| Ryan White |
 | 1 Comments |  | 29 Read | Jul 30, 2007 |
How sick is Mike Vick? According to nearly every sportscaster, newscaster, radio personality, and person I have spoken with over the last few weeks Vick is lower than human. How could anybody in our advanced American society train dogs to kill, maim, and seriously injure other dogs for their entertainment, and monetary purposes? Further how could anybody electrocute, shoot, beat, and/or terminate those animals that did survive after a loss? Over the last few weeks we have learned the dirty, underground world of dogfighting, and clearly this is sick and disgusting behavior, behavior that should not go unpunished for its lack of humanity and caring about other beings on this planet. So, before I proceed, please do not forget that I feel, if convicted, Michael Vick should be punished for his actions. At the same time, however, consider these two points:
1. The new sport gaining the most visible rise in popularity in our country is Mixed Marshal Arts (MMA), which is essentially the same thing as dogfighting except with human beings. Yes, while we are getting all worked up about this sport involving animals, human beings are being wagered on, sponsored, and watched by other human beings what makes this right? Some may argue that at least in MMA people have the choice to enter the ring; which may or may not be true, but at least there is more freedom to walk away than the dogs have. However, does participating in this sport cause life-ending damage to human beings? Does it not have the possibility for catastrophic injury? Clearly the answer to this is yes, especially when earlier this year I hear of a participant getting knocked out cold then tearing up his knee while on the way down. How is that not gross? How are people lining up to bet on and/or watch this while many of the same people are upset over dogfighting? Part of it is corporate intervention. In fact, in its early years Senator Jon McCain referred to MMA (Ultimate Fighting then) as human cockfightingâ?, until corporate leaders took over the sport, sanitized it enough, and made it acceptable/profitable for enough people that they could convince lawmakers that this sport was ok. In a different context, before we found out about the inhumane way dogfighting is treated, could you not imagine a corporately led, cleaner, more sanitized, and profitable version of this sport? I mean all you need is a powerful owner with good connections in the press to put a positive spin on a barbaric sport, and boom you ve got something that people will follow no questions asked.
2. More importantly we live in a country where it is fairly accepted that our President at least did not actually win the 2000 election, if not, 2004. It is also fairly accepted that every reason our government gave us for going to war was false, over exaggerated, or unfounded, that this was clearly a choice to position American corporations - which by last check owned the American media (the things we hear, see, and serve to influence popular opinion), government (since they have the power to choose who gets the time on air), and people in a better place to make huge profits. This is a Presidency whose cabinet members have claimed that this War on Terrorism/War on Iraqâ? is for the safety and security of the world even though thousands of our soldiers, and innocent Afghanistani and Iraqi citizens are being murdered for the benefit of corporate leaders. This is a Presidency which spends 1 Billion dollars a day on an illegal war, while removing health care, education, and other benefits to the citizens of his own country. This is a President who, as evidence mounts, may actually been in on the murder of Pat Tillman, a soldier for his own army. According to his parents, Tillman felt that the war in Iraq was illegal as well was unfounded, and was planning on speaking with Noam Chomsky a popular anti-war activist upon returning home to the United States. Forensic evidence states that Tillman was shot from 10 yards away, a fact that would lay into doubt that there was ever confusion that he was killed by friendly or enemy fire, and a fact that would clearly add suspicion to the most indirectly, and directly scandalous, treasonous, and murderous emperor our world has ever known George W. Bush.
Thus while our news and sports media is up in arms over Michael Vick and his dogs, at the risk of downplaying its significance, and to paraphrase Allen Iverson: These are just dogs, not humans, not humans, not humans, dogsâ?. Clearly it is important and sick if Michael Vick did this but not nearly as sick, and sad as what has gone on under our noses the last 7 ½ years with W. as our President. As Zach de la Rocha said this weekend at Rock the Bells, in reference to Bush, he should be tried, hung, and shot for war crimes, and we will not back down from this opinionâ?. I, for one, stand beside him.
1 Responses to 'Is Vick Sick?'
Justin says on Monday, July 30th at 1:00am
Wow, well said. Who is truly more of a monster, a man who allows US citizens to be slaughtered in Iraq and will not retrench his strategy or a man who wets an animal because it cannot fight well enough and then electrocutes it?
Right now, my gut says Bush, but Chris Benoit would take the cake. That man was truly evil. What he did to his son and wife are just horrid.
