I’ve been close-mouthed about the Michael Vick case until now, all in the shadow of the tragic Duke Lacrosse Rape Case where it seemed that most of Durham, NC inappropriately prejudged the three Duke students who were eventually exonerated, rating even a “totally innocent” finding from the Attorney General of the State of North Carolina. All that caution and the presumption of innocence is now gone with Vick’s guilty plea and the prospects that he could be spending up to the next five years in Federal prison. Of course, that doesn’t take into account that a Surry County, Virginia Grand Jury will be considering additional charges against Vick on September 25. Vick has been in trouble before,[1] but nothing like this.
The same phenomenon that plagued the three Duke lacrosse players seems to be omnipresent on the back side of the Vick guilty plea, and it seems on the surface to be a Black vs. White perspective.
This writer was floored on September fourth along with a seemingly horrified Joy Behar at Whoopi Goldberg’s statement about Michael Vick on her debut with ABC’s “The View”. The transcript of the show appeared on the website of the Atlanta ABC affiliate, WSB-TV, an icon of credible, objective reporting.
The transcript related (as I do remember hearing it) that Whoopi stated, "You know from his background this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from," said Goldberg referring to the South. "There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of our country." Co-host Joy Behar seemed shocked at Goldberg's statements. "How about dog torture and dog murdering?" Behar asked. "Unfortunately it's part of the thing," Goldberg replied. "You're a dog lover. For a lot of people dogs are sport," she added. Behar continued to shake her head in disgust.”
“She said if the case had involved somebody from New York City her feelings would have been different. Goldberg pointed out that Vick was raised in the South. "This is part of his cultural upbringing," said Goldberg.”
So, it’s a Southern thang you say? The Animal Legal & Historical Center reports that, “The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are at least 40,000 dogfighters in America, though that number seems to underestimate the epidemic of street fighting in urban areas. In 2003, the city of Chicago alone recorded and responded to 1093 animal fighting complaints. Virtually all children in high crime urban areas are exposed to dog fighting in their own neighborhoods while American hip/hop culture glorifies the blood sport. Rap singers and urban clothing and toy manufacturers promote dog fighting through their products and advertisements.”
That was quite an indictment for all of us Crackers born in the South that haven’t “condoned /appreciated” dog fighting. By the way, I like my corn likker a little on the peaty side…
So, given Whoopi’s dog fighting attribution to The South and declaration that her attitude would have been different had Vick been a New Yorker, we have a startling revelation for her. James “Jay” Fricchione, the former publisher of Sporting Dog Journal, a magazine serving the interests of the dog fighting industry and subscribed to by thousands of individuals suspected or convicted of dog fighting, some of whom received the publication at their prison addresses, is from Westtown, NY about fifty miles northwest of New York City.
The same phenomenon that plagued the three Duke lacrosse players seems to be omnipresent on the back side of the Vick guilty plea, and it seems on the surface to be a Black vs. White perspective.
This writer was floored on September fourth along with a seemingly horrified Joy Behar at Whoopi Goldberg’s statement about Michael Vick on her debut with ABC’s “The View”. The transcript of the show appeared on the website of the Atlanta ABC affiliate, WSB-TV, an icon of credible, objective reporting.
The transcript related (as I do remember hearing it) that Whoopi stated, "You know from his background this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from," said Goldberg referring to the South. "There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of our country." Co-host Joy Behar seemed shocked at Goldberg's statements. "How about dog torture and dog murdering?" Behar asked. "Unfortunately it's part of the thing," Goldberg replied. "You're a dog lover. For a lot of people dogs are sport," she added. Behar continued to shake her head in disgust.”
“She said if the case had involved somebody from New York City her feelings would have been different. Goldberg pointed out that Vick was raised in the South. "This is part of his cultural upbringing," said Goldberg.”
So, it’s a Southern thang you say? The Animal Legal & Historical Center reports that, “The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are at least 40,000 dogfighters in America, though that number seems to underestimate the epidemic of street fighting in urban areas. In 2003, the city of Chicago alone recorded and responded to 1093 animal fighting complaints. Virtually all children in high crime urban areas are exposed to dog fighting in their own neighborhoods while American hip/hop culture glorifies the blood sport. Rap singers and urban clothing and toy manufacturers promote dog fighting through their products and advertisements.”
