Posted on 08/01/2009 9:33:11 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Some people just cannot wait for dog killer Michael Vick to return to professional football. The only thing this inter-species sadist deserves is universal derision.
Let’s recap exactly why this former Atlanta Falcons quarterback pleaded guilty to running a dog-fighting ring, earning him 18 months in federal prison and house arrest until July 20.
Vick helped kill eight dogs and injure dozens of others. According to his federal court filings, “Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of [co-defendants Purnell] Peace, [Quanis] Phillips and himself, Vick.”
Other legal papers detail Vick’s anti-canine savagery.
In a statement of facts related to his Aug. 17, 2007, plea agreement with federal prosecutors in Richmond, Va., Vick’s co-defendant Quanis L. Phillips (a.k.a. “Q”) admitted that “in or about April 2007 . . . [Purnell A.] PEACE [a..k.a “P. Funk”], PHILLIPS and VICK executed approximately 8 dogs that did not perform well in ‘testing’ sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging and drowning. All three participated in executing the dogs. PHILLIPS agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of PEACE, PHILLIPS and VICK.”
The July 17, 2007, federal indictment against these three degenerates states that their dog-killing methods also included electrocution and “slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground.” The indictment added that on Apr. 25, 2007, the following items were discovered at Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennel: “approximately 54 Pit Bull Terriers, some of which had scars and injuries, appearing to be related to dog fighting [and] a ‘rape stand,’ a device in which a female dog who is too aggressive to submit to males for breeding is strapped down with her head held in place by a restraint.”
Dog fights, dog rapes, and dog executions — all in a day’s work for Michael Vick.
It might be one thing if Vick were out carousing with friends on a Saturday night, drunkenly stumbled into a dog fight, and foolishly threw down a $20 bet on one dog or another. That might qualify as “a mistake,” as Vick breezily described his role in this carnage.
It is quite another thing to organize these things on one’s own property, and for profit.
Nonetheless, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick last Monday. Vick may practice immediately and could play by October 18.
While the souls of these dead pups look down in disgust from Doggie Heaven, Vick’s apologists sing his undeserved praises.
Responding to reports that Vick faces a four-game suspension before resuming play, Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens said: “The guy’s already suffered so much. And to add a four-game suspension on a two-year prison sentence, that’s ridiculous.” He later told ESPN: “The commissioner needs to go sit in jail for 23 months.”
As USA Today reported, Owens recruited other footballers to support Vick via Twitter. Their rampant errors of grammar, spelling, and syntax are preserved here for posterity:
“im in support of mike vick too man,” wrote Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. “I wanna c him back in action being the human highlight file he is.Im with ya bro.”
“Never heard him complain or wine,” remarked Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. “Let the man play.”
“He did time and lost his shoe deal,” pleaded Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett. “Dear Commissioner please reinstate mike vick.”
Having completed his prison sentence, Vick is even-steven with Uncle Sam. Now the private sector must address this man’s evil.
Vick does not deserve any prestigious position of visibility, glory, or adulation. Any team that hires this dog killer should be boycotted by dog lovers and decent people everywhere, as should that team’s sponsors. If he ever enters an athletic venue, he should be booed off the field, out of the stadium, and beyond the parking lot.
Rather than letting him resume his multi-million-dollar sports career, someone somewhere should hand Michael Vick a mop.
— Deroy Murdock is a columnist with the Scripps Howard News Service and a media fellow with the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University
Oh, I'm sorry! Am I acting like a clueless, Typical White Woman who doesn't understand the 'culture' of dog fighting and gangsta football. *Rolleyes*
‘Dog fights, dog rapes, and dog executions — all in a day’s work for Michael Vick.’
All done with his property on his property. Either you have property rights or not.
Next, they will come for hunters. Fat people who ride horses or even try to give animals ‘rights’.
No, he should be barked and howled off the field. And probably will be. He's going to learn how many NFL fans are also dog people.
Vick will play ball again because everything in our culture and moral foundation is for sale. It’s our greatest flaw.
I, too, am a committed dog lover. I love dogs more than I love most humans.
I am NOT a football fan (and I haven’t been since the Rams left LA for Anaheim), nor a Vick fan, by any stretch of the imagination or word.
All that said, in sincerity, I am of the opinion that Vick served his time, and he paid in lost earnings, big time, for his crimes.
Now, his only judgment should come from God, and the free market.
I hope some dog-loving defensive player KOs Vick in spectacular fashion. ...into the ESPN highlight reel hall of fame.
Of course, no team is compelled to hire him, and no fan is compelled to cheer for him. But this "give him a mop" thing is silly.
But of course thousands of innocent children are slaughtered through abortion every year.
I would trade every rotted body of every dog, ever killed in dog fighting; just for one aborted baby's life back.
Some people are so mentally rotted they can't see this.
