Editor,
In response to the Aug. 17 column “Race a factor in PETA’s rebuke of Vick,” it’s worth noting that in addition to PETA, millions of decent football fans around the world were disappointed that the Philadelphia Eagles chose to sign Michael Vick.
This is a man who hanged dogs from trees, electrocuted them with jumper cables, held them underwater until they drowned in his swimming pool, and even threw his own family dogs into the fighting pit to be torn to shreds while he laughed.
If a professor had been convicted of these crimes, would you want that person teaching again? Michael Vick and the Eagles are now teaching a nation-full of kids that if you’re elite enough, you can do whatever you want without long-term consequences.
Animal abusers are cowards who take their issues out on “easy victims” — and as numerous studies show, these often include members of their own species. Such barbaric cruelty is especially worrisome in light of the FBI’s finding that a history of cruelty to animals regularly appears in its records of serial rapists and murderers.
Vick should count himself lucky that he gets a chance to be “rehabilitated” when most pit bulls who have survived the hell that he put his dogs through are too crushed and torn to shreds — physically and spiritually — to ever have a chance at a normal life again. PETA hopes that Vick has learned his lesson and is remorseful for his crimes, but since he’s given no public indication that’s the case, only time will tell.
Ryan Huling
College Campaign Coordinator for PETA