That was quite an indictment for all of us Crackers born in the South that haven’t “condoned /appreciated” dog fighting. By the way, I like my corn likker a little on the peaty side…
So, given Whoopi’s dog fighting attribution to The South and declaration that her attitude would have been different had Vick been a New Yorker, we have a startling revelation for her. James “Jay” Fricchione, the former publisher of Sporting Dog Journal, a magazine serving the interests of the dog fighting industry and subscribed to by thousands of individuals suspected or convicted of dog fighting, some of whom received the publication at their prison addresses, is from Westtown, NY about fifty miles northwest of New York City.
Fricchione was arrested in April of 2003 and later convicted in April 2004 of numerous felonies and misdemeanors for dog fighting-related crimes, including tampering with evidence when he attempted to remove two of his dogs from the Warwick Valley, NY Humane Society's shelter. At the time of Fricchione's arrest, Eric Sakach, blood sports expert for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), described the charges against Fricchione as comprising "easily…the most significant case ever prosecuted with regard to the crime of dog fighting."
The costs to the local Warwick Valley Humane Society were so substantial that in 2005 Judge Nicholas DeRosa ordered convicted dogfighter James Fricchione to pay more than $130,000 in restitution for the cost of caring for dogs seized from Fricchione by the New York State Police in 2003. The order was issued after Lawyers for The Humane Society of the United States; the Animal Protection Foundation of Schenectady, NY and a broad coalition of animal shelters petitioned the court for full restitution. Enough of Whoopi’s holier than the South attitude! Our thanks to the HSUS for this information.
Not surprisingly, Goldberg immediately drew strong and immediate censure from Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, who disputed that dog fighting was a cultural fixture of the South or any other region. Reality reflects that while there are responsible elements in the Hip Hop Community, it certainly appears that dog fighting is still a major component of the macho American Hip Hop culture.
So, after that flawed entrance it would seem that Rosie O’Donnell might be a preferable foil to the other View co-hosts? Not really! The newspapers and all the media and blogs from here to Timbuktu took Goldberg to task though she took the opportunity to apologize the next day and clarified her statement as one who was trying to understand why Vick did what he did.
That could be possible, but there was a definite spin to the story one day later. Goldberg even stated that folks never even knew her exact words as no one has a transcript of the show. She apparently wasn’t aware of WSB’s revelation on their website. At any rate, it surely reflects the sensitivity that our society has to such outrageous behaviors and especially those that carry the extra burden of setting an example for our kids.
Couple Whoopi’s seeming gaff with recent supportive comments by Jamie Foxx, Stephon Marbury, Preacher (I talk with God) Deion Sanders and Clinton Portis coupled with encouragement by the NAACP and the SCLC (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is spinning in his tomb) and you have an all Black consortium indicting themselves and the whole African-American community. Well, that was my first take until I started to uncover the real feeling of disgust that pervades most of the American Community – Black, White, Red, Yellow and Brown.
I was impressed with the very right-on assessment by Basketbawful on his blog, http://basketbawful.blogspot.com of Stephon Marbury’s incredibly naïve, hip sparking statements that equated deer hunting with dog fighting. Following a huge public outcry Marbury was quickly rescued by the New York Knicks organization who crafted a follow-up statement for him as follows. "What Michael Vick did was wrong, and he has admitted his guilt. He should be punished. However, he should be given a second chance, as others have received for more serious crimes."
Basketbawful at http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2007/08/blind-defending-blind-stephon-marbury.html offers some great perspectives, dissecting and coming to grips with the real issues of right and wrong. I encourage everybody to read his comments.
These insightful remarks were closely followed by Byron Hurt’s great article, “Vick-tim Of Hypocrisy?: A Former Quarterback Weighs In On The Michael Vick Case” which appeared on his website www.bhurt.com. Hurt, by the way is a former Northeastern University quarterback and director of the award-winning documentary, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. This article and his website represent a responsible voice of reason and sanity in an insane world. Well done, Byron.
However, just when you think that the voice of reason has prevailed, you see remarks such as those expressed by monstabuxx on BET.com on August 28, 2007. You see them here as they were written in all caps, literally screaming his vitriol for all to hear.