The life of an animal is a speck compared to life of a human.
Yes Michael Vick is a low life; but were humans assaulted or injured during this stupid dog fighting nonsense?
What kind of logic is that. "I own the property, therefor I may do anything on the property that I choose because I own it".
That's not the way a civil society operates. You can't beat down your woman and get away with it, just because you do it in your own house. And, the citizens have spoken with respect to the manner in which we may keep, treat, and dispose of domestic animals irrespective of where those animals are domiciled.
I've been hunting since I was 9 - foul, small game, big game and all manner of sport fish. If my father or grandfather would have caught me abusing animals the way Vick and his posse did, I wouldn't have been able to sit down for a month. This has nothing to do with a man's ability to hunt his own property. To make that connection is disingenuous, at best.
Vick paid for his crime big-time, now let him get back on the field and play.
Maybe he’ll come to Cleveland! The “Dawg Pound” will love him!
Dennis Miller had a good opinion on this Vick thing last week on BOR’s show.
Vick is a disgusting pig. Someone should do to him what he did to the animals. What kind of a sadistic evil homunculus could even THINK about doing what he did?
I’m not a touchy-feely animals rights kind of gal. And I love football. HOWEVER...what Vick did deserves permanent eviction from NFL IMO.
Agreed with above poster; it’s not as if he got caught up in a random dog-fighting incident one night. Rather, he masterfully created and participated in months of illegal behavior. I can’t stand pit bulls, but killing them just for fun is sick. I don’t think this has anything to do with hunting either; last time I checked, real hunters don’t hunt dogs.
My husband and I have been traveling a lot and listening to lots of sports talk radio. Interesting to hear different points of view on this.
He paid his price to society, and I think he deserves a chance. I hope he redeems himself and turns his life around.
As far as his crime goes, it’s not as bad as murder or being an accessory to murder. We have some real thugs in the NFL that have never paid that price.
Look up "non sequitur". You might find it enlightening.
Georgia F. ruined them. ...after offing her hubby Carroll.
Georgia F. ruined them. ...after offing her hubby Carroll.
Perfectly put.
The inordinate attention paid to our modern day circuses is symptomatic of a culture that has lost its way. Our priorities are topsy turvy.
That poor pig skin that still gets kicked around came from a once thriving pig that was kicked around and denied it’s rights to snort and wallow.
But don’t kick a damn dog or the prison term will be more than kicking a fellow human........
Kangaroos and laughing hyenas are running the show.
Wonder if anyone considered that perhaps the dogs suffered too much. Who cared about them???? God forgive the sinners who did that cause I sure the hell can’t.
People have rights, and a woman is not property.
Don't try to confuse or imply there is some similarity.
As per private property and hunting. We use dogs on hogs, coons, etc. It might seem cruel or unusual, but it's my property and a way to hunt. A line has to be drawn, Gov't will use outrage and imply other morals to take and stop activities on private property and they will use emotional people like yourself to take it.
I have mixed feelings towards animal fights; whether animal on animal or man vs. beast. It is maybe an age thing. When I was a child dogs ran the streets and fought all the time, even unto death. We saw that. It had an influence.
Pleeeeeze ...
The guy was appropriately busted, sent to prison where he served a complete sentence, and forced into bankruptcy.
Isn't that enough?
What would suffice? Indefinite internment at Gitmo? Castration? Public hanging?
Give the man a chance to move on and get his life back together.
I think you meant ‘fowl’ not ‘foul’. So, that’s a minor posting foul.
“All done with his property on his property. Either you have property rights or not.”
I see your point, but...when did you stop beating your wife? ;)
Maybe they should have Vick do a demo of what he got busted for—at half time, just to show people what he is. Whoever hires him, I hope they reap the whirlwind.
I love dogs and what he did sickens me too. However, he went to trial, was found guilty and went to jail. Besides, some type of probation, he did his time.
I don’t think banning him from the NFL is a good idea. I say allow him to be signed and let the “market” play out in front of the fans.
The optimist in me says that maybe he learned something, and it will ultimately teach others as well.
“A non sequitur (pronounced /ˌnɒnˈsɛkwɨtər/) is a conversational and literary device, often used for comical purposes (as opposed to its use in formal logic). It is a comment which, due to its apparent lack of meaning relative to what it follows,[1] seems absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing, as in the following joke: Q: How many surrealists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Fish. “ If you are saying my comment has no relevance to the topic; I disagree strongly. The point is that there are those who are very agitated about someone abusing animals; but most of those same people very likely are indifferent to the slaughter of human life. In simple terms; their priorities are completely misplaced. To me, a dogs life is on par with a pound of hamburger in my local supermarket I would think that on a conservative website, most would have similar thoughts.
“The life of an animal is a speck compared to life of a human.”
