope Michael Vick proves you all wrong. And not because it would validate HSUS. But because it might mean a better chance that my humane society will see the end of horror dogfighting during my lifetime.
Comment by Jennifer Fearing — July 27, 2009 @ 8:29 pm
Patrick Troughton!
Comment by Eucritta — July 27, 2009 @ 8:30 pm
Step away from the comfort of your living room, the pulpit of your laptop, and do something about it.
This severely arthritic tri-racial woman, who was raised in artistic poverty among the 50s and 60s counter-culture of parents who were originally working-class, would like to be able to do that again. Unfortunately, today she can barely walk across her own house, and the laptop pulpit will have to do.
Jennifer, your post would’ve been fine without the patronization.
Comment by Eucritta — July 27, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Where’s his remorse? All I see is him grabbing at a chance to save his own a$$.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 27, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
Ha, nice to be first.
However, you have to admit that Pacelle’s stance on pit bull terriers or other similar doggies is very akin to the Dalek’s stance on none Daleks. EXTERMINATE, EXTERMINATE!!! Just sickening.
Not a fan a Mr. Pacelle.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009 @ 8:51 pm
Well, JenniferF: do you have any inside information that Vick actually understands his crime? Which is NOT dogfighting (few of the surviving dogs were fighters). The crime is his vicious, sociopathic cruelty to the dogs.. have you read the reports on how he drowned/electrocuted dogs, laughing all the time? Has Wayne assured you that Vick has indeed told him that he understands his own crimes and regrets them? Certainly no one here, or in the public, has heard such statements.
In what possible way could he be a spokesman against cruelty if he doesn’t understand that cruelty is a crime? Is it enough for HSUS that he stand up and mouth the words “dont fight dogs: look what happened to me”? (which will be “not much” if he gets to have his football career back).
I just don’t believe you that HSUS wants to end dogfighting. HSUS has been PROMOTING dogfighting for 30 years. It has introduced more people to dogfighting than any actual “dogman”, and disseminated more exploitative sensationalistic video footage and literature to teach people how to fight dogs than the likes of Bob Stevens (whom they want to jail), while promoting the disgusting message about “killing them for kindness”. Which despite the so called new policy, is STILL the message coming from Wayne himself, since he has proclaimed that most of the latest bust dogs will have to be killed.
And most of those dogs too are NOT (the evidence so far suggests) victims of “dogfighting”. Some appear to be victims of various kinds of abuse, for which the owners should be prosecuted. IF found guilty. Possibly many will NOT be found guilty. PROBABLY.. because HSUS’ record in these high profile busts isn’t exactly sterling. Can you say the name “Floyd Boudreaux”? Of course, HSUS didn’t really care whether some old man who was a famous dogfighter a generation ago went to jail. They got to see his dogs killed, which is really their aim. And raise lots of money on the deaths of those dogs.
HSUS wants to do away with dogfighting? NONSENSE. It LIVES off of dogfighting. Dogfighting pays your salary.
So yes Gina, despite my previous denials, I do now proclaim “I hate HSUS.”
Comment by EmilyS — July 27, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
Jennifer, I know your views on this and we will have to agree to disagree.
I understand why Michael Vick is trying to get his job back, and I understand why the NFL wants him back. They’re representing their interests.
But I have a real problem with the HSUS helping to make it possible. That opinion is not going to change.
Bringing him back wouldn’t have even been tried had he not been a star. The NCAA and the NFL chew up and spit out a lot of young athletes and no one says a damn thing about it. These men become injured and then lose their scholarships or their pro contracts and go back to situations just as bad as the one that produced Michael Vick.
He was not an 8-year-old. He was a grown man, and he knew what he was doing was illegal, even if he still doesn’t get that it’s wrong. He’s only reading from the scripts now given to those who will make money off his “redemption.”
This one professional athlete gets the help the others don’t only because he can mint money for himself, his agents, his attorneys, his publicists and his employers.
I’m not buying the regret or the redemption, and the HSUS shouldn’t have, either.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 27, 2009 @ 8:58 pm
Would Homeland security hire a convicted terrorist?
Should a convicted pedophile work in a day care center?
Should a convicted animal torturer be a voice for animals?
As far as I am concerned Vick can play football but it is absurd to give him a voice for animals.
The only objective is to make him more acceptable in the NFL. It has nothing to do with animal welfare. Just a vehicle to repair his forever tarnished reputation.
Anybody who believes different, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell.
