Michael Vick runs well on the field. Too bad he can't run away from PETA off of it.
Among the many crazy stories this week, including the signing of Michael Vick to the Philadelphia Eagles, I was pointed back to a 2005 article by the Washington Post about the infamous PETA and its own skeletons.
According to the article, this is an organization that has been under investigation for years as suspected domestic terrorists. No lie. Part of it is the hyper sensitivity of government law enforcement agencies after 9/11 and the other part is PETA is connected/entangled/funded by extreme animal rights groups that will literally bomb your car if you work with testing animals. Forget the fact that no animals are harmed, your car is getting it.
But I’m not surprised by any of this. The fringe animals rights groups have always been so cantankerous and outrageously absurd in the name of their cause, I have dismissed any possibility of reasonableness from them. That includes PETA.
So when the group says in January Vick should get a brain scan for signs he may be a psychopath, I shrug, knowing it’s just ol’ crazy PETA doing its thing. When Vick is released from prison and they accuse him of being at a strip club afterward and not being remorseful of his crimes, I laugh. If I were Vick in that moment, instead of denying being at a strip club, I’d totally admit to it. Because that’s exactly where I’d want to be after two years locked in the pen. No lie.
And then, when Vick finally has a job, after he has pledged to donate his time, money and influence against dogfighting — even to PETA, they issue this statement:
PETA and millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed that the Philadelphia Eagles have chosen to sign a man who hanged dogs from trees, electrocuted them with jumper cables, held them underwater until they drowned in his swimming pool, and even threw his own family dogs into the fighting pit to be torn to shreds while he laughed. What sort of message does this send to young fans who care about animals and don’t want to see them be harmed?
PETA certainly hopes that Vick has learned his lesson and feels truly remorseful for his crimes—but since he’s given no public indication that that’s the case, only time will tell. At this point, all Eagles fans can do is cross their fingers and hope that they won’t ever have to explain to their sons and daughters what a “rape rack” is and why their favorite player was using one, as Falcons fans once had to.
First: I doubt PETA’s leadership or mouthpiece include football fans. Or for that matter, people with souls. But hey, stupid is, as stupid does. Second: This situation reminds me of some folks who get all harped up about one issue and lose sight of their integrity in the process. While the intentions of the majority donors of PETA and other animal rights groups are laudable, the mouthpiece of the organization (whoever runs it) has lost a hold on its integrity by its continued gruesome attacks on Vick, who has paid his price with $100 million lost, bankruptcy and two years of his life taken away. Apparently, that’s not good enough for the crazies.
The atrocities Vick leveled against dogs are undeniable. But the ridiculousness of the reaction to his sins that have followed since his conviction and imprisonment, have been more than outrageous. I believe, without a doubt, PETA has hoped to extend its brand on Vick’s name alone. There is no other justification for continuing down this path other than to prove how crazy one organization can go.
I mean, what else could it be? Who claims to have the voice of reason for PETA? I doubt there is one, just like I doubt Vick will ever be left alone so long as he lives.
Wow, for real. Am I becoming sympathetic to a dog killer? Ummm, ya. I think I am. Thanks PETA. You made it that much easier.
Lance Brown
/ August 15, 2009I guess I missed the part where you explain what’s wrong with PETA’s statement that you quoted. Do you expect that PETA would be excited to have a convicted dog torturer get a multi-million-dollar celebrity boost? What kind of animal rights organization would they be if they weren’t disappointed in Michael Vick?
If he had done what he did to children, society would never forgive him. You included. Just because PETA values young innocent dogs as much as everyone else values young innocent children doesn’t make them crazy.
Also, they are not alone in not having seen Michael Vick do anything to help animals or express remorse in a way that wasn’t crafted by a PR rep/lawyer.
Just curious – do you pledge total, immediate forgiveness for all criminals as long as they have served their allotted sentence? Sex offenders, child molesters? Once they get out, everyone should hug them and smile and invite them over for dinner the day after their release? Just wondering if you have any moral consistency here. Say a guy murders his wife, gets paroled in 5 years. You OK with him dating your sister a month after his release?
Somehow I doubt you’d be giving those folks the clean slate that you seem to want PETA–people whose job it is to stand up for animals more than anyone else–to forgive and embrace the most notorious and famous animal torturer of the decade? I guess everybody’s got their own definition of “unreasonable”.
Lance Brown
/ August 15, 2009Oops, when they I said PETA isn’t the only one who hasn’t heard from Vick, I meant to say I haven’t either. Once he looks me in the eye and speaks from his heart, rather than from prepared statements, then we’ll see about forgiveness. But do I think sitting in a jail cell for 18 months is automatic redemption for torturing and killing innocent defenseless individuals?
Ummm…no.
Lance Brown
/ August 15, 2009Not trying to spam you, but I do want to mention that I want to forgive Vick, and am eager to get the signs from him that I need, to feel that he is really dedicated to doing as much good for animals as he has done harm. And I’m very encouraged by (for example) this story about Vick making an appearance to discourage kids from dog “street fighting”, and garnering pledges from many that they would never hurt an animal again:
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/motives-for-michael-vick-and-hsus-affiliation-revealed-at-town-hall-meeting/
That said, I have little doubt that many kids currently engaged in the dog street fighting fad are mentally using Vick’s past actions as justification for their own animal cruelty. So he still has cleaning up to do. Sorry if that seems “crazy” to you.
Zuri
/ August 15, 20091) Pretending “decent” football fans are as outraged as they are. That’s my issue with the statement 2) Yes, I would have a problem with a convicted rapist dating my sister after sitting in jail or a convicted murderer working at my job after his/her release. Fortunately, Vick isn’t working with dogs now. He’s playing football. So the whole PR campaign by PETA and the like that Vick will continue in his ways is totally farce. No man or woman is stupid enough to continue their idiocy. That would require an OJ award. 3) I’m not sure if I could forgive Vick now for what he’s done. I’m also not sure I ever hated him for it. And lastly, 4) What says he owes you or I a personal apology after all of the public ones he’s already given? What makes you think that PETA deserves a personal pledge of allegiance, other than the money he’s already planning to give them (assuming he goes through with it)?
Tim
/ August 15, 2009I think what Vick did is enough to justify someone, or some organization, holding a grudge against the man for as long as they like. These were gruesome crimes done with plenty of forethought or premeditation. He knew what he was doing. Would he have stopped on his own had he never been caught? So, PETA can be upset about his signing if they wish, but their better position would be to forgive him and continue to hold him accountable, in my opinion. Make sure he keeps making these appearances and speeches.
All that said, PETA is so far out there that they’re probably hurting their own cause. I agree with their most basic principles of ethical treatment, but would gladly run over a cat in the road just to stick it to them (kidding). They’re comparable to those who bomb abortion clinics, or murder abortion doctors. My understanding is that little to no money donated to them goes to care for animals. I don’t think they’ll be happy until animals are our masters, and I’m really only half joking when I say that.
Lance Brown
/ August 16, 2009Zuri,
You’re right, Vick doesn’t owe me or PETA an apology. By the same token, we don’t owe him our forgiveness or acceptance. The issue behind your post seemed to be that PETA won’t “let Michael Vick be”. My response (and theirs, it’s right in their statement) is “why should they?”
I’ll forgive and accept Michael Vick if or when he gives me full cause to. I believe PETA will as well. He is under no earthly obligation to earn their respect or mine; it’s entirely up to him.