PETER SHANKMAN
| POSTED ON July 30th, 2007 | 46 COMMENTS | + ADD YOUR COMMENT |
Dear Mr. Vick:
It would have been very simple to write a brief mention of you, noting that I hope you get the book thrown at you, hoping you get abused and beaten in prison, tortured and eventually left to die just like the animals on whom you wagered… But what would that accomplish?
Rather, I write this, not so much that I hope you’ll read it, but rather, on the chance that millions of other people will see it, and feel the anger, the absolute rage, the disgust that I share the same title as “human being” with something as foul as yourself.
I write this because you’ve failed, Mr. Vick.
You’ve failed as a person.
You’ve failed as an example to children and adults the world over.
You’ve failed as a sportsman.
You’ve failed as a human being.
You had everything. You had “the life.” You had “the image.” You had the endorsements, you had the backing of the fans. You literally had the world at your feet. You had the gift of being one of the most talented athletes in the world, good enough to earn a $100 million dollar contract with the Atlanta Falcons. You had “Star Quarterback” labeled on you wherever you went.
In fact, the only thing you seemed to be missing was compassion.
You took everything that you had, and rather than do something good with it, thought it better to kill animals for your own amusement.
I’ll say that again. Mr Vick, you are an animal murderer. You sir, murder animals, and you do it under the guise of “sport.”
There is nothing sporting about making animals kill each other for your own personal amusement, Mr. Vick.
You sicken me.
For what reason, Mr. Vick, would you do this? You didn’t need the money. You could have gone to Vegas if you felt the need to gamble. You could have taken drugs if you needed a high.
Instead, you felt the need to murder animals. Animals that had no ability to save themselves. They couldn’t call their assistants to bring the limo around when they wanted to go home. They didn’t have the ability to call a time-out and regroup. They had to fight until they were dead, or so bloody and injured that they prayed for death.
And you gave them death. According to the Associated Press, your dogfighting ring allegedly executed underperforming pit bulls by hanging, electrocution or other brutal means, including slamming them into the ground until they were dead.
Well done, Mr. Vick. Your mother must be so proud of you. The NFL must be thrilled to have you among their ranks. Except that you were uninvited to training camp. So it looks like they’re not.
With a $100 million dollar contract, you couldn’t purchase one person to be a part of your entourage with any soul? Anyone who could have said, “you know, not only is this illegal, but it’s also terribly cruel. Why would you want to get involved in this?”
And don’t give me any stories about how it’s what they do in the projects, or it’s how you were raised, or it’s your culture, or your socio-influence. I simply don’t care. Hurting animals, deliberately, and for your own sick pleasure is wrong. Nothing you can say, can ever, ever, justify that.
Someone in your camp asked how this is any different than a celebrity getting busted for having Cocaine in her pockets… I’ll explain how, Mr. Vick. If a celebrity wants to blow lines until his or her heart explodes, he or she is free to do that. In fact, if they die, it’s probably more proof that Darwin was right. They’re not torturing and murdering animals in the process.
You, however, hurt those that did nothing to you. You didn’t hurt yourself when you forced animals to fight to their deaths. You didn’t hurt yourself when you shoved electrical wires up the anus’s of dogs who didn’t perform “well enough” for you.
But now, Mr. Vick, you’ve hurt yourself.
Nike has dropped you.
Reebok has dropped you.
Upper Deck has dropped you and removed your cards from unsold packs.
No training camp for you.
Your “buddy,” another heartless being, Tony Taylor, turned on you, copped a plea, and is helping the government build a case against you.
Your teammates are saying very scripted things, like “he hasn’t been convicted yet,” and “it’s an unfortunate situation.”
You know what those lines are called in the PR world?
They’re called “distancing one’s self from the situation.”
How does it feel to be a pariah?
Chances are really, really good that you’re going to wind up in jail, Mr. Vick.
And it’s not going to be a quick 15-day-sentence, either.
You’re looking at hard time, Mr. Vick.
Years, possibly. Your career is more than likely over.
I mean, honestly – who would want you, knowing what you do behind closed doors for “amusement?”