Comment by serijna — July 27, 2009 @ 9:13 pm
I don’t want to see animal welfare organizations defending a man who tortured and killed dogs. Let someone else defend him. If the big, wealthy, powerful, media-quoted humane orgs won’t speak out for the dogs, who will?
The NFL?
Certainly I’ve seen more compassion for the Vick dogs and belief in their redemption from Sports Illustrated than I’ve seen from the big animal welfare organizations. I’m bitterly disappointed and completely disgusted. I will never understand this in a thousand years.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 27, 2009 @ 9:41 pm
All good points Christie, but remember, they’re ONLY pit bulls.
They’re barely dogs.
Comment by Donna — July 27, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
I don’t do this very much, but all I have to say is —
What serijna just said.
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 27, 2009 @ 11:59 pm
JenniferF:
I may be a middle-aged white woman, but I spend my days teaching agriculture to adjudicated youth which is mostly code for “African-American male teenagers who had childhoods you wouldn’t believe, have acted out against society and we adults are actively trying to hep them put their lives back together again.”
These youth don’t need a celebrity who breezes in and out of their lives — they need regular (preferably long-term) interaction with caring adults that both show them another way of life and give them immediate consequences when they stray. They need RELATIONSHIPS — with people, with animals and with plants and they need help learning to nuture those relationships because they didn’t get that as children and there’s real good chance they aren’t getting a lot of it right now as teenagers.
If HSUS really cares about laying the groundwork for wounded children/youth who might drift or actively run to dogfighting and show them that there is another way to interact/raise pit bills, then I suggest after-school sessions with trained adults and a range of pibbles. Even a 3 month, every Saturday or Sundy camp — allowing the kids to interact with and learn how to train pibbles would be helpful.
Michael Vick breezing in and out for less than 2 hours at the local rec center? Don’t kid yourself that you’re doing any lasting good at all.
Comment by Dorene — July 28, 2009 @ 2:55 am
“It’s only thanks to the diligent work of The Humane Society of the United States (long before I got there) that there were even laws to put him away for that long.”
Jennifer F., comment #29.
Hmmmm.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) was founded in in 1824 in the UK.
The ASPCA was founded in New York in 1866.
The HSUS was founded in 1954.
Yep, thank goodness we have the HSUS, or else we’d live in chaos, because of course, those other, older societies did NOTHING to change the public’s view on what was acceptable treatment of animals.
And the HSUS wonders why it is being criticized? Maybe if it stopped the self-promotion, and actually worked for the animals….
Comment by K. B. — July 28, 2009 @ 3:30 am
“You can judge a man’s true character by the way he treats his fellow animals - Paul McCartney”
Comment by Carol V — July 28, 2009 @ 5:11 am
Cut the guy a little slack — he’s been convicted and done his time according to the judge. He’s literaly lost everything and there is only two ways he knows how to make money.
Maybe if we let him make money the legal way, he’ll show he’s learned his lesson.
Comment by Kathleen — July 28, 2009 @ 5:27 am
Who would’ve thought real life was like high school? If you play football well, you can do whatever you want!
Comment by retrieverman — July 28, 2009 @ 5:36 am
A bunch of these anti-social freaks have videos on youtube, bragging about bloodlines and “great breeders” and “conditioners.”
Just search youtube for them. Look for names like “Don Mayfield” and the infamous “Floyd Boudreaux.”
If you check out the comments on these videos, they seem to attract anti-social people who 1. either like dog-fighing and will give you religious reasons for doing so or 2. people who hate pit bulls and also aren’t afraid to show they are bigots against people of other races.
These people talk about dog fighting the way I write about working retrievers, even going in depth with pedigrees and dogs of yore. They seem to know dogs, but it’s a shame that they’ve used that knowledge for evil activities.
Comment by retrieverman — July 28, 2009 @ 5:54 am
I hate these Michael Vick apologists! Really loathe them. Who cares about giving this piece of crap another chance?
There are thousands of athletes who would jump at the chance he had and manage to not run afoul of the law. Its incomprehensible.
Comment by Sheyna — July 28, 2009 @ 5:55 am
The only reason I would watch Vick play football again would be if he wasn’t allowed to wear a helmet or pads.
I love football, but I’ll be boycotting entirely this season. No tickets, no gear, no TV ratings.
Comment by Original Lori — July 28, 2009 @ 6:06 am
Comment by Kathleen — July 28, 2009 @ 5:27 am
He’s literaly lost everything and there is only two ways he knows how to make money.
