It'll never be over, even when the fat lady sings kumbaya!!

[TAD]

Racial divide
By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports
July 26, 2007

Dan Wetzel
Yahoo! Sports
RICHMOND, Va. – The crowded, chaotic sidewalk on Main Street, across from the federal courthouse, was an unlikely location for a lesson on the virtues of the fifth amendment.

But standing behind a throng that wanted a pound of Michael Vick's flesh – people that had just screamed for the Atlanta Falcons quarterback to "burn in hell" and held signs advocating his murder, torture and neutering – was Thomas Smith in work boots and a white t-shirt.

High above his head he held a simple sign with just a single word: "Constitution."

"These folks have convicted a man who hasn't even had a chance to defend himself," said Smith. "They just forget everything about America."

But here was America in full force, full vision, mixing it up while Vick pled not guilty to federal charges pertaining to an alleged dog-fighting ring on property he owned in rural Surry County. And front and center, impossible to ignore, was race.

Like Smith, almost all of the people supporting Vick or holding signs pleading for "due process" and "innocence until proven guilty" were African American.

On the other side was an emotional, angry, passionate anti-Vick group that was overwhelmingly white.

Certainly not every animal rights supporter was screaming for Vick to die. Many were just there to support the cause of caring for animals, ending the barbaric practice of dog fighting and using the massive media presence to benefit good.

But a significant number were focused on Vick. When he emerged from a black SUV and made a slow walk up a ramp and into the courthouse, they pushed toward police barriers and let loose.

"Burn in hell you (expletive) (expletive)," repeatedly screamed one woman.

"Die like those dogs," shouted another.

Not long after Vick got inside the courthouse – and in a scene that was repeated when he left less than two hours later – the two sides clashed in shouted voices and dueling signs.

White people screaming for justice; black people asking if they still remember everything justice entails.

That a case involving dog fighting can break so quickly along racial lines is a testament to how it bubbles below just about everything in this country. We all wish it wasn't so, including both sides here. No one wanted this. Almost no one even wanted to acknowledge it. But it was there, plain as day in black and white.

"I wouldn't say it's a racial thing," said David Williams, an African American, in a hopeful tone. "It's not racial. But for these animal rights people to take one person and crucify him isn't fair."

The thing is, the "animal rights people" here were an estimated 90 percent white. The pro-Vick/due process crowd was probably 95 percent black.

Obviously, both animal rights advocates and due process proponents come in all colors. And certainly a circus show like this, revved up by a massive media presence, isn't representative of America.

But, then again, I also know what I saw and what I heard.

"They are not going to give the man a chance?" Williams said. "You're innocent until proven guilty. He hasn't even had a trial yet."

There should be two undeniable, 100 percent agreed upon truths concerning this case: First, dog fighting is a barbaric felony and whoever participated in it on Vick's property should get hammered by the justice system.

Second, Vick deserves the right to defend against the charges. The indictment cites four "cooperating witnesses," but presuming each is a dog fighter himself, potentially facing prosecution unless they rolled on Vick, who and how reliable are they?

That said, the U.S. Attorney's office is known for its detail and diligence – this isn't some hack county prosecutor like the Duke lacrosse case. They rarely lose, so the challenge for Vick is serious and significant. But he has the right to fight.

"This is going to be a hard-fought trial," agreed Billy Martin, Vick's attorney.

It may not be any less intense than the scene out on Main Street, where two sides, clearly divided and easily identifiable, both anchored in righteous beliefs and moral causes went at it.

Two black women held a sign declaring: "I support Mike Vick due process." That caused vocal jeering from the protesters, which in turn caused the women to taunt them back by waving the sign at them. Later two men had to be separated by security as their debate descended toward physical confrontation, all as a crowd surrounded shouting in all directions.

And on and on it went on this hot Southern sidewalk.

Dan Wetzel is Yahoo! Sports' national columnist. Send Dan a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-vickhearing072607&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[Vinyl Deficit]

I just don't know how anyone has time to go be mad at someone.

People have to plan their day around going down to yell at someone. About the mistreatment of animals no-less.

Strange days indeed.

