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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
Earl Armstrong’s piece, “Dogs not the only ‘Vick’-tims of white laws” is probably the most racist piece I’ve seen in some time. He constantly categorizes this as part of the black “culture” and that as part of the white “culture.”
Sorry Earl, culture is not dependent on race but on societal norms. He states that dog fighting is part of the black culture and part of black male machismo. He excuses this behavior as a response to the lack of effect black people has in the political domain. He even points to the frequent appearance of the dogs in rap videos.
Sorry Earl, but this is a “sport” engaged by white people too, usually the backwoods type, but probably a few up-scale people as well.
He quotes Stephon Marbury comparing it to deer hunting. This is a statement either out of ignorance or plain intellectual dishonesty.
First off, a hunter tries to kill the deer quickly and cleanly (suffering makes the meat taste bad). This is not the case with dog fighting where the fight can go on for 30 grueling and bloody minutes to the enthusiastic cheers and shouts of those watching. The losing dog is executed for not winning the fight. (If dog races followed this policy how many dogs would reach retirement?)
Second, hunting as a sport descended from hunting for survival. It requires skill to seek and kill the deer, more so with the bow hunters than with a rifle. And it is regulated to keep the deer healthy and prevent starvation when the numbers become too large. Dog fighting only glorifies the owner of the winning dog. It’s not a skill the owner taught the animal, it was the result of the abuse to make the dog vicious. And when the dog dies? He goes on to the landfill.
Those putting dogs in a ring to fight, stop caring about the suffering of the animal. In fact, the disregard for animals is one of the things psychologists look for in a criminal’s past.
To finish, a quote from rap music, “Better check yourself, before you wreck yourself.”
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