Um - you’ve just described the situation that somewhere under 10% (what IS the current unemployment rate, anyway?) of the population of the United States is facing right now. Lots of them are having to look at working to expand their skillsets if they want to find employment.
What makes him so special?
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 28, 2009 @ 6:06 am
For the record and before anyone asks: Tom Baker, of course.
You are a woman of taste, judgment, and discernment, Gina.
While Vick surely had ample opportunity as an adult to realize that this culture was out of step with mainstream America’s view, he didn’t. And we all know plenty of people in our own lives whose childhood exposures have been difficult, if not impossible, to shake as adults. We hold them accountable for their actions, but some part of us (I hope) understands and empathizes with how they ended up on such a terrible road.
He hasn’t realized he’s out of step with mainstream American culture because, from a fairly young and impressionable age, he’s been given wealth, fame, and adulation.
And even when he was revealed as a dog torturer—not just a dog fighter, but someone who tortured dogs in ways that in no way contributed to the effectiveness and success of his dog fighting—quite a few in the NFL and the general public and in the media rushed to his defense, with your “culture” defense and claims that he was only being prosecuted because he’s black.
And now he’s out of prison, and the NFL is eager to welcome him back Terrel Owens says an additional four-game suspension is unfair, and the HSUS is eagerly doing its bit to whitewash him.
To my mind, part of creating and living in a truly Humane Society is not throwing human beings away. Even those whose actions we abhor. Even those who have not shown a previous ability to act civilly.
Is he showing any desire to learn to act civilly now? Has he shown any remorse at all? Any concern about the fate of the dogs who were rescued from him—and which the HSUS wanted to inflict the death penalty on, for the crime of being the victims of a dog fighter?
Many of us at one time viewed or treated animals (or people) in a way we no longer do. I used to eat animals; I don’t anymore. I used to blame “irresponsible pet owners” for all the deaths at animal shelters; I now believe in the possibility of avoiding most of those deaths.
I eat meat. I happily endorse your choice not to, but no, sorry, I don’t believe your choice not to gives you any special moral standing.
The HSUS, which advocated the death penalty for all the Vick dogs, which within the past few months advocated the death penalty for every single dog seized from a dog fighter, including puppies not yet born at the time of the seizure, as absolutely irredeemably dangerous, does not have the moral standing to tell the rest of us we’re being too harsh in condemning Vick and his readmission to the NFL and his hit-and-run HSUS “education” program on dog fighting.
Comment by Lis — July 28, 2009 @ 6:12 am
Gina: I’m with you. I have to go throw up now.
‘nuff said……..:-(
Comment by JanC — July 28, 2009 @ 6:19 am
As an animal lover and avid football fan, I am dissappointed with the NFL for reinstating Vick. I’m even more dissappointed that the HSUS is resorting to an old page in the PETA playbook to conjure up as much publicity as possible for shear media attention. I believe this type of publicity stunt does more harm for the cause than good.
Although they reinstated him, he is not guaranteed to play in the NFL again. One of the 32 teams have to hire him. I would highly recommend those inclined to write their local team’s owner to let them know your feelings. To add extra pressure, write the team’s local sponsors and express your concerns. My gut feeling is there are only going to be 3-4 teams remotely interested (Cincinnatti,Dallas, Oakland and Minnesota).
Comment by Jason Merrihew — July 28, 2009 @ 6:50 am
I find the argument that he’s getting this treatment because he’s black to be insulting in the extreme. Does anyone here really think we’d have viewed, say, Ben Roethlisberger any differently?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 28, 2009 @ 6:50 am
It would break my heart if it were Tom T/e/r/r/i/f/i/c/ Brady, but it wouldn’t make me think or feel differently about it.
Comment by Lis — July 28, 2009 @ 7:14 am
{headdesk} So a white quarterback who did this wouldn’t be so despised?! Really?! The feds would have perhaps looked the other way?! really?!
I’m ‘happy’ to say three of my teams (bi coastal fan here!) have already just said no to Vick. Raider’s will be hearing from me. The Bills and the Players rep will also be hearing from me re Owens and any other high profile attempt to help Vick get on the field sooner.
Comment by straybaby — July 28, 2009 @ 7:27 am
From what I’ve been hearing through the grapevine, if the NFL refused to reinstate felons they wouldn’t have many player left.
If they listened to the outcry and took away Vick’s eligibility..would they have to do for Plaxico Burress et al?
Sad.
Comment by Original Lori — July 28, 2009 @ 7:50 am
When I read this I alternate between wanting to cry and wanting to throw up. What is wrong with our society when money means more than precious lives? And to excuse something so BARBARIC and SICK?