[BrazenMuse]

Some people take defending those who don't really defend themselves pretty seriously. It's scary, actually. More concerned about animals than about humans who suffer abuse and all manner of other madness...something worries me about that... compassion needs to extend to all living things, including the ones we eat...and EVERYTHING we eat must be killed in order for us to live...plants suffer too. I don't understand a flat out negation of the I-thou relationship between humans and animals. No, an animal is not a person. But it is also not an inanimate THING either.
I suspect these crazy animal rights people love the absolutely amazing and powerful affection of animals, the kind of trust they can give you. If I were the hero my dog thinks I am, I'd be amazing. I find that many of the ones I've met, who were PETA members and such, don't relate so well to other humans. There's something sad about that too...and absolutely unreasoning in its most extreme forms.

that said...
I am fond of critters. I love my kitties and my dog. I love animals in general. I dislike people who commit random and pointless acts of violence against something which essentially just wants to be loved, didn't ask you to take it home and doesn't have a clue why you are torturing it. It just knows it's being tortured. It doesn't know that your dumb behind thinks of it as an extension of power or of violence, as some sort of surrogate warrior. I've never mistreated my dogs, they have basic socialization and training but nothing more. But touch me and see what they'll do? Why? Because they are dogs. I'm in the pack, you aren't. No need to "make" a dog mean. Heck...I had at least 2 siamese cats that would go for your face if you bothered me too much...didn't "make" them mean either...they were siamese if you please, and most especially when you didn't please.

I hope it doesn't turn into a race-card moment...but obviously it's being read that way. If Vick was part of what was going on at his house, then he needs to pay for it to the full extent of the law. There's no good reason for that sort of thing to be going on and there are reasons we have laws against them...


sigh.

[BrazenMuse]

Peep this article...

West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd trembled with rage on the Senate floor as he lashed out at the barbarity of dog fighting. Byrd, a well-known inveterate animal lover, didn’t mention star Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick by name in his animal defending tirade. Vick has been indicted on federal charges linked to gambling and dog fighting. But Massachusetts Senator John Kerry did mention Vick. He demanded that the NFL suspend Vick. There was no hint that they singled out Vick for attack for any reason other than that they were enraged that a high profile athlete had abused animals and thereby sullied sport.
But the Humane Society of America, the legion of animal rights groups, and a handful of sports commentators that want Vick’s head skipped the racial subtleties and virtually declared that dog fighting is the “sport” of the ghetto, glorified by rappers, indulged in with bloody relish by gang members, and now by black athletes like Vick.
A Humane Society official flatly declared that dog fighting goes with the gang culture in every urban area. The Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society made the even more fantastic, and equally unsupported, claim that nearly forty percent of primary school children have witnessed or been involved in dog fighting, and that it’s a new ghetto rite of passage.
The braid wearing Vick is rich, young, and defiant, and is a tailor made symbol of the spoiled, selfish primma donna black athlete that think and act as if they’re above the law. They are the emblem of the greed, selfish, and violence in sport and by extension in American society. The outlaw image of the violence prone, irresponsible black athlete has been drummed into the head of millions of Americans. It’s easy then to dump blame for a decade’s old flourishing international industry such as dog fighting on the head of a young black man.
*******
Later in the same article:
Though banned in all fifty states and many countries, dog fighting is a popular blood sport in dozens of other countries. That includes England, Italy, Australia, South Africa and Canada. It’s even legally sanctioned in some countries such as Honduras and Japan. As late at the early 1940s the United Kennel Club endorsed dog fighting, devised sporting rules for the matches and provided referees for the fights. In years past and even today, dog fighting has been a wildly popular “sport” in the South, Midwest and rural areas.
There are at least a dozen magazines that promote dog fighting. One of the most popular, The Sporting Dog, has a circulation in the thousands worldwide. The buying, selling, breeding and training of dogs for fighting has long been a big, popular, and lucrative business, with registries for professional dogfighters and dog fighting trainers. Professional dogfighters invest large sums in training dogs to fight and openly boast that their fighting dogs are of pure lineage. Big bet dog matches are held in posh suburban areas and dog fighting enthusiasts who include athletes, celebrities, and businesspersons wager millions annually on these fights. In some bouts, bets that range upwards from $20,000 to 30,000 are placed. Professional dog fighting then is a big, and expanding international business that’s way out of the reach of most poor young blacks.



http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/57682/

[AK]

OJ...Barry Bonds...Mike Vick...next? Where is all the public outrage and protest when..., oh never mind. People who do wrong should be punished, but the lynch-mob mentality and behavior that accompanies "some" offenders is still something to behold in this great country of ours.

