I cannot forgive, Michael Vick who profited off of death

By Mary MacElveen
August 16, 2009

Like man’s best friend, I have been known through my many columns to stick to a subject akin to a dog chewing on an old bone. I do so because an issue has reached out to me and I just cannot let it go.

With that said, one person who read my article concerning the Philadelphia Flyers signing Michael Vick wrote this email to me: “I understand your feelings for the lives of the animals. But Vick did not kill a human being. God says, "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone". If God forgives you & I, why can't you forgive Michael Vick? It has been said that "dog is man's best friend", but believe that "man should be man's best friend". What do you think about the dog pounds that kill animals everyday?”

So, in this subsequent column, I would like to reach out to this reader and commenter. No, Vick did not kill a human being, but he still bank-rolled the killing of one of God’s creatures through dog-fighting and for that, I cannot forgive him in watching feed-after-feed of this horrendous blood-sport if one can call it a sport. To me, it is inhumane torture at its finest and worst.

While I may have my own sins to contend with, I have never, ever killed another human being or animal. Nor have I profited off of the killing of human being and animal alike.

Throughout history, man has failed at being man’s best friend either through greed, war, lust and other examples to numerous to list.

I cannot forgive anyone who profits off of the deaths of both man and animal alike and that has been my stance throughout these years as I have written of war. If I can call Bush a butcher for the senseless killings of innocent human beings, namely Iraqis, I can surely call Vick one for the senseless killings of dogs. To me, both profited off of death. I have seen the flesh ripped off of both human and animal alike and it sickens me to death.

The reader asked of me: “What do you think about the dog pounds that kill animals everyday?” My first response is that you cannot even compare the two. In these harsh economic times, many people facing foreclosure are forced to sign their pets over to various shelters and pounds and due to budgetary reasons, many of these shelters just cannot house them and care for them. So, they are forced to humanely euthanize them. It is a painless procedure as opposed to dog-fighting where these dogs are trained by their handlers to rip the flesh off of each other. All of which causes pain, suffering and more importantly, death. How exactly does one forgive that?

Had Vick been part of any other profession, he would have been ostracized by the community and business world. But because he is a foot ball player where he does have the ability to bring in millions to the Philadelphia Eagles, I feel he is being treated far differently.

As days, weeks, months, and years go by, I feel that people will forget how Vick brought pain and suffering towards innocent animals and will cheer him on. In speaking to a friend today, he bluntly said to me, Vick should be put into the bloody-pit and forced to suffer as these animals did. In earshot was another friend who does own a pit bull and he is angered as well.

To the original commenter and the rest of my readers, I ask that you view this most graphic feed, The Horrors of Dog Fighting. This is exactly the world that Michael Vick bank rolled and for anyone to ask me to forgive him is something I cannot do. Nor should you.

Lastly, if you see evidence of dog fighting within your community, I ask that you call your local police department as well as your local human society. Let us help put an end to the suffering of these animals. As dogs have been called man’s best friend, let us be their best friend as well and come to their aid.

Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net

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