Since people at the NFL and HSUS obviously have no conscience or morals, the only way to reach them is with OUR money. That means WITHHOLDING our support from them until they do what is right, and TELLING them why we are doing it.
Comment by No Kill Houston — July 28, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
PETA, HSUS, ASPCA,are all politicians disguised as animal lovers. They prey on the sensitive souls of animal lovers when they need money and proceed to murder cats and dogs, and “get in bed” with cat and dog murderers after they got what they wanted out of us.
Comment by Matt — July 28, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
Here’s a Sports Illustrated opinion piece dated July 20 coming out AGAINST letting him back into the NFL:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....7/20/vick/
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 28, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
I blogged about it regarding out Vick dog.
http://packrescue.blogspot.com.....html#links
Comment by Our Pack — July 28, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
“His culture, clearly, from a very young age was one of violence, desensitization, and cruelty. “
As a black dog lover I find this offensive in the extreme. What Vick did was evil pure and simple.
Comment by AmandaS — July 28, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....nntelnaes/
well said.
Comment by Anne T — July 29, 2009 @ 5:42 am
For those of you who think this is about race, most of the people who get caught dog-fighting where I live are pasty white men with sunburned necks and mullets(rednecks).
And they’re just as disgusting as Michael Vick.
Comment by retrieverman — July 29, 2009 @ 5:59 am
NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” is on with a sportswriter defending Vick’s reinstatement. Among his arguments:
1) The Vick is working with the HSUS, and so is committed to change. (Nice job on the laundering, HSUS!)
2) Sarah Palin hunted wolves. Michael Vick killed dogs. What’s the difference?
This is why I have come to loathe big-money sports and the coverage of same.
“The man paid; it’s time to play,” he says, twice.
The dogs paid, dude. The rest of it is just showing the money.
Oh, but hey … it’s not like he hurt any people.
As I wrote before:
Michael Vick is going to try to get back in the game and the money, and his attorneys, agents, PR people and so on will support that. That’s his job, and theirs.
The NFL wants Vick back to make them money, and so they support that. That’s their job.
The piece that makes all the money-making possible?
The HSUS.
And laundering this dirtbag should NOT be their job.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 29, 2009 @ 11:53 am
I was just up in the lab where I get lousy radio reception and so normally listen to MPR via streaming media. For some reason today it wouldn’t stream, so I had to do my testing in silence.
Probably just as well - if I’d had to listen to THAT while I was working, I probably would have ruined all my samples!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 29, 2009 @ 11:59 am
the HSUS is now not just laundering - HSUS is now a big player in this tragedy - in my way of thinking they are worse in different ways because caring people who donate to the HSUS depend on the HSUS to be a major force of change in lessening animal misery - the betrayal HSUS is committing to their members is huge - and as for the betrayal to the animals…well maybe there is some justice on some other level in the universe….but for today I feel sadness for those pit bulls killed and abused…but I also sincerely appreciate this forum to write my opinion with others…
Comment by mary francis — July 29, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
Bad Rap has a “semi-official” list of NFL teams that have said no to Vick:
http://badrap-blog.blogspot.co.....e-fun.html
Where are my Patriots???
Comment by Original Lori — July 29, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
Vick uses HSUS to get reinstated, suckering Pacelle and Goodel into believing he’s changed.
HSUS uses Vick to raise even more money off the backs of dead and abused dogs, suckering the goodhearted into believing they actually care about dogs.
I can’t decide which to hate more. I think hate is a GOOD thing sometimes.
Comment by EmilyS — July 29, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
The NFL doesn’t give a damn if he’s changed or not, as long as they can be reasonably sure he’ll give them more money than grief in the future.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 29, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
The NFL is a for profit org. Nuf said. Since Vick was not convicted of gambling, it was a given that they would take him back. However, they do have some standards, you do not see Vick’s equally no good brother Marcus in the NFL although he was talented too.
HSUS, quite another matter. I just wonder if they are being paid by Vick’s PR people for this gig. HSUS will do anything(lie,cheat etc)to get their mittens on some serious money.
On the bright side, Vick is on fed. probation for three years. If caught with any drugs in his system, it will be back to the pokey. And back in front of that wonderful judge Henry Hudson, my hero.
Comment by serijna — July 29, 2009 @ 2:19 pm
I don’t ever think hate is a good thing, Emily. It tends to hurt the hater more than the hated, and it stops us all from sitting down with the people with whom we disagree, finding commmonalities and working for change.
