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A writer by passion and profession, I've been writing since I was old enough to know how, so establishing a weblog
seemed a natural progression. By adding a blog to my site, I can speak about my passions and life, share my writing, art
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Friday, July 27, 2007
It's not an act of conscience if it is court-ordered
SOURCE: SportsIllustrated.com (Photo Courtesy of AP) Photo taken during an April raid of Vick's property in Virginia, authorities seized 66 dogs and equipment commonly used in dog fighting.
On Wednesday, July 25, Last Chance for Animals issued a press release ("Michael Vick Can Be a Hero, According to Last Chance for Animals") recommending a suspension from football, a stiff fine and public service/education in lieu of incarceration if Atlanta Falcons' player Michael Vick, who was recently indicted on charges related to dog fighting, is found guilty/convicted of the crimes with which he is charged.
The following is my comment/response to that release and proposal:
I have the utmost respect for Chris DeRose and the work of LCA. Also, I am a firm believer in education and making a conscious effort to make a difference and do good, but this proposal is a hard one to swallow – even with the strict terms of the public service campaign that DeRose is proposing.
I, for one, am tired of animal abusers getting off with "public service/education" that could only be half-hearted at best. He wouldn't be a "hero" for doing something the court appointed him to do in lieu of jail -- he'd be "compliant." Why should he have this opportunity just because he's famous? I realize that his fame means he has something more than Joe Public to offer (by using his celebrity to raise awareness), but if people know he's doing that instead of doing jail time, how seriously can they take him? I’d much rather see fellow players (team or league) and athletes encouraged to stand up as men of conscience against this sort of cruelty – to demonstrate that big, powerful men have big hearts and can use the power of their celebrity to educate and affect change.
And, using the quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. is plain wrong. MLK Jr. meant to encourage people of CONSCIENCE to rise up and do what is right regardless of ridicule and consequences. This is a case of eliminating or replacing the consequences of his unconscionable actions because he's famous. I doubt he'd be ridiculed for doing PSAs and interviews; more likely people will say, "He's just saying that because the courts and a bunch of animal ‘wackos’ made him."
It's like my mom used to ask: "Are you sorry you did it or sorry you got caught?" It would be hard to imagine someone participating in this brutal "sport" would be morally opposed to it and instantly remorseful for it. That kind of change of heart takes time, education and, even then, it sometimes never comes. He’d just be sorry that he got caught.
And, Vicks isn't even some poor schlub making a living at it because he can't do anything else. If Michael Vick doesn't believe what he did was wrong, then his actions would be empty and that would probably come across in interviews/PSAs -- empty words with little effect quickly dismissed and forgotten.
Besides, it would be more daring to say that someone famous should go to jail for hurting an animal - we can barely get non-famous people to do jail time for it!
Be sure to educate yourself - learn more about the case against Michael Vick and dogfighting.