[NakedAge]

end of the day, humans are just the most intelligent kind of animal. I understand these peoples anger but getting pissed off and wasting a day letting the defendant know it won't make any difference to anyone, its counter productive.

If they were there because they love animals, and had a brain... They could of been out saving an endangered species.

The way I see it... Look at the list of countries dog fighting is allegedly popular in.

England, Italy, Australia, Canada & South Afrika.... There all great countries. Maybe you should take a leaf from our book yeah?

nah I'm joking. It's barbaric, but I think the focus is definately on the wrong issue.

In this case, yes its barbaric, I agree. Only because I'm the kid whose pappa never let him have a dog but always wanted one. But in alot of situations, your country is portrayed to ours as a rediculous one when it comes to issues of freedoms and politics. Your legal system is literally to us ... A joke. Judge Judy? Come on man. Your a great nation but you take everything so politically... It's rediculous, and then you'se exploit it and every day we hear in our news 'Only in America Could---' and we get another bullshit story delivered to us about the exploitation of freedoms and liberties and justice and shit... Like the judge who sued the dry cleaners... come on.

Sometimes you gotta stop blaming other factors and take responsibility for your actions. Doesn't matter if he's black or white. Whats important is that he is investigated, fairly trialled, with his right to tale his tale, and punished accordingly if found guilty. You can't just rally for a criminal because of the colour of their skin, or against them for that matter. I come from a country BUILT on criminals. .. Australias Colonies were set up because British jails were full so they dumped them here. And look what we are today... The greatest nation on Earth.. The Lucky country. Our national heroes... Ned Kelly... An outlaw... Mark Chopper Reed. A criminal.. Infact the jail he was in when he cut his ears off is walking distance from my house.

You needa start taking responsibility and shit. You can't just start screaming racism because the person who commited the crime is black.

If he's guilty he's guilty... but like, come on... Dogs... Ok I have a soft spot for dogs but lets not denie it... Its fucken cool to watch 2 kangaroos smack the shit out of eachother. I reckon he doesnt deserve a herenously over exagerated sentence

[BrazenMuse]

You needa start taking responsibility and shit. You can't just start screaming racism because the person who commited the crime is black.

If he's guilty he's guilty... but like, come on... Dogs... Ok I have a soft spot for dogs but lets not denie it... Its fucken cool to watch 2 kangaroos smack the shit out of eachother. I reckon he doesnt deserve a herenously over exagerated sentence
Agreed...but even the coverage is immediately racialized. It drives me up a tree. I don't think it's a matter of race or that playing the race card has any advantage for African Americans here...should be standing against that kind of coverage entirely...

What kinds of media coverage do things get if a bad thing is done by an aborigine in Australia?

[BrazenMuse]

I just don't know how anyone has time to go be mad at someone.

People have to plan their day around going down to yell at someone. About the mistreatment of animals no-less.

Strange days indeed.

It's never a matter of HAVING time...it's a matter of MAKING time. I certainly wish more people made time to be more positively politically active!!!

[alvin]

Strange that these people(the so-called animal rights crowd) can organize with such fervor over an incident such as this when the country(as we used to know it) is being shredded apart before their very eyes. Are they protesting a corrupt federal government that is just a dictatorship in business suits? Are they protesting scandal after scandal of government officials within(but not limited to) the present administration. An illegal "war" is being waged and these same bleeding hearts are the same ones who are supporting it...go figure.

Where was the outrage over such atrocities as Abu Ghirab and the U.S. soldiers who raped and murdered the 14 yr old Iraqi girl and murdered her family? Where is the outrage over the U.S. soldiers who are coming home maimed and suffering from psychological disorders or worse...these misguided people are basically saying that they will proclaim the guilt of one man(who has no real power over their daily lives) until they are blue in the face and on the other hand allow a renegade adminstration(that represents them and their way of life) to commit gross crimes against humanity...

It would be safe to assume that the true colors of "middle america" surface yet again...always looking for a "scapegoat" to blame for the whole of societies ills. This is just a lynch mob 21st century style...let the man defend himself in a court of law before you string him up from a tree.

