Dogs are not people: Racism, Michael Vick, and why America has its head up its ass.

I have been following the Michael Vick dog fighting case very closely. Since the story fist broke, that Vick may have been involved, I immediately knew he was involved, yeah I jumped to conclusions, turns out I was right though. For what ever reason, Vick and his friends love to fight and kill pit bulls. Rather than to stop his involvement after signing a $130M contract he continued to participate in what appears to be a family pass time.

I only became completely enraged when I found out the plea deal included prison. PRISON, for dog fighting! Then, I became even more enraged when immediately black people almost simultaneously on talk radio stations, in beauty shops and barbershops, and bars pulled the race card. Please listen closely: and I make this next statement as an awesome black woman. Black people, everything slightly unpleasant that happens to you or other black people is not automatically racism! Vick did break the law. OJ damn near cut two people’s heads off and didn’t see the prison time that Vick will see. Maybe OJ should have killed that dog at the crime scene to get some prison time since the two dead people weren’t enough. I hate that racism is always the first place we take it. Yes racism is real, I live in the south so I am not disillusioned into thinking racism went away in the 80’s or anything,I know it is very much alive and well, but Vick’s case it not about racism.

America has its head so far up its own ass, they are missing the significance of this case entirely.
Please note that I make the next statement as a proud owner of a 7lb Maltese who probably lives and is cared for better than some children in 3rd world countries and is the cutest and most amazing dog ever!

Vick is accused of fighting and killing dogs, just dogs. Yes, just dogs. He will probably end up spending time in prison for murdering dogs. Why are our priorities so out of whack America? Yes, dog murder is deplorable, and I agree that Vick should have some punishment, but he is Michael Vick for goodness sakes, hit him with a ridiculously high fine, and make him volunteer at the ASPCA for the rest of his life or something. I know what you dog lovers are thinking: dogs are helpless creatures, and provide loyal companionship and yadda, yadda yadda But seriously prison, when there are real scumbags out there who commit real crimes against truly helpless people (children) who will either never be prosecuted, or will receive a slap on the wrist as punishment when they are brought to trial?

There are so many PEOPLE and CHILDREN who are victims of crimes whose perpetrators will not see as much prison time as Vick. I wish we could go find a social worker in just one major metropolitan city to tell us some of the horror stories of crimes against children and the elderly that either go unpunished or barley punished.

I am tired of hearing about Vick on the news, he is one case of one young man who made poor choices and kept friendships with the wrong group of people, but he didn’t kill anyone, he didn’t ruin a child’s life. He fought and killed dogs, just dogs. Dogs are not people and as a society we should care more about protecting the well being of people than we do animals.