By Scott Tibbs, August 20, 2009
From the August 16, 2009 edition of the Bloomington Herald-Times:
| They'll steal your pet, then use it as bait. And before they put your pet in with their fighting dogs, they might pull your pet's teeth or wrap its snout with duct tape so it can't bite back, can't damage the fighting dogs, whose damage will come later. |
The National Football League has reinstated Michael Vick, who spent time in prison after he was caught running a brutal dog fighting ring. The treatment of the animals Vick held hostage is well-documented, as is the sadistic brutality of dog fighting in general. I simply do not understand how it could be "entertaining" to watch two animals tear each other apart for "sport." As sick as the people who watch dog fighting are, savages like Michael Vick sink to a whole new level of depravity.
Obviously, people who have committed crimes and paid their debt to society need to be allowed to hold some sort of gainful employment. If that isn't possible, it is much more likely for a convicted felon to fall back into criminal behavior. Now that Vick has been released from prison, he needs to be reintegrated into society. But does he really have to make millions of dollars playing professional football and resuming his luxurious lifestyle?
The answer is "no." By allowing Vick to play for the Philadelphia Eagles (who I sincerely hope lose every game they play for the next twenty years for hiring this savage) the NFL is sending a message that they do not take animal abuse seriously, nor do they take the rule of law seriously. If you can help a team win a few meaningless football games or increase revenue for the league, your crimes will be ignored after a short suspension. Was the NFL's earlier banning of Vick ever genuine, or was it a public relations ploy? The smart money is on the latter.
As for me, I am boycotting the NFL as long as that savage is employed by the league. I'm somewhat surprised that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (which has been very critical of Michael Vick) has not called for a league-wide boycott. Of course, since I'm not a football fan (I might catch a few minutes of the Super Bowl each year) my boycott is pretty much meaningless. I would encourage people who are football fans to boycott the NFL, not attend games, not watch games on TV and not purchase NFL merchandise.
The picture in this article is one of the dogs mutilated for Vick's amusement. There is no reason a savage like Michael Vick should be playing professional football. The National Football League should be ashamed of itself.
