From The Ramparts

The Mass Media and Michael Vick

The Mass Media and Michael Vick

“In 2006, pet-abuse.com found 122 suspected dogfighting cases nationwide (114 with pit bulls), but that number only represents a fraction of cases. Many police departments don’t report dogfighting, and many cities don’t announce that they have confiscated dogs because owners have been known to break in and steal them back. Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, says at least 40,000 people are actively involved in the industry, not including spectators. He calls it the modern day equivalent of the fights in the Roman Colosseum: ‘It comes from the same dark place in the human spirit.’” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19836601/site/newsweek/

Michael Vick’s guilty plea on charges of felony animal abuse is the rage of the corporate mind control apparatus. Based upon the amount of energy, air time and exposure the mainstream media has spent chronicling Michael Vick, you would think his actions were on the same par as Alberto Gonzales’ resignation, the worsening US occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and the escalating credit and financial crisis. In fact in some mediums Michael Vick’s woes have pushed those stories into the background. What’s up with that? Is the media saying an immature professional athlete’s poor judgment, skewered values and ostentatious lifestyle are so important to the overall culture of this country they deserve taking almost half the air time on the television and cable news networks? With all that is going on in the world can the US media honestly say (with a straight face) the Michael Vick story is that important?
Or is there another agenda at work here? Is Vick getting this attention because he is a dark skinned man of African descent who happens to be a highly paid professional athlete? Is the media not so subtly playing the “race card” creating a hot button issue by exploiting deep seated psychological biases against black males to distract us from all the corruption, malfeasance, criminality and treachery being done by white males at the highest levels of the US government? Does the US media really care about animal abuse? If you do some independent research you will discover dog fighting is big business in AmeriKKKa across all ethnic and socio-economic lines. “The culture of dogfighting is as diverse as America itself. Dogfighters come from virtually all walks of life and engage in the blood sport at vastly different levels. Some fighters operate on a national or even international level within highly clandestine networks. These fighters are professionals that breed generations of skilled ‘game dogs,’ take a great deal of pride in the lineage of their dogs and charge tremendous stud fees to breed their champions. They publish trade journals for distribution to dogfighting enthusiasts around the world. The journals, with names like Your Friend and Mine, Game Dog Times, The American Warrior, and The Pit Bull Chronicle, include information on recent fights including the winners and losers, and advertisements for training equipment and puppies. One of the largest and most widely recognized, The Sporting Dog Journal, circulates over 10,000 copies worldwide. Because the professional fighters are so geographically dispersed, they also utilize the internet to communicate with one another. The “cyber-dogmen” maintain websites that to the untrained eye appear to be networks of breeders or ‘game dog’ fanciers. They often go so far as to publish legal disclaimers on the websites, maintaining that they do not condone dogfighting and the information should be ‘viewed as fiction’ and utilized ‘for entertainment purposes only.’ The Websites typically include specific information on the lineage of the dogs, historic accounts of dog-fighting that glorify anonymous, deceased, or ‘retired’ dog-men, and message boards for enthusiasts to discuss everything from buying and training champion fighting dogs to veterinary tips on treating wounded dogs. Professional fighters are wealthy and experienced, often investing thousands of dollars on buying and training their dogs, and on transport to the fight venues. The fights are extremely well organized and difficult for law enforcement to find. Participants and spectators are often not told where the venues are until moments before the fight. ‘Gaining access to these circles is extremely hard,’ says Eric Sakach, Director of the West Coast Regional Office of the Humane Society of the United States.” Dog Fighting Detailed Discussion http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ddusdogfighting.htm#s6
Dogfighting is widespread in many urban areas in AmeriKKKa. My question is, if it is so widespread and prolific why all the fuss about Michael Vick? Vick is just one guy involved in the reprehensible “sport” of dogfighting. My take on all this is, the media is using Michael Vick as a diversion and scapegoat. I certainly don’t condone what he did but in the overall scheme of things, which is worse, dogfighting or creating a financial house of cards Ponzi scheme where millions of people will lose their homes and investments? Which is worse dogfighting or lying to the nation to rationalize the invasion of several countries in the name of a totally bogus War on Terror? Which is worse Vick lying about his involvement in a dogfighting operation or Bu$h-Cheney and Congress lying about 9-11?
I think most sane people would acknowledge what Michael Vick did is reprehensible and he definitely should be held accountable and responsible for it, but at the same time they would have to admit what Bu$h and Co. are doing is far more worse, far more dangerous and impacts far more people! Yet why aren’t Congress and the masses of AmeriKKKans demanding Bu$h and Cheney be held accountable and sent to jail!!
The media knew Michael Vick painted himself into a corner when he pleaded “not guilty” several weeks ago when it came to light abused dogs and dog remains were found on his estate. Folks pretty much knew Vick was facing an uphill fight when he was indicted in a federal court in Richmond Virginia. When his co-defendants plead guilty it was just a matter of time before Vick’s story fell apart and he was exposed. So why all the coverage, why the fuss about him but no such coverage or fuss about numerous Bu$h’s lies about WMD, the corporate corruption rampant in this country or the real costs of the phony war on Terrorism? Does this make any sense to you?
I realize sports are a major media diversion/distraction in this country along with the lifestyles of “celebrities” and the sexual proclivities of politicians and athletes. The media deliberately focuses so much time, air and print space on these topics while eschewing serious analysis about what is really going on in the world. But we don’t have to go for the okey-doke. Don’t allow the media and their talking heads to divert your attention, keep you hooked on programming that only offers the lowest and basest levels of thought and consciousness. Don’t allow the media to establish your values and priorities or define your reality.
Michael Vick will get his just deserts in all this. He brought this on himself, which is extremely unfortunate because so many people looked up to him due to his athletic prowess. But just because you can run and throw a football doesn’t mean you are above the law. Just like because someone was handed the US presidency doesn’t make them and their cronies above the law! Most of all we can’t allow the corporate media to set a bogus agenda, construct our view of reality or frame what we think is important on an issue like this.

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posted by Junious Ricardo Stanton @ 12:38 PM