In 1989 Pete Rose, one of the most talented, men ever to play baseball, was handed a lifetime suspension from the game and a fistful of heavy fines. His crime? He loved his team. His enthusiasm led him to bet on The Reds to win every night and, since Cincinnati was not exactly on fire in those days, he generally lost more than he won. No matter. As a result of these activities, Pete’s incredible records and accomplishments will never grace the Baseball Hall Of Fame and he is remembered more for the fact that he gambled than for his style of play. ‘Charlie Hustle’, as he was known, never bet against his own team, never hurt or killed anyone and yet the simple act of placing bets negated an amazing, superstar career. I don’t agree with what he did but I’ll always believe his punishment was overly harsh.
Enter the sick, perverted Michael Vick. I told you a few blogs ago that he would slip through his brutal crimes on a deal and it appears that slip he will. There is no remorse here. He’s simply avoiding a trial, that would most likely involve him with more than his complicity in torturing, maiming and violently murdering innocent creatures. There’s the strong possibility of facing several other charges, including racketeering, gambling and conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities, and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. Conviction on these charges could result in serious jail time. I didn’t say “alleged” here because he’s going to plead guilty and he’s already been directly implicated by his accomplices.
The Atlanta Falcons and The NFL are deliberating his fate. I don’t see what there is to deliberate. It’s a no brainer. Vick is not only legally wrong but he is morally wrong as well; morally corrupt or morally bankrupt might be better descriptions. Even if the legal system shirks its duty in this matter, the team and the league must not. It is more than a huge black eye for the game of Football. It’s a horrific example set for our youth, many of whom look up to sports figures as their heroes. What kind of message does a comparative slap on the wrist send to our kids? If Pete Rose suffered such severe punishment for placing harmless wagers, this merciless killer Michael Vick must, at the very least, be banished from all organized sport for the rest of his life. If he is ever allowed back on a football field, I would hope the good fans of this great game will completely and effectively boycott whichever team puts him there. We don’t need murderers or rapists on the playing field…and we don’t need psychopaths out there either.
Then there’s the matter of law. I have actually heard a few sick individuals defend this monster as having the “right to do whatever he pleased with the dogs because they belonged to him”! Does that mean we should be able to beat, abuse or murder our children because they are ours? Is it not up to the law and society itself to protect the most innocent among us? Who is more innocent than the loving creatures that warm and brighten our lives, except for the children themselves? In addition to the more than 70 dogs buried on Vick’s property, an additional 53 will probably have to be euthanized since, having been trained to fight, they cannot be kept as pets.
The courts must make an example of sub-humans like Vick, and others a party to these crimes, in order to send a clear message to those who might otherwise follow their twisted example. Notice I didn’t say that we need any kind of regulation or government intervention. We simply need to strongly enforce existing laws and protect those who cannot protect themselves. No one must ever be so callous as to say it’s “only a dog” or “only a cat,” anymore than they would say it’s “only a child”.
Despite my previous utterances, I’m not so sure I’m very far from suggesting they stuff his pockets with hamburger and simply turn the rest of the dogs loose. It seems like a just solution…even with no fines or jail time. How about agreeing to that deal Michael?
R.S.F.
0 Responses to “Justice Could Be The VICK-tim”