Which is not to say you must negotiate with everyone. There are some people who are beyond the pale.
But blind hate doesn’t allow you to see the difference between the fixable and the hopeless.
The HSUS may be fixable. Michael Vick and the NFL are hopeless.
I’m just very sorry that ANY animal advocacy group saw fit to help Vick and the NFL.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 29, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
Gina, I agree.
No animal welfare group should be instrumental in any way, shape or form to aid Michael Vick. He should be old fashioned shunned. I view the HSUS actions as a big betrayal to their members and the animals they are suppose to represent. They will never ever get a dime out of me. My financial aid will go to my local grass root animal welfare groups.
I do not hate Michael Vick(rather I despise him) nor the NFL. I do hate the HSUS for this latest betrayal.
Comment by serijna — July 29, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
well Gina, you know I disagree about that. I don’t think hate does blind me. It just prevents me from “forgiving” those who have not asked for, and don’t deserve, forgiving. As for motive: HSUS is also about profit, and they are not fixable.
Comment by EmilyS — July 29, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
Me too Serijna - my money, time and efforts have been going locally for a while now - it’s odd yesterday I received a calendar or something in the mail from HSUS - last donation I ever sent them was a hundred dollars for the Katrina efforts - no more ever from me that’s for sure. As for hate, that’s a tricky one - BUT people are entitled and justified to feel a deep anger when they are betrayed - even Jesus got down right pissed off when the money changers? were conducting business in his Father’s temple….dogs and cats are loved by many, they’re family members (mine are for sure)….maybe HSUS is oblivious to the anger they are generating or maybe they’re perverse enough to like it…..
Comment by mary francis — July 29, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
There is one way- and ONLY one way-to put the bite on Dogman-Vick if some 10th century backwoods sports-team decides to sell it’s soul for his talents.
Go for the advertisers.
All the emotional protestations are a waste of time and energy..the teams don’t care.
If EVERYONE who does care about this inhuman travesty would write to the advertisers and simply say ‘As long as this man plays football,I,my family and my friends will not be buying your product’, Mr. Vick-timizer
would be forced to leave the building.
Why do you think the teams that have turned him down so far have done so?
Because they care about pit-bulls?
Nah…
Because they care about their ADVERTISERS.
When was it ever not about money?
If you can take five minutes to comment here, you can take five minutes and comment where it will matter.
And for all you bring-back-Vick-sters out there, would you put the bank robber who has ‘paid his debt to society’ back to work at the bank?
Or the arsonist back to work at the Fire Dept?
Or the pedophile back to work at the pre-school?
Comment by Terry — July 30, 2009 @ 9:30 am
Many NFL teams would sign on Vick in a NY minute if they could be sure it would improve their bottom line(except for the Falcons).
This nasty anticipated sponsor pull out thingy will keep them on the fence.
Sponsors do sell stuff to many Americans including none NFL fans. Sponsors would not want to take a chance(high probability) on a boycott for their products in today’s economy.
Vick might have a chance with a team on the verge of bankruptcy.
In the final analysis , it is all about money and positive PR.
Absolutely nothing to do with sympathy for the dogs except for the backlash of John Q Public.
Comment by serijna — July 30, 2009 @ 11:41 am
We are all animal activists everyday that we make a purchase. We vote daily with our credit cards and we can demonstrate with our dollars. Money withheld from advertisers and a boycott of products is something corporations understand.
Comment by mary francis — July 30, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
Can someone please please explain to me what all this HSUS bashing is about?
Do you understand that by doing so you are aligning yourselves with some of the worst
neo-con Neanderthal twits on the planet?
Does anyone actually work in rescue?
Within 50 miles of me are HUNDREDS of homeless Pits who have never bitten anything but a biscuit or attacked anything but a rubber duck and who are weeks..or days..from execution.
Every day on Craigslist there are true angels literally begging people to save these and countless others sitting in kill shelters in Deliverance country.
These highly adoptable dogs are dying while
everybody is demanding thousands of (someone’s) dollars and untold hours of (someone’s) work in order to rehabilitate..possibly..these horribly damaged Pits-in-the-News.
Some Yob is no doubt going to claim that I am ‘for’ killing fighting dogs.
Knuckleheads are everywhere.
What I am ‘for’ is saving as many animals as possible given the unconscionable lack of
resources and safe shelters and ADOPTERS’.
The Devil leaves his work behind..and for us that means making very very difficult heartbreaking choices..
WE CANNOT SAVE THEM ALL.