Well, if that’s your argument, then at least Wisconsin inmates had the good sense to beat Jeffrey Dahmner to death. :)
I’m hoping you left off the sarcasm warning tag?
Keep you ad hominems for someone else. I've been a practicing attorney for 25 years. Emotions are irrelevant to me, but the rule of law isn't. Vick broke the law - state law and federal law. And, he didn't do it just once, he did it over a period of years. If emotions had ruled the day in Vick's case, he could be prosecuted under a RICO statute, convicted and spent 20 years(per count) in prison. But, he wasn't.
No, animals are not people and as such, do not enjoy the same civil liberties the Constitution protects. But, there are rules in America about what you can and cannot do on your own property. If you don't believe me, try setting up a waste dump on your land. Or, try erecting a skyscraper next to your three bedroom ranch. Or, in Vick's case, try running some kind of illegal gambling operation and let me know how it works out for you.
“A non sequitur (pronounced /ˌnɒnˈsɛkwɨtər/) is a conversational and literary device, often used for comical purposes (as opposed to its use in formal logic). It is a comment which, due to its apparent lack of meaning relative to what it follows,[1] seems absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing, as in the following joke: Q: How many surrealists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Fish.” If you are saying my comment has no relevance to the topic; I disagree strongly. The point is that there are those who are very agitated about someone abusing animals; but most of those same people very likely are indifferent to the slaughter of human life. In simple terms; their priorities are completely misplaced. To me, a dogs life is on par with a pound of hamburger in my local supermarket I would think that on a conservative website, most would have similar thoughts.
Michael Vick has been brought to justice and served his time. It is now time for us to wait and see what the free market does with Vick, and what Vick does with Vick. There currently is no reason to deny him his livelihood. He has paid and will continue to pay for his misdeeds without all of the grudge keepers and other chronically unhappy people who will never be satisfied.
The idea of dog fights or being cruel to animals is totally depraved. It is demeaning to those who participate. I would not watch even one second of taped dog fight. That said, if pathetic depraved individuals want to do this with their dogs is nobody’s business. Animals do not have rights.
Americans are more upset about this than abortion. Or about any of the other inhumanity that is rampant.
Again, I do not enjoy harming animals. I think people who hunt just for the pleasure of killing are a bit off in the head or soul. But I am not opposed to banning it.
The two are not exclusive. You can deplore abuse of humans AND animals. At least I can. What Vick did was most likely a prelude to what he will one day do to humans. This should concern everyone.
You are right. It’s no kind of logic at all. If there are laws being broken on someone’s private land, they must be arrested. Otherwise, unhappy spouses would buy land, kill the spouse, and avoid dealing with messy property and custody settling issues.
You assume (or project) just because someone thinks that Vick got what he deserved and shouldn't play in the NFL again, somehow either directly or indirectly supports abortion. They are both moral questions with answers rooted in morality.
Just because you believe domestic animals should be treated to a minimum standard of decency and believe that when they aren't, consequences should be felt, has nothing to do with abortion, in any way.
Vick is a sick sadistic bastard who deserves everything that he is and has gone through. I just can't get over the sickness of torturing an animal, especially a dog. BUT I would like to see the same kinds of punishment and ostracism for athletes commit crimes involving humans.
I would love to see ZERO tolerance for criminal behavior in the NFL & NBA . Pacman Jones should have disapeared after the first arrest and conviction.
There is such a hypocrisy in pro sports.
No matter how good of an athlete a person may be, if ticket sales, licensing revenue or tv viewership decline, that player can be categorized as a bad entertainer and as such will be cut from the team.
I say, give Vick the same chance he gave his dogs.
What's the bag limit on fouls?
Until then, if somebody wants to hire Vick to play football, I really don't care. At least he did his time in prison, moreso than the other examples I have given.
No limit in baseball. Only two in some softball leagues.
He did the crime, did the time, paid the fine. Justice was served. He paid a heavy cost for his barbarity.
If he owed more the courts should have kept him behind bars longer. My guess is they made an example of him and creeps doing the same thing or worse have gotten off easier.
We have baby killers out there walking free and raking in the money, sometimes our money. That is something to be up in arms about, not a dog killer that served his time and as far as well know has changed his ways.
I love dogs too, but it is time to move on and let the man make a living.
THere is a HUGE difference between animal rights and animal cruelty. Putting a 400lb man on a horse just might qualify for being cruel....what about him sitting on your dog? Or is that different?
I live in the NOVA area and this was ocuring during the whole Vick saga. And all the while none protested against this animal or for the help of these poor kids who have rights.
All that was in the news and the people protesting was against Vick and how he treated his property.
I know as a socitety we are sick and dying when we care more for animals and their protections than people.
What if I sit on a fish? Would that matter? Or do all animals have the same protections?
Are animals equal or just the cute ones have more merit?
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