They say the universe tends to work itself out as it should. Looks to me, as your friends turn on you, as all your sources of income dry up, and as you’re left out to rot, on your own, with no friends, no team, and no entourage to back you, that the universe is working out just the way it should, indeed.
Perhaps in prison, you’ll learn something about compassion. Perhaps it’ll come at the hands of someone bigger than you one night when the guards aren’t there to protect you. Perhaps someone with an electric plug will teach you about compassion, about love, about feelings, about caring.
Or perhaps you’ll be in so much pain, you’ll be unable to learn. And then you too, just like the dogs you murdered, will pray for death.
But then, it seems to me, as you take stock of the complete one-hundred-eighty degree turn your life has taken in the past fourteen days, you might already be doing that.
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Just goes to show money ain’t everything……..Once a thug, always a thug! |
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While I agree wholeheartedly with your post, what frustrates me most about this story is the double standard that many people seem to hold regarding cruelty to dogs versus cruelty to other animals. Everyone that feels enraged by Michael Vick should feel even more enraged by industrialized farming practices, in which similar human negligence has caused prolonged and excruciating suffering on the part of animals. Of course, industrialized farming does serve a useful purpose (food production) that is lacking in dog fighting. However, that does not forgive the inhumane practices that run rampant in the farming industry. Sites such as meat.org, while extreme, can give readers a feel for what is possible, and why we desperately need to advocate for change. Incidentally, the animal rights movement is in dire need of some good PR! |
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An Open letter to Michael Vick Card publisher, Upper Deck, has decided to remove all autographed football cards from its online stores. This happened just as the NFL stores stopped selling Michael Vicks jersey. Michael Vick has been accused of Dog Fighting in Virginia,… |
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I’m so glad someone brought up animal agriculture. Many more animals suffer just as much as these dogs did, except instead of condemning it, we fork over cash and call it dinner. However, I would disagree with the statement that animal agriculture serves a useful purpose: it’s still hurting and/or killing animals for our own purposes, when there’s plenty of alternatives. Just like there are other forms of entertainment besides dogfighting, there are other ways to eat that don’t involve cruelty to animals. That we think we “need” animals for food at all is the result of some very good PR on behalf of meat/dairy/egg industry. |
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Peter, I am a woman with four Whippets. After hearing about M. Vick, I felt disgusted, and frustrated and terribly sad. I didn’t know what to do, but, after reading your open letter, I feel that you’ve just done it for all of us. Thanks for saying what we all feel. I’m glad YOUR mother brought YOU up with decency and empathy for animals!!! |
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I agree and I have a petition linked to my website above to stiffen the penalty for dog fighting. please help and sign my petiton. |
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Please sign my dog fighting petition, I want stiffer sentences and plan on fighting for this to become a reality |
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Very well said. I can’t wait to forward to everyone I know. I volunteer in dog rescue, see the effects of dog-fighting on the “winners” and “losers” every day. Work to try to find the survivors good, loving homes that will understand their past abuses and work compassionately with them to overcome the nightmares and memories that linger in the recesses of their minds. Most striking during all of this, what truly tugs at our heartstrings and elicits the most fervent pleas for rescue, is the dogs’ ability to put the past in the past, to remain loving and loyal companions to anyone who shows them kindness. Few people consider the killing of animals “murder,” as that is a term reserved specifically for the human animal. But in cases such as this where there is complete depravity involved, a total lack of empathy, a void of common sense, and a blatant demonstration of a person’s truly evil soul, what other word fits most accurately? In your recognition of this, I applaud you. If only the legal system thought the same. With highest regards, |
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This is, by far, the most well-written and meaningful letter to Michael Vick that I have seen. I’m very sorry that he breathes the same air that I do. I feel tainted. |
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For all of those who cry daily for the inhumane treatment of all animals. You speak for us, in the best write up I have seen to date. I hope all who read this and agree will not only pass it on, but support you in all you do. You are obviously a wonderful human being. YOUR Mother must be VERY proud! keep up the wonderful work and using your voice to make the world a better place~ |
