Posted on 07/18/2011 4:51:53 PM PDT by kanawa
Michael Vick, the American football player who served 21 months in prison for dog fighting, is scheduled to appear on a Capitol Hill to speak about legislation which would penalize those who support animal fighting.
The Morning Call reported that a bill, titled H.R. 2492, was recently introduced by U.S. Reps Tom Marino and Betty Sutton. It is designed to penalize those who finance and/or attend dog and cock fights and impose additional penalties on those who bring children to such events.
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) president and CEO Wayne Pacelle is also scheduled to be on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
When Vick's prison sentence was almost completed, his representatives approached Pacelle with the idea of having them take part in some work together. A decision was made to allow him to contribute time to do what he could to prevent more dog fighting from taking place.
The HSUS said that Vick is not a spokesperson for the organization or their anti-dogfighting campaign, but they felt he could help because "Vick was a role model for many young people, and he lost everything because of what he did to dogs. His story is the strongest possible example of why dogfighting is a dead end."
Earlier this year he added his voice to Pacelle's in speaking out against an Android app called "Dog Wars."
“I’ve come to learn the hard way that dogfighting is a dead-end street,” the Calgary Herald quoted him as saying. “Now, I am on the right side of this issue, and I think it’s important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty, even in an Android app.”
Best Friends has information on its website about several of the dogs who arrived at their sanctuary terrified and scarred after being rescued from Vick's dogfighting ring. Some of these animals are still struggling with issues resulting from the abuse they suffered.
Writing on Pet Examiner, Howard Portnoy expresses doubt about Vick's motives, but supports the proposed bill, saying that, "Perhaps if Michael Vick had been unable to attract other people who share his sickening blood lust and lack of compassion for animals, dozens of innocent dogs would have been spared."
In a press release about the bill Pacelle said: “Spectators are participants and accomplices who enable the crime of animal fighting, provide a large share of the funding for the criminal enterprise through their admission fees and gambling wagers, and help conceal handlers and organizers who try to blend into the crowd when a bust occurs."
It was renamed KG Dogfighting and put back on the Android marketplace earlier this year.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2713155/posts
We have chickens - a bunch of hens and one rooster. My wife kept the rooster because we let the chicken free-range during the day and she figured the rooster provided some protection against predators. He has large, sharp spurs and can be aggressive.
My wife went down to the barn today and got attacked by the rooster. He crept up behind her and dug a spur into her quad and a spur into her hamstring. She was hurting and beat the rooster to within an inch of his life. Its easy to get angry with them and decide to let them attack each other.
What is funny about how our culture has changed is that my wife and kids have no desire to eat the chickens (they treat them like pets). They are avid meat eater. My mom and dad (prof of Vet Med emeritus) grew up during the depression and could NEVER think of chickens as anything other than food.
Like your folks, I grew up during the depression and fryers constituted a lot of our diet.
But I got burnt out on chicken meat, and really don't care for chicken now. KFC isn't for me.
I hate dogfighting.
I listened to an interview with the head of the HSUS when vick first began to work with them as part of his community service. I was VERY confused and apprehensive as to why the HSUS would agree to working with Vick.
However, I learned a lot. The HSUS president said that the reason they wanted to have Vick help them was that the HSUS had no impact on ghetto kids where most of the dog fighting had been increasing. The ghetto kids could not relate to the representatives of HSUS. But Vick could get through to them and he was well known and a celebrity.
The agreement was very carefully set up. It would be no “just photo ops” and that HSUS would come up with the terms. Coach Dungy was also a part of the negotiations. Vick was to actually go to the community and do actual presentations at school, community and church centers. The HSUS and the courts monitored all of Vicks’ volunteer work.
The HSUS was very impressed with the results of this outreach. AS abhorrent I find Vick’s behaviors, and the cynicism I have over possible “human change” I believe this was the right move.
Yes, we have a lot of problems in the US. However, once again, this testimony may reach more youth that we could not otherwise reach. I am one to easily hold grudges, and I only hope that Vicks really has been a changed person. Coach Dungy is an excellant mentor and I do put a lot of faith in him.Moreover, while Vicks may be able to scam others, I think it would be harder to do with Dungy, who has seen the good, bad and the ugly.
THIS JUST IN: Casey Anthony is schedule to address U.S. Congress on child abuse.
You’re a Michael Vick supporter. What do you think about this?
Later in the day, Casey Anthony will address Congress on child rearing.
Not a fan of either Vick or HSUS. They tipped their hand during the Vick episode, urging that the dogs not be given the chance to be rehabilitated. Another arm of PETA. All are despicable, although I’d like to THINK that Vick has seen the error of his ways and is truly remorseful, but only the Lord can bring about that kind of heart change.
When I bought my small farm the chickens came with it. Just hens & then I became the drop off for unwanted chickens. I have a silkie rooster & he is cute. I can not eat chicken (never liked it anyway) nor can I eat eggs anymore. Everybody else does here & says the eggs are great. None of my ducks & chickens fight. Geese, which I will not have can be downright mean.
My head just exploded.
Hey you!
Stop insulting scum!
Scum has a purpose as a single cell organism upon which more complex organisms feed.
Vicks is the crud scum wipes off its feet before it crawls back into the sewer.
[why, no, I don’t have a strong opinion about him..why do you ask?]
:)
This is probably meant to pacify the people who have longer attention spans than fruit flies and who have yet to forget what he did.
Outlaw Vick. A sadist who went well beyond dogfighting.
Impossible.
No decent FReeper could still support that sadistic freak.
Not while Georgia is still spending the rest of her life at DogTown, too damaged by her time on “the rape rack” to ever have hope of a normal home and family.
Her ears were cropped, her tail had been broken several times, she had scars all over her face, she’d clearly given birth to many litters, and she had no teeth.
Forget?
Forgive?
F no.
Oh I have chicken breasts marinating as I type.......Will bake them tomorrow..evening. With a nice grouping of veggies too....
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