PACMAN JONES-INCITED GUNFIGHT: PROBATION

LEONARD LITTLE-INVOLENTARY MANSLAUGHTER: 90 DAYS JAIL

CRAIG MACTAVISH-VEHICULAR HOMICIDE: 1 YEAR

MICHAEL VICK-DOGFIGHTING: 23 MONTHS

See anything wrong with this picture?

Pacman Jones was sentenced two days ago for his involvement in a Las Vegas club melee that resulted in three people shot and one paralyzed. Originally charged with two counts of felony coercion, Jones pleaded no contest on a reduced charge of disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to a year of probation. Jones was also arrested five times prior to his Vegas fight.

Two days later, Michael Vick, who killed some of his own dogs, was sentenced to two years in jail for federal crimes. He still has to be tried by the state of Georgia, though, because he broke state and federal charges, so he may end up in jail for even longer.

What he did was cruel. It was heartless. I can certainly see why so many people were so vehemently against him. Certainly after viewing these images:

There were no charges filed against anyone who abused those animals though. They were just people taking part in the great sport of hunting.

Let’s see… Michael Vick put dogs in a ring and made them fight and hurt each other for his pleasure. Then he killed some when they didn’t perform well. Hunters shoot and trap and kill animals for fun. There’s really no difference, then, between fighting dogs and hunting. Both involve hurting animals for pleasure.

It doesn’t matter if you eat the animal after you kill it; in today’s world it is not necessary to hunt for food. If you accept that killing animals isn’t cruel enough to outlaw hunting, you have made one rationalization that goes toward make killing dogs acceptable.

Of course dogs are put on a different level than other animals because they are pets and more so “man’s best friend.” It’s fine with me if you love your dog that much, but Michael Vick apparently didn’t, and he shouldn’t be punished based on that fact. It’s a cultural thing, just like how cows are considered sacred in the Hindu religion. I’m going to keep eating my burgers, though, because I don’t believe in that. Michael Vick shouldn’t be forced to follow other people’s cultures if he doesn’t hurt anyone.

Finally, there is the issue of how Vick killed dogs, by electrocution and hanging, two of the most quick and painless methods of death. If electrocution is humane enough to kill humans, sanctioned by the government, what’s wrong with using it for animals?

It’s certainly more humane than shooting and animal and letting it bleed to death. Yet hunting is legal.

This post isn’t intended to say anything about the nature of hunting. Hunting can be viewed as either moral or immoral for any number of good reasons.

I am simply saying that, when put in context, Michael Vick’s crimes were not as terrible as they were made out to be.

Not as terrible as slamming a stripped into the ground because she had the audacity to pick up some bills your drizzled on her.

Not as terrible as bringing guns into the strip club then shooting people when they are trying to restore order.

Tommy Urbanski is paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Do you care?

Susan Gutweiler is dead. Leonard Little is still playing in the NFL.

Do you care?

Craig MacTavish killed someone when he was drunk driving years ago; he’s coaching the Edmonton Oilers now.

Michael Vick will serve his time, too much time, and he will be back, possibly with enough skills to continue playing football in the NFL. Will he be given his chance?

I hope so.

Other Takes
Liberal Blog, The Reaction, Wants to Liberally Apply More Years to Vick’s Sentence
Huffington Post: Bush Should Pardon Vick
Race in the Context of Vick, Drug Sentencing, and the Media
Awful Announcing: MNF Announcers Mentioned Vick 41 Times

JSB on Vick
Vick Commanded Most Hype All Summer
Vick Must be Happy to Have Artest on His Side
The “Racism” of the Vick Case
PETA? Does “Georgia Bulldogs” Promote Dogfighting?
Vick Treats Children Better Than Dogs
Robert Byrd on Vick: BARBARIC!