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i concure with all of your comments and i commend you for your courage and honesty and “telling it as it is”. our society can not tollerate a “human” and i use that word very loosly, that would do such a hideous crime against nature. |
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Peter, from someone who tirelessly works with dog and wildlife rescue, BRAVO! Beautifully written – a true piece of art. You have an eloquent way of expressing a sensitive side to the hideous and disgusting act of extreme animal cruelty. I wish this could be printed in every sports journal and newspaper across the country. Thank you, Peter. |
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Beautifully stated letter! Ya know, Vick is just proof that you can pull the thug out of the ghetto, but you can’t pull the ghetto out of the thug! |
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I’M NOT IN TOTOAL AGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING MR. PETER. NOR AM I SUPPORTING THE ACTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE HOME OF MR. VICK. OF COURSE IT HAS GIVEN EVERYONE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT AND YOU KNOW HOW WE ALL JUST NEED SOMETHING NEW TO PICK APART, TO JUDGE, SOMEONE TO BASH, WEATHER WE KNOW THE TRUTH OR NOT. I ASLO REALIZE THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES AND IN THAT WORLD THERE OR FOLLOWER OF GOD AND THERE ARE NON BELIEVER OF GOD. I HOWEVER AM A BELIEVER, AND IN WHAT I FOLLOW WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD, JESUS ASKS A QUESTION IN MATTHEW, AND SAYS “HE THAT IS AMONG YOU THAT IS WITHOUT SIN (OR FOR THE NON BELIEVERS) THAT HAS NEVER MADE A MISTAKE REGARDLESS OF THE DEGEREE- LET HIM CAST THE FIRST STONE” SO IF THAT IS THE CASE NO ONE HAS ROOM TO REALLY JUDGE ANYONE. TRUTH IS EVERYONE HAS DONE SOMETHING IN LIFE, NOT EVERYONE HAS BEEN CAUGHT BUT EVERYONE HAS DONE SOMETHING WEATHER IT BE TAKING A COOKIE OUT OF THE COOKIE JAR, OR DOGFIGHTING. LET THE COURT DEICIDE AND WHATEVER HIS PUNISHMENT IS LET IT BE. BUT I CHALLENGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AT THERE OWN LIVES AND CORRECT THERE WRONG BEFORE TRYING TO JUDGE THE NEXT PERSON. IF WE WOULDN’T IDOLIZE PEOPLE SO MUCH WE WOULDNT BE SO SHELL SHOCK WITH THEY MESS UP. THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE ALL BORN INTO SIN, SO A PERSON IS CAPABLE OF ANYTHING. |
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You said it all and God bless you for it. The man is a sick and twisted individual. He should be wet down and electrocuted during his long stay in prison. Can someone tell me how people can hurt an innocent animal? |
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I agree totally with your post Peter, I hope he gets the maximum penalty for his actions. As for Phil’s comment, yes we have all done things in our lives that we are not very proud of, but taking a cookie from the cookie jar is COMPLETELY different than the subject at hand. So basically your quote from the bible, and yes I am a believer, does not mean that it is ok to torture anyone, including a defenseless animal. I too volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter and have seen many animals come through that are scared of so many things and have been abused. I am in school for a BA in Criminal Justice, and torture and murder to humans, all starts with animals. IT IS WRONG!! And people who do it should pay for what they do, bottom line! I hope Mr. Vick gets all that he deserves, so far everyone has turned on him, just as he has done to his fans for what he did, he is not a hero, he is not a mentor, he is no one to look up too. |
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This is a damn shame, he is sick man, I hope he gets what he deserves. |
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To “believers” “non-believers” or what ever designation you choose: not being jugemental does not mean suspending good judgement.Sure we’re all “born to sin” and every human being is more than the worst thing that they’ve done.The difference between a good human being or not is whether the lesser self is in service to the better self or the other way around. Wishing tortures and torments on Michael Vick is counter productive; crying “innocent until proven guilty” naively overlooks the sheer volume of evidence in this particular situation .He will be convicted . |
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I agree wholheartedly! I loves Ghandi’s quote, “a nation cam be judged by the way it treats its animals”. Mr. Vick is a sad testimony to his nation. I agree, wholheartedly, with so many things here. There is absolutely no excuse for savage behavior in the guise of humanity. They will face a challenge selecting an unbiased jury. |