[Pete Nice]

He's just a football player.. How we love when the gods fall...

Yet around your corner... On your block.. Your neighbor is doing something that deserves the same 'lynch mob' mentality..

Your family does the wicked things..

[NakedAge]

Agreed...but even the coverage is immediately racialized. It drives me up a tree. I don't think it's a matter of race or that playing the race card has any advantage for African Americans here...should be standing against that kind of coverage entirely...

What kinds of media coverage do things get if a bad thing is done by an aborigine in Australia?

Your absolutely right. 100% I agree. As for Aboriginals here... We give them added ummm whats the word... We call it the Dole here, like, .. Unemployment, Disability benefits etc .. If your Aboriginal or Torres straight Islander here I think you get ADDED benefits ontop of those of White Australians.

How ever as for Media coverage. I don't want to say Aborigionals are scum but the media certainly portrays them as so.. Reason being is we created an Aborigional assosciation which then had to be dis- assembled because all the people running it were like, they had done something wrong but I can't remember what.

Recently.. The government has intervened in the Northern Territory matters. That is basically Indigenous central. One old man was found selling petrol orrr what you guys call Gasoline, to like, 6 year old girls in return for sex. (They sniff it to get high) whats worse, 6 year olds sniffing car fuel to get high, or an old man giving it to them in return for sex? So they launched an investigation, and it turns that it was so huge that 1 person in every indigenous family has like, been molested as a child or been involved some how. The government has like, sent in doctors and troops and everything now to clean shit up. They only get half their unemployment payments now, other halfs reserved for food and shit cos they spend it on booze and drugs. Trust me. .. You think your ghetto.. You havent seen shit till you see how these poor people live. Its like, out back ghetto. To look at them, is scary because alot of them have been sniffing petrol and getting drunk so much that, their missing that little twinkle of life, their expressionless, just blank. Filthy, covered in vomit and shit sometimes. But thats the reality. BUT!!! I won't say their ALL like that.. No way known. You come across some who are trying to get their act together and their genuine and they thank you for their help, and some go on to do good things. Their great people, and their culture is possibley the oldest on Earth. But because of that, its so hard to communicate with them and thus we have this massive divide now.

But.. The investigation that found atleast 1 in every family has been molested or is a molesterer... That was it. Our government finally said "Fuck this, fair enough our ancestors stole their ANCESTORS land, but we're trying to rectify it, we treat them with more fairness than the rest of society and still they go and fuck up the next generation by, well, fucking them" so he put all these measures into place. Prohibition now in the Northern Territory. Shit like that.. He's enforcing the laws on white fellas too soon. He's trying to protect the next generation and personally I applaude him..

First thing that happend, a hand ful of Aboriginals started basically with the whole "we get treated unfairly now cos we're black" arguement... And yes, the media showed it.. Everyone basically said "fuck off filth bags, no one gives a fuck if your black or not, your raping your children and we're not standing for it and if you wanna use the race card we'll fucken take your kids from you"

Basically, you'd have to either be fucken stupid or a peodophile to not wanna help molested kids, and if your that dumb you shouldn't be trusted with kids.

Though you rarely hear about aborigional individual crimes on the news because, it's every day. No one cares. If you catch the train into the city every day chances are atleast once you'll see a situation of an Aboriginal getting busted by cops for something.. My one, I saw him hold onto the back of a tram and get taken along to escape the police, when the tram stopped to let off passengers they ran up and smacked his head into the back of the tram.. Wasn't on the news, didnt need to be. We don't make crime a BLACK thing here.. Because were a nation founded on WHITE criminals. Before we rocked up, the black fellas had their own system, they didn't come to Australia as criminals, they were BORN into Australia, we came here in chains and shit not them. At heart this country is theres. We're just custodians.

In America from what I know, the black man was brought as a slave to the land. In Australia, it was the WHITE man who was brought as the slave. Look what we did... How? We didn't focus on the colour of our country.. We're multi cultural.

[jimmymack-2000]

Used to be a fact of life in rural parts of England and Wales for quite some time, although it may have died down recently -- not really qualified to judge that.

It's quite another thing when it's monied WASP farmers doing it though, isn't it?