Therefore common sense, something very much lacking in the animal rights movement, will
tell us that we may have to abandon one to save 20.
And all pray very very hard for the time when these choices will not need to be made.
Floyd Boudreaux, by the way, was acquitted of all charges.
No doubt the HSUS knew this would happen as this piss-ant Godfather dog(man?) lives, breeds his fighters,and enjoys his dogfights very much in the shadows, completely protected by his nit-wit wanna-be acolytes..
Yes, his dogs were euthanized.
Had they not been, Mr. Boudreaux and his son and every Billy-Bob in the county would have been back in the ‘game’ the day these two walked out of the courthouse.
Breeding more fighters, conducting more fights, laughing their sorry asses off.
At the Hsus, and at us.
The Humane Society is a huge organization..
Like all huge organizations, some of what they say or do is not going to be agreeable to us.
Demanding otherwise is-and always will be- the province of small children.
Comment by Terry — July 30, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
Terry: You only want to save the “good” pits? I say, save them all. We have the resources to do it. All that’s lacking is the will, because of the very attitude you express here.
And it’s particularly off target since the main “savers” of fighting dogs work to save all dogs of the bully breeds, not just those from fighting backgrounds, and of course, another one, Best Friends, is dedicated to ending the killing of ALL animals, not just bust dogs.
Let me tell you what is the province of small children: marching in here and stamping your foot that people are expressing their anger at the actions of an institution. That we are holding them to account for what they say and do. That’s life, Terry. Only little children don’t get that.
Did you even read what you wrote? You’re doing to this community what you say we’re doing to poor, helpless little HSUS — who, by the way, can take care of themselves.
Last, do you not get the power, the sheer POWER, of rehabbing these dogs you say are so damaged? It inspires people, it gives them confidence to adopt the “safe” pit at the local shelter or rescue group, it makes it harder and harder for animal control agencies, shelters, and others handling these dogs to say “they can’t be saved or rehabbed,” because now they know they can. It makes average people feel empathy for all pit bulls, and realize they’re not killing machines, they’re DOGS.
Sometimes you have to save one to save a thousand. Any pit bull rescue group that would sacrifice the power of that would be stark raving insane. Go read the Sports Illustrated cover story on the Vick dogs, then come back and tell me saving those few hasn’t changed the lives of many.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 5:36 pm
And I’ll say it again….
‘Some Yob is no doubt going to claim that I am ‘for’ killing fighting dogs.’
Knuckleheads are everywhere.’
Comment by Terry — July 30, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
So you say things like, “WE CAN’T SAVE THEM ALL,” and suggest instead we concentrate on dogs who have “never bitten anything more than a biscuit,” and then people think you’re against saving the lives of fighting dogs.
Go figure.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
Terry,
The HSUS is a huge organization. Hopefully not for long.
Besides many other shady despicable things over the years like drumming up donations under false pretenses, the ultimate betrayal is parading Sick Vick as a voice for animals.
I do work in animal rescue, mainly involved in “free” TNR for feral/stray cats. This year , we had to stop FelV/FIV testing on feral cats due to the cost($5.00 per cat) in order to do more TNR’s.
What does the HSUS do with all their millions of mullah anyway. No smaller animal welfare group ever gets any $$ from them. At least not the ones I am familiar with.
Guess it all goes to their salaries of multiple 100K’s , their lobbyists and advertising cost for more donations.
The journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step. My journey is directed towards the HSUS and their shrinkage in size/hopefully demise, one step at a time.
Warning, do not ever select an automatic monthly donation to HSUS. Unless you change your credit card number and/or bank account, they will not stop it, no matter how many calls, Emails or registered letters.
Comment by serijna — July 30, 2009 @ 6:53 pm
Ohmagod..you are good!..
Here I was so sure I could spot a BPD lunatic faster than this..
You go away and I will do the same.
Comment by Terry — July 30, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
Terry … you’re going away NOW. Go troll somewhere else.
This is Christie’s HOUSE.
I guess you missed that when you trolled in.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 30, 2009 @ 6:58 pm
What the heck is a BPD lunatic?
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
I Googled it and came up with “Borderline Personality Disorder”.
My first thought was “Hmmm . . . . sounds like someone who is expert on the subject . . . . . . . “
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 30, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
ROFL! I googled and got bi-polar disorder.
Who knew you could give a full-on medical diagnosis over the Interwebz?
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
yeah, well *I* googled and got Bureau of the Public Dept, which makes just as much sense.