“ITS JUST WHITES WHO DONT WANT BLACKS RAISING DOGS THAT CAN TAKE DOWN THE GERMAN SHEPPERDS THAT THE POLICE SICK ON POOR PEOPLE, CALLING THEM POLICE DOGS. REMEMBER THEY WANT THEIR NEW WORLD ORDER AND THIS DOG WILL AND DONT MIND FIGHTING AND GIVING HIS LIFE FOR THE POOR. I LOVE THESE DOGS EVERY TIME I SEE THOSE VIDEOS OF THE MARCHERS GETTING THEIR FLESH RIPPED APART BY THE POLICE DOGS WHILE HOLDING A PEACE MARCH. IT JUST SHOWS WHO THE REAL DEVILS ARE, PEOPLE FORGET AND HAVE FORGOT WHAT THE STRUGGLE WAS ABOUT AND WHO WAS THE TRUE AGGRESSOR. WHEN I MAKE MY MONEY RIGHT, I WILL START A FUND FOR ALL BLACK CHILDREN TO HAVE A PITBULL PROTECTION DOG, SINCE ALL POLICE HAVE A RADIO TO CALL A K-9 DOG ON THE SCENE. AND SINCE WE HAVE POLICE FIGHTING AND INFORCING WHITE RACIST ACTIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE NEEDA COUNTER FORCE FOR THOSE WHO GET OUT OF CONTROL WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT GIVEN POWERS. AND SINCE THEY WIN WITH NUMBERS AT A SITUATION, WE SHALL HAVE NUMBERS AND TRAINING TOO. CAN YOU DIG IT!!!”
This guy received lots of serious support on this thread though he also honestly caught a lot of flack for those comments. Hard to believe someone could/would write this though a tour of BET.com might uncover even harsher sentiments. Have your sedatives ready.
This case has brought out many of the fruit loops in America to include those that question the charges ever being brought since, “Heeeee’s soooo hot!” to some vegetarians one of whom commented, “Do you people realize how you get your hamburgers and your bacon strips? It's not much better than what was going on with Vick (in some cases, it's much worse). Can someone please tell me why it's deplorable for Vick to torture and kill animals for sport but fine and dandy for everyone else to torture and kill animals for cuisine?” No further comment necessary here……… Sometimes I think we should reconsider free speech (only kidding).
The prevailing opinion of many in the Black Community seems to raise up the recent admittedly ludicrous sentences that Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan served for serious crimes as a counter to Vick’s thuggery. The last time I looked that same equal opportunity courtesy was recently extended to Nicole Richie who says of her heritage that she is a "mix of everything", and identifies herself as African-American.
I guess that while we are talking about hospitality being extended to Black Folk, we would have to include OJ Simpson who foully murdered two people and got away with the criminal part of it. As we say, Justice is blind.
So, there I go falling to the same emotional abyss employed by Monstabuxx.
I’m not going to do it anymore. I’m going to hold to the facts of the case to wit that Vick committed the acts, initially denied them (plead not guilty) to the judiciary & law enforcement, the NFL Commissioner, the Atlanta Falcons and the whole world. Vick only plead guilty after his three co-defendants plead guilty and along with four witnesses, agreed to cooperate with the prosecution. His buddies rolled over on him, big time. Vick plead guilty to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in an animal-fighting venture.
This apparently doesn’t include the most heinous cruelty to animals where Vick admitted to participating in the execution of dogs that were sent to the happy hunting ground for not being vicious enough or losing a match. The dogs were killed by electrocution, drowning, beating, hanging and other brutal means. Gads!
The National Football League's Personal Conduct Policy allows that "It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime. Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful. Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."
It is the right of any organization to determine what appropriate behaviors are (and are not) and designate them as a bona fide requirement for initial and continued employment. Usually, failure to abide by these standards is punishable by discipline up to and including termination. The NFL is merely enforcing their own well-known and highly publicized rules of conduct. Vick’s involvement in a gambling operation would appear sufficient by itself to engage their Personal Conduct Policy and breach his contract.
Michael Vick’s life is over as he knew it especially if the Falcons are able to successfully recover monies already paid to Vick. Rawlings and Nike have terminated their contracts with Vick while Reebok and the NFL suspended production and sales of all Vick-related products. Apparently both are giving refunds for jerseys already purchased and returned. Upper Deck and Donruss, the two giant trading card companies, who are apparently putting decency, compassion & morality above profit, are no longer producing a Vick card and have decided to pull all current card inventories at great influence to their bottom lines. Upper Deck also pulled a variety of Vick memorabilia and autographs from its website that includes autographed jerseys, footballs and helmets. In addition, Dick's Sporting Goods and Sports Authority stores have also stopped selling Vick-related goods. Where-o-where did my income streams go…?! As of this writing Vick’s website http://www.mikevick.com/ sports a last entry of January 18, 2007 on his home page and features a thoughtful tribute to those killed in the Virginia Tech Massacre. Safe.