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I think Mr. Vick has forgotten what makes us of a “higher order” than other species.Or more to the point, he clearly thinks he’s better than anyone who is here writing their thoughts. The man showed no remorse during an interview-in fact was so disgustingly nonchalant about it that the woman interviewing him let her disgust show when she asked him, “Are you sick or something? What is wrong with you?” Mr. Vick, people are given opportunities in this life so that they can make something more of themselves. You have done nothing but debase the word humanity. You are a mockery of humankind. I think of you as a cockroach. But even they serve a useful purpose-I have yet to figure out just what exactly it is you serve here on earth. You seem to have forgotten a few things with all your wealth and endorsements etc- 1.) you are NOT God, it is not your right to take away ANY life Frankly, I would love to put you in a pen and let you get ripped to shreds by a pack of hungry dogs or some wild animals. Anything you get, that does not inflict horrid pain until death, will be better than something like you deserves. You are disgusting and unworthy of the words “human being”. |
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I would love to avenge the deaths of all those poor dogs by electrocuting this sick sorry excuse for a human being…! thank you to all the good people out there who give these poor animals a voice.. |
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Through all of this, people have not been told about the “bait” animals used to train these dogs. Not only did the dogs die, but also cats/kittens/puppies/small dogs/rabbit/raccoons were used as bait to train these dogs. These animals are put in a capture cage and the dogs are worked into a frenzy while this poor animal in the cage is terrified and tormented, then, they let the animal out of the cage and the Pit Bull then rips it apart. When I encounter people wanted to “give” their animals (pets or unwanted litters) away, I always caution them against doing this because their beloved pet can and do end up as a bait animal (or food for someone’s snake, but that is a whole other issue). Yes, the Pit Bulls are victims of Mr. Vick’s (and those of his ilk’s) greed and depravity, but let us not forget the other innocent victims of this blood “sport”. |
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What a WONDERFUL letter! Kudos to you and your magnificent and eloquent words! I initially hoped Vick would get his A$$ beaten and left to die as well, but then I thought that that was too good for him and he should endure a lifetime of pain and suffering. He is nothing but a cold-blooded murdering scumbag and a pathetic excuse for a human being. He is a piece of crap and the mere thought of him makes me vomit!! God Bless all of you wonderful people who speak out, support, and protect animals!! XOXOXO |
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Millions of people are in total agreement |
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Besides Mr Vick’s obvious sentencing, jail time and fine I believe he should be required to work in an animal shelter daily cleaning after and maintaining high living standards for homeless, helpless animals. It would be an opportunity to not only reap what he has sown according to universal law but give back in debt to those kind he has neglected, injured, maimed and killed. There is consequence for every choice in life. Having to suffer the infliction personally or by rectifying the harm with the opposite amount of good would help EVEN THE SCORE! |
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I have worked in Rescue for 15+ years, received numerous local hero rewards, Goverment awards, and American Red Cross awards. I have seen alot of cruilty and neglect. This is one that a tear just flows for those poor babies, they are born into the world just like a child, society and the care takers had a responsibility to nurish and teach and love them, they deserved a chance at life. Instead he took the gifts that were given to him and in my opinion – gave satin a blow job – well guess what happens when you swollow up the devil – he is running through his veins, and the big dumb idiot did not even know what he was doing! Ya, common, ” I play football, I cannot read or write, but I know the plays” just does not cut it, and I had no idea what was going on in my own backyard, and what, what buildings in the back – what pit? A pit he has crawled into now, and lets hope he never gets a chance to crawl out of. Not only should he recieve jail sentences, but should relinquish every penny he has; to someone like him, monitary is everything, and his world should be put to death just like the sentence his compasion gave to those poor babies. …and that is just my opinion. Mary Ann |
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To those of you who have a problem with agriculture animals. Yes, there is treatment of those animals that should be addressed and corrected, but… You need to be informed that animal by products are used in your everyday life, not just food. Do you drive a car? You’ll find animal by products in anti-freeze that you use in your vehicles, the binding agents in asphalt that you drive on, in rubber that makes the tires that enable your car to go round and round. |