Comment by EmilyS — July 30, 2009 @ 9:03 pm
Quick! Somebody try Bing and see what comes up!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 30, 2009 @ 9:34 pm
Wolfram/Alpha comes up with “barrels per day”
On the plus side if you ask it “what is the meaning of life?”
Wolfie dutifully coughs up “42”
XD
Comment by JenniferJ — July 30, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
So Christie is a “barrels per day” lunatic?
Which begs the question - barrels of what . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 30, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
Well fun, monkeys, and laughs are all traditional ;-)
Comment by JenniferJ — July 30, 2009 @ 10:53 pm
I’m definitely a barrel of fun. Ask anyone.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
OMG 93!!!!
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
See how much fun she is already - pointing out the message count (while simultaneously boosting it - ALL at the same time!)
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 30, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
The first thing that pops up for ‘BPD’ on Wikipedia is ‘a British 4 wheeled cyclecar made in 1913 by Brown, Paine and Dowland Ltd of Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex.’
Sounds like a barrel of fun to me [g].
Comment by Eucritta — July 30, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
And this is Gina’s post, so I want to point out this is yet another time I’ve selflessly and generously pumped up her comment count.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 30, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
That’s Christie - our lunatic BPD of fun-lovin’ hero!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 31, 2009 @ 4:49 am
We should all pause to appreciate Christie’s selfless generosity.
Comment by Lis — July 31, 2009 @ 7:04 am
We should all pause to appreciate Christie’s selfless generosity.
Comment by Lis — July 31, 2009 @ 7:04 am
I agree!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 31, 2009 @ 7:22 am
100. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 31, 2009 @ 7:22 am
Now who’s a barrel per day of laughs?
Comment by Christie Keith — July 31, 2009 @ 9:47 am
Wow, and here I thought that the BPD lunatic was directed at me.
I have to close this blog with more ranting about HSUS and Wayne.
Or rather like Dr Steve Best refers to the Hypocrisy Society of the US or H$U$.
Other neat descriptions about Pacelle:
Like a dry and detached doctor who tends to patients mechanically(Winograd I believe)
Robotic raconteur, robotic lack of empathy for animals. You see Gina, Wayne could a Dalek in disguise.
The HSUS makes PETA look terrific.
This August 25, 2008 article from Dr Best spells it all out.
http://www.animalperson.net/an.....-on-w.html
And that was 102
Comment by serijna — July 31, 2009 @ 10:37 am
Wow thanks for the links serijna - I’ll be reading that tonight (I printed the article) - and thanks to all the other BPD’s comments - BPD = Bright People Dialogue
Comment by mary francis — July 31, 2009 @ 11:50 am
BPD = Best Progessive Discussion
Again thanks for the BPD -
Sincerely,
Mary Mahoney aka mary francis
Comment by mary francis — July 31, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
darn I misspelled - BPD = best progressive discussion
Comment by mary francis — July 31, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
Serjina, I went to that link, and as far as I can tell, HSUS is “worse” than PETA because HSUS doesn’t promote veganism, and PETA does.
OTOH, HSUS doesn’t take animals into its custody promising to find new homes for them, and then take them directly to the death room and thence to the meat locker. Wayne Pacelle may have no problem with the idea of the extinction of domestic animals, but he and HSUS aren’t working actively to achieve it in the direct, personal, hands-on way that Ingrid Newkirk and PETA are. Even that very, ahem, vehement piece concedes that Pacelle and HSUS don’t actually want cats and dogs to become extinct and for there to be no contact between humans and animals.
Invoking Nazis and Hitler, of course, loses me immediately.
Comment by Lis — July 31, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Lis,
PETA is not on my list of favorite org., but at least Ingrid Newkirk does not speak with a polished forked tongue like Pacelle/H$U$.
Of course, I do not agree with everything in this piece. I never do in any piece. It gave BAD RAP a nice accolade though.
And yes, it is rather vehement but also contains a lot of unsweetened harsh painful truth.
And it was written prior to the Pacelle/Vick
“pact with the devil” unholy partnership. .
Comment by serijna — July 31, 2009 @ 2:27 pm
PETA still successfully presents itself as an animal welfare org to the mainstream media even while actively working for the extinction of all domestic animals, and killing virtually every single animal unfortunate enough to fall into their possession, barring the ones the staff cherry-pick for their own pets, so I’m not sure what you mean about Newkirk not speaking with a polished forked tongue.
And when references to Hitler and Nazis are being tossed around, what you’re reading is not “unsweetened harsh truth.” It’s something else entirely.