Dog chewed and slobbered Vick cards are appearing on e-bay with one recently fetching $7,400. I can just see a manic Vick madly chewing at his own cards and then selling them on the internet to buy food for his family. It may come down to that. The Atlanta Humane Society is using donated Vick jerseys as towels and bedding for their canine populations. Bottom line: Vick is no longer marketable, period. I guess that Vick could go into rehab or (with apologies) become a preacher/evangelist per his revelation, “Through this situation I've found Jesus."?
I can’t do any better than basketbawful in summarizing this whole tragedy.
“I understand that life isn't black and white. There are plenty of shades of grey in plenty of different circumstances. But there are also lines that, once they're crossed, you don't get to just hop back over without consequences. And I'm not just talking about lost salary and jail time. I'm talking about the staining of one's character. Which is not to say that Vick can't turn things around and become a decent human being again. He can experience genuine remorse and take responsibility for what he's done. He can atone for his misdeeds. Nothing is static, and he has the rest of his life to improve the quality of his character. But right now, are his actions in any way justified? Is he a good person? No.”
Maybe Michael Vick’s real character was demonstrated when after a 31-13 drubbing by the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome last November he gave the Atlanta Falcon’s Fans a middle-finger salute as he left the field of Honor. Hmmmm….
Aye,
Ned Buxton
Richardson, Texas
The National Football League's Personal Conduct Policy allows that "It is not enough to simply avoid being found guilty of a crime. Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful. Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime."
It is the right of any organization to determine what appropriate behaviors are (and are not) and designate them as a bona fide requirement for initial and continued employment. Usually, failure to abide by these standards is punishable by discipline up to and including termination. The NFL is merely enforcing their own well-known and highly publicized rules of conduct. Vick’s involvement in a gambling operation would appear sufficient by itself to engage their Personal Conduct Policy and breach his contract.
Michael Vick’s life is over as he knew it especially if the Falcons are able to successfully recover monies already paid to Vick. Rawlings and Nike have terminated their contracts with Vick while Reebok and the NFL suspended production and sales of all Vick-related products. Apparently both are giving refunds for jerseys already purchased and returned. Upper Deck and Donruss, the two giant trading card companies, who are apparently putting decency, compassion & morality above profit, are no longer producing a Vick card and have decided to pull all current card inventories at great influence to their bottom lines. Upper Deck also pulled a variety of Vick memorabilia and autographs from its website that includes autographed jerseys, footballs and helmets. In addition, Dick's Sporting Goods and Sports Authority stores have also stopped selling Vick-related goods. Where-o-where did my income streams go…?! As of this writing Vick’s website http://www.mikevick.com/ sports a last entry of January 18, 2007 on his home page and features a thoughtful tribute to those killed in the Virginia Tech Massacre. Safe.
Dog chewed and slobbered Vick cards are appearing on e-bay with one recently fetching $7,400. I can just see a manic Vick madly chewing at his own cards and then selling them on the internet to buy food for his family. It may come down to that. The Atlanta Humane Society is using donated Vick jerseys as towels and bedding for their canine populations. Bottom line: Vick is no longer marketable, period. I guess that Vick could go into rehab or (with apologies) become a preacher/evangelist per his revelation, “Through this situation I've found Jesus."?
I can’t do any better than basketbawful in summarizing this whole tragedy.
“I understand that life isn't black and white. There are plenty of shades of grey in plenty of different circumstances. But there are also lines that, once they're crossed, you don't get to just hop back over without consequences. And I'm not just talking about lost salary and jail time. I'm talking about the staining of one's character. Which is not to say that Vick can't turn things around and become a decent human being again. He can experience genuine remorse and take responsibility for what he's done. He can atone for his misdeeds. Nothing is static, and he has the rest of his life to improve the quality of his character. But right now, are his actions in any way justified? Is he a good person? No.”
Maybe Michael Vick’s real character was demonstrated when after a 31-13 drubbing by the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome last November he gave the Atlanta Falcon’s Fans a middle-finger salute as he left the field of Honor. Hmmmm….
Aye,
Ned Buxton
Richardson, Texas
[1] In April 2003 Sonya Elliot, a 26-year-old health-care worker from Georgia, was allegedly infected with the Herpes virus after an unprotected encounter with Vick at the athlete's Duluth, Georgia home. She confronted Vick after testing positive whereupon it was alleged that Vick admitted that he had the virus. It was also alleged that Vick used the name "Ron Mexico" when he was being tested / treated for the virus. Vick settled out of court with Elliot in April of 2005. Since then no further details have been disclosed except that Atlanta Falcon football jerseys sporting the number seven (Vick’s number) and the name Ron Mexico have become popular cult accoutrement, Aye. For an example see http://www.cafepress.com/ronmexico. GEBIII
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