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Well put. Thanks Mr. Shankman for articulating so well what so many feel about this. |
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What a horrible life for thoes dogs- and a sick life for thoes who enjoy watching the torture- I hope that Vick gets an appropriate punishment for what he has done- and that eyes are opened to how wrong this behavior is. God bless. |
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I hope that the inmates give you a very hard time inside. You deserve to rot in hell for what you did to those animals. I just hope that the jail you go to is hell. You are the pits, you are scum, you are the lowest of the low. Don’t expect any symapathy becuase you wont get any. |
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This was a very well stated letter, but it goes far beyond that. These gamers and people who exploit this breed for their own perverse pleasure and profit, have absolutely no regard to life. How can they lay claim to being a human being, let alone be in possession of a heart!!?? |
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Great article. I have to say that the only good to come from this Vick dogfighting case is the fact that many people within our society are now aware that it actually exists! |
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Extremely well written. MR. Vick should rot in hell (jail also) for the cruelty inflicted on those poor dogs. Karma is a wonderful thing and he’s about to experience it first hand. Glad to see the NFL was smart enough to drop his assests. I guess I’ll be watching pro-football this year knowing I won’t have to see the likes of his sorry self at any games. Hey Mr. Vick, you think you’ll feel ANY remorse while you sit rotting in jail and watching the new Falcons QB who now has your job? Dirt bag… |
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I hope when he is in prison with his new “teamates” that they put him on a rapestand like those poor animals were. I cannot let this go as of yet. |
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ONLY A VERY TWISTED COLD PERSON WITH NO MORALES ..NO VALUES… SO-O-O SELF-ABSORBED AND CERTAINLY FEEL … “THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW “…DUE TO THEIR “FAME” ….WOULD DO THIS HORRIBLE THING TO INNOCENT ANIMALS ….WELL MR. VICK ! NOW I TRUELY HOPE YOU SUFFER !! |
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Enjoy your new life Mr. Vick the real world is pounding at your door! |
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to you Mr.Vick I would like to say you have got to be one of the lowest men if you are even considered a man that I have come across, not only for the whole horror scene you have been apart of but for the images you have left in young people across this united states..How dare you! How dare you act and portray a hero for all of the young black youth and then turn around and use your fame and fortune to show these young people that there is really no way out of the ghetto life….How dare you…My hope for you is that you end up with nothing…I mean not a penny and I hope you have to some day return to the same streets you once grew up in and that you are humiliated and laughed at and that not one person comes to your aid…like no one came to the aid of all of those poor dogs you tortured…you are worse than a dog you are not even human in mine and many, many, many americans….May you rot in your own made hell………… |
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I find it so funny that alot of guests on ESPN are saying that he made a mistake……now he needs to show people that he’s a “changed man”. Well this was no mistake…….it’s just that he got caught. Not one of those dogs had a chance to speak to have “one chance”. He has started his PR scam……. does he really think that people will believe him? He’s found God……and handed it over to Jesus. Isn’t that the same thing Paris Hilton said? I don’t think I’ve ever hated anything as much as this man. I hope he loses everything…………… |
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To the idiot who said “innocent until proven guilty” in an earlier comment: Vick plead guilty. It doesn’t get guiltier than that. |
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While this is about Mr.Vick what about Todd McNair, a former NFL player now the USC running backs coach. As per today’s LA Times’ article written by Gary Klein McNair was convicted twice on charges related to mistreatment of dogs in the 1990s. He was never convicted of dogfighting. The incidents came to light again on the website BruinsNation.com. What kind of a model is he for young men?? |
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Even tho Mr. Vick is famous…I do hope that a judge will give him a real sentence for what he have done to an innocent dog. I am so sick and tired of any famous people get less punishment just becuz they’re famous. And we the people who are nobody get a huge punishment. Remember Vice President Chenney who shot a man in a face and kept it hush and all he got was a slap in his hand from a judge without taking his gun or gun license away!!! |
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