Comment by Lis — July 31, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
Well he’s a Philadelphia Eagle at 15 million for 2 years. Any bets on how much of that money will go to care for the poor dogs who survived his loving care ? Guess my football watching days are over,thats even our home team. lucky me !I’d like to know what brainless twit thought this would help lower Philly’s horrendous crime rate.
Comment by Leslie K — August 13, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
Disgusting. I’m finding it hard to come up with words that reflect how I feel that I can actually use on this blog.
Comment by Christie Keith — August 13, 2009 @ 9:38 pm
The Eagles are my “hometeam” (although I’ve never really rooted for them), and this doesn’t surprise me at all. The coach has a son in jail at the moment and his other son is on the path to the same.
Eff the NFL, I’ll find another sport to root for (and give money to).
Comment by Original Lori — August 14, 2009 @ 5:44 am
As I said before: The NFL does what it does: Make money on violent pageantry. Micheal Vick does what he does: Everything he can to make get in the game, for the fame and the money.
Expecting the NFL or Vick to do anything other than they did is like expecting a mountain lion to become a vegan.
But it’s the HSUS, an ANIMAL ADVOCACY group, that made this deal work. It’s the HSUS that laundered this dirtbag, and for all the advances they seem to be making in other areas of progressive animal welfare, this incident will remain a bloody stain on their reputation forever. The HSUS made it possible for a man who never, ever said he was sorry about what happened to the dogs to return to the ranks of millionaires.
Vick apologized to the sport, to the fans, to the kids. Not the dogs. He enjoyed the killing and the torture, saw nothing wrong with it, and he would take it up again if he could. His pride is such that he has not ever betrayed what he really believes, that he is a victim, and the dogs deserved to die because they were not warriors enough for him.
There are plenty of organizations ready to forgive Michael Vick. An animal advocacy organization should not have been one of them. To me, it shows how little we still value the lives of those dogs, since this sort of alliance would have been unimaginable for a group advocating for abused children. Can you imagine John Walshembracing a serial killer who tortured and killed children like his son Adam as a spokesperson? Of course not.
Every time I heard this discussed, the person advocating “forgiveness” cited Vick’s involvement with the HSUS as proof of change.
Vick may well have been taken back by the NFL without the HSUS, but it surely would have taken longer. The HSUS made it possible for the bullet train to hit top speed, and now the Vick “redemption express” is in the Eagles’ station.
Nathan Winograd’s latest on this sums it up for me:
http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=1789
Rot in hell, Michael Vick, you sadistic slime.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 14, 2009 @ 6:34 am
Gina, good for you, and I agree completely. HSUS was the grease
Comment by EmilyS — August 14, 2009 @ 7:12 am
Yes, Gina, but I’ve never given HSUS my money. I have given it to the NFL franchise.
I have no response to the “but he served his time” argument I’ve been hearing besides “I don’t care.”
Comment by Original Lori — August 14, 2009 @ 8:10 am
hmm, I immediately thought BPD = Buffalo Police Department. Until I realized that made no sense. lol.
There was a rumor yesterday that Vick was going to Buffalo, which he obviously didn’t, and the Bills had said weeks ago they weren’t considering signing him. I honestly couldn’t believe my cousin’s facebook status yesterday: “wow for real we might get vick that would be soo dope.” Of course I told him how I felt about that. And he proceeded to give me reasons that in my mind are total bs.
“ok. im sorry that i like him and im not gonna judge him on his ancestors practices and the culture he lives by. i dont condone dog fighting but then again i never grew up with it.”
“ROFL. ok well check this out when did they ever prove that he killed dogs himself. or that he was even there. and alex im sorry that i dont see it the way u do my bad. i love animals just as much as u do but it is their culture. and i dont believe in judging people at all and all you guys do is judge people its horrible. your not an african american and you don’t know so how can u judge someone. thats very ignorant.”
Oh, and he called quotes I used from Christie’s blog entry -Who’s Sorry Now- Not Michael Vick- the “stupidest things ive ever heard.”
I can’t see how anybody could try to justify Vick’s actions. It makes me want to vomit. *insert stream of cursing here*
Comment by Alex V. — August 14, 2009 @ 7:27 pm
Oh, and as I keep reminding people — he did NOT serve his time! He was allowed to cop a plea AFTER THE FACT and get probation early so he could get out and try to play. That is not something that happens to the average convict, particularly the average Black convict. You need to be nice and rich with expensive lawyers. But he had his cake and ate it too — he had his trial and then plea bargained.
Comment by Susan — August 14, 2009 @ 8:50 pm