Richmond SPCA said it best regarding Michael Vick

Robin Starr has stated what I have a hard time doing regarding Dog Fighting (in general) and the circus regarding the Michael Vick Case. For this reason, I copied it from my email from the Richmond SPCA to share with you.


On July 26, a group of us from the Richmond SPCA waited for hours in the heat to be present in the Federal District courtroom for the arraignment of Michael Vick and his co-defendants on dog fighting charges. It was worth the wait.
The proceedings were predictable and dignified in nature although you would never use those adjectives to describe the scene outside of the courthouse. There were hundreds of people there to mourn the dogs and to make the world aware of the unspeakable cruelties they have suffered. There were also Vick supporters present who seemed to reject the idea that he had committed the wrongs of which he is charged and even a few that disparaged the premise that dog fighting is a heinous crime. There were also some people who tried to make this out to be a racial issue.
As long as we have worked to make the public aware that dog fighting is a widespread underground activity of organized crime and brutal gangs, it was rewarding to me to see these men being brought to justice. While they are only the tip of the iceberg, the enormous amount of attention being paid to this matter gives me hope that the public’s outrage will translate into real progress in stopping this barbarism.
I am offended at the effort to make this out to be a racial matter. This is a matter of cruelty, nothing else. If the horrific allegations prove to be true (and the prosecutors indicated that there would be more to come), there is no excuse that can be made for these crimes. Animals are our companions and our friends who share this earth with us. They love us regardless of our color, class, religion or any other factor. They do not deserve to be brutalized and our society does not deserve the effects of such brutality. Let’s all acknowledge this sadism for what it is and, if these men are convicted, let the court know that the maximum sentence is the only appropriate response.
I will be writing a series of commentaries on the animal welfare issues related to the Vick prosecution for the Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial pages as the case progresses. Please be looking for them over the coming few months. Thank you so very much for helping the Richmond SPCA to protect the well-being of the animals who need us.
Sincerely,


Robin Robertson Starr

Thanks Robin for speaking my thoughts so eloquently.

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