Dog Dayz of Summer

There's a place on Interstate 10 inside the Los Angeles city limits where it meets with the I-5 and becomes one freeway. Just before that point comes, though, the 10 winds and bends and contorts itself to get in a position where it can meet up with its busier counterpart.

It was in that place some 15 years ago that I saw one of the most horrible scenes I've ever seen. A stray golden retriever found it's way into the freeway bushes and was attempting to cross the crowded thoroughfare. It darted out in front of a truck and was missed, but the sedan behind it wound up rolling right over its midsection. My mother, who was driving at the time, swerved out of the way as it struggled to get to its feet. I kept watching, terrified as we passed and an RV approached the helpless dog.

I turned away.

I love animals. I had a dog for my entire childhood; we had to put her down just last year due to complications from her old age. Pepper was a good dog, I loved her dearly. I say these things because I don't want there to be any thought that I somehow hate animals or am unsympathetic in some way.

Could people please cut Michael Vick some slack?
I mean, really.

I believe that before getting into the polarizing issue that is Mike Vick, three intrinsic assumptions must be realized:

1. Human Life is More Valuable Than an Animal's: As cold as that may sound, it is and must remain true for the preservation of the species. Yes, animals have taken a special place in many people's hearts, but at the end of the day, a human is more important.

2. Michael Vick is a Human: Despite what some may say about the man now -- and despite his own contributions which have helped others form opinions to the contrary -- Vick is a human being.

3. All Humans Make Mistakes in Judgement: No matter how hard we may try, none of us is perfect. We are not God. We fall short, we make errors. We are flawed. No one is above making a mistake in judgement.

To see those three things, the argument could be that Michael is no human, so those rules don't apply. Nothing could be further from the truth. Regardless of the perceived severity of his acts, he is still a human being. If deadly acts against animals is the threshold for inhumanity, why are bullfighters so adored in Spain, cheered as they repeatedly and playfully stab a young bull to death? Why are circuses still allowed to continue, selling out from Los Angeles to Chicago the New England? Are those people somehow disqualified from humanity? It's all about perception.

When it was announced that Vick signed with the Eagles, the president of PETA wrote a scathing press release, going into great detail as to the things Michael had done to dogs. What I think they forgot was that Vick had already paid his legal debt to society. If the federal government can forgive him of his sins, why can't we?



Day 5.