Anyone who knows me knows that I have four rescued dogs at home. In fact, over the years, Len and I have taken ten rescues into our family. We love our dogs. I love cats, too (but I'm allergic), and horses and sheep and llamas and alpacas (the list goes on). When we bring these wonderful creatures into our home, they become part of our family. They trust us, they love us, the need us. And, we need them. This is why it is so difficult for me to understand how people can neglect or actively harm their pets. But, people do. Fact is, there are a lot of people in this world who do not feel as I do about pets.
A recent article in the AJC, it was reported that 200 people rallied in support of Michael Vick, angry that he has been vilified for his alleged role in a dogfighting business. They held up banners that read: "We support Michael Vick, a Human Being, over Dogs." They are angry that the Falcons and the NFL don't stand up to the Humane Society and PETA.
Folks, you backing the wrong guy in this fight.
Regardless of whether you care about dogs or not, if the allegations are correct, Vick broke the law. He participated in multi-state gambling and broke animal cruelty laws.
Not cool behavior.
Nike and other companies have dropped Vick as spokesman. Why? Because they don't want the buying public to associate their brand with these activities. I can't blame them for protecting their businesses. And, I can't blame the NFL if they decide to drop him. That kind of behavior is bad for the NFL brand and bad for their business, too.
The protesters have a good point that others in the NFL were only temporarily suspended or given minor punishment for breaking laws like buying drugs and obstructing justice (in a double murder case). Maybe those guys should have gotten bigger punishments.
Let's wait to hear what the courts say.
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What's really unbelievable is how other NFL players are coming out in support of him. This column by Deion Sanders made me gape at the computer screen in disbelief.
http://tinyurl.com/2z2stb
With this quote, perhaps Mr. Sanders will be called to testify and name some names:
"I believe Vick had a passion for dogfighting. I know many athletes who share his passion. The allure is the intensity and the challenge of a dog fighting to the death. It’s like ultimate fighting, but the dog doesn’t tap out when he knows he can’t win."
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