Well, the news story of the day seems to be that Michael Vick has entered into some sort of plea agreement with the State of Virginia, admitting that he helped run a dogfighting operation, including buying property to house the dogs, and admitting that he had a hand in killing at least some of the dogs that were destroyed.
If you know Bubba, this ain’t sittin well with him. I do not believe dogs were put on earth by God so humans can shape them into killers, and I don’t believe that a dog should be put to death, humanely or otherwise, just because they cannot perform an athletic feat. It’s also my personal belief that anyone that enjoys seeing two dogs fight “to the death” has something wrong with their medulla oblongata.
But what really gets me going about this is the fact that Michael Vick appeared to be on top of the world. A respected athlete earning more money than people should ever be allowed to earn for playing a game, one would think that he would have no need for this type of illegal and intensely cruel activity. But, like Bubba’s momma sez, “that’s where thinkin got ya!”
Studies have shown that people that abuse animals have an incredibly high likelihood of physically abusing humans as well. If that’s the case, then anyone caught anywhere near a dogfighting operation is a potential abuser. That means the trainers, property owners, spectators, bettors, everyone.
If we have compassion and understanding, though, we know that abusers have often been abused themselves. Hopefully everyone involved will get the healing and help they need.
So, with all of this being said, Bubba has some final thoughts. Michael, and the rest of the defendants in this case, need jail time. Not 60 days in Sheriff Joe’s tents or something like that…but at least a year, if not more. Volunteer time in some no-kill shelters would be a good thing, too. And last, but not least, a lot of therapy to determine where these people have been failed to the point where they think animals killing each other for SPORT is a fun activity.
Now, I know what some of you are going to say. What about hunters? What about National Geographic films showing lions hunting down gazelles? Well, the hunters that I know use the animals for food, so it isn’t just sport. And the lions and gazelles is just part of the survival instinct of animals, and not just for fun and games. There is a huge difference between gathering food, and killing something just for the sake of watching it die.
Bubba sez say a prayer for Michael and his misguided cronies…that somehow they experience healing through all of this. And if you think dogfighting is fun…get some help, k? God bless y’all.
