I fall into the latter category and have since this thing started. I am a Michael Vick fan and and Eagles fan so until he throws a customary 60 yard interception that was 32 yards over his receivers' head, I'll cheer for him, wear my Vick jersey and abuse the hell out of the wildcat formation in Madden when Vick comes up in a roster update.
But let's get this out of the way first, you know the the shadow that hangs over anything MIchael Vick from now until his death from memory. He did something vile. I like dogs, have wanted one for some time and while I am now firmly entrenched into the cats are better side of the universe, I still love dogs. When I think about what Vick did, it does disgust me and knowing me, I am fairly hard to disgust and am quite profane myself. But this was a different kind of profanity that Vick committed. He bred dogs in order to fight them then kill them when they couldn't make any more money or were so bruised and torn from fighting they had to be put down. I'm not going to mince anything here, he did some really unholy stuff. He electrocuted dogs, hung them from trees, hit them with large objects, starved them until they were ferocious then unleashed them on other equally starved dogs looking for blood. He shot them in cold cold blood, snapped their necks, wiped up the blood and started over.
Goddamn it that is cruel. I type this and a part of me is even disgusted with myself for being able to defend him. I mean how do you defend not just senseless murder but murder of something we as a dominant and smarter species should be taking care of. How do you defend such callous disregard for sentient life in order to make money when you've signed a 10 year 100 million dollar deal and have endorsements on the side to boot? How do you defend using animals as bloodsport?
I'll admit that I probably can't change your mind on Vick, nor do I want to. I got into it a bit with the wife this morning on the bus (as much as you can argue with such a sweet person like emsy) when she said she hates him. It is something that however riles me up a smidgen...
hear me out (or rather read me out)...
I don't really think i have an absolute right to be righteous about this. Sure i can be morally outraged and personally sick, but outright hatred for dogfighting? I EAT MEAT!
not just meat but a lot of my meat is most likely factory farmed, mass produced meat...i've never been to a factory farm but i damn well know and am not shy about admitting that their practices in procuring meat and then selling it are as heinous or more so than Michael Vicks...I buy meat from Costco which in order to keep prices low and to sell in bulk no doubt is part of the factory farm system. I've eaten at fast food restaurants for a good chunk of my life and know full well that the meat the procure is factory farmed. I have no right be holier than thou on this just because I didn't raise dogs to be slaughtered. I may not have done that but i have given money and will continue to give money to eat meat that I know has come from animals that have been abused, pumped full of steroids and drugs, kept in cages and quarters where they wallow in their own shit and piss until they die or are slaughtered, have their necks snapped, birds are flung around to kill them, beaks chopped off with pincers, wings torn off, branded cows, shocking cows and pigs, giving them meat from their own family to bulk them up for my consumption, stepping on dying animals to snuff the last breath of life from them and then just killing of hosts of animals when they do not meet the "standards" of size and weight that supermarkets and consumers demand for their dinners and BBQS. I mean really the sins of the farming industry are long ranging and cringe-worthy themselves. Vomit inducing and yet I happily eat the food.
So what am i saying really? that perhaps I am indefensible as well? Well yeah, many of us are. Fishing in this country is not properly regulated and really what is fishing for food other than putting a sharp hook in the water with bait so a fish can puncture itself through the mouth on the hook, struggle mightily for its life then get pulled out of the water to die of asphyxiation or a simple coupla wacks with a hammer or on the side of the boat if pressed for time. THen we skin it, de bone it , cook it up nice and serve it with some veggies and wine, discarding everything we didn't use in a strong show of our unchallengeable dominion over this earth.
Now a genius once said to me it's ok to eat fish cause they don't have any feelings and true enough fish are stupid...does that make it ok or right? We can't bond or domesticate them on the level of dogs/cats/rabbits etc because their brains are so tiny they forget everything in seconds. Still is it right? I don't think it is but it tastes good.
So isn't that the dilemma then? Taste. Dog fighting is morally abhorrent because we domesticate and befriend dogs and they seem to like us if we play with them and give them food and shelter. We in this part of the world have never been trained to eat dogs and the mere thought is repulsive to us. But if we were let's say asian of the chinese or korean way, we might have eaten and enjoyed dog or cat. It can be a delicacy in some places of this fucked up planet. Or let me put it this way, there are many people in India that think we are savages and brutes for our continual slaughter and consumption of cows.
Relative right? We don't revere cows or fish or pigs or chickens so they can be eaten, killed in some of the worst ways possible and raised to be killed in even sicker ways. I'm not excusing what Vick did, partially from social conditioning to like or at least tolerate dogs and partially because what he did is actually sick. I however am cognizant that what I do on a day to day basis can be just as heinous by proxy or by immediate endorsement. I've helped this planet die so much in my 27 years on this planet. I haven't done enough for this land and still don't do enough (though I am making far better choices on some things than I ever have). I'm not delusional, I know where I eat and from where it comes from. My finances do not afford me the ability to make strong anti-cruelty statements yet and even if they did I would like to think I would remember that once I was not rich enough to afford the luxury of making a respectful choice.
There are almost 7 billion people on this planet and about half a billion in North America. We are hardwired to be omnivores. I mean really, how do you think we are all getting fed, especially on the richer side of the world? any one can buy certification that says their product is safe and killed "humanely" but really can you believe that? If so, then my friends you have more faith than I, and I applaud that. I can't however. We are a society raised on the ideals and merits of consumption. We don't eat to live, we live to eat. With so many mouths to feed the burning question is do we a) feed the people as quickly, inexpensively and consistently as we can or b) do the right thing, respect what is given to us to survive, while more expensive more morally and consciously acceptable. We as a world go with "a" almost every time and it extends itself past food into other things like homes, services, electronics and a many many more products developed around our incessant need to have and have more.
That's really all i have or want to say on this. Sorry it took so long and to end on a lighter note and to dispel all my excited emotions at this point, a quick shout out to our dear Japanimated Nicholas Jones. His blog is up and since it bother you like I do to read it, I'll plug it here because it is good and interesting and he takes good pictures and for the moment is updating quite frequently. Also Nick I need a favour...at some point during your stay in Japan, can you get to Okinawa? I need you to find someone for me there. His name is Hattori Hanzo and I desperately need a sword. Tell him I have some vermin to kill. Large vermin.
http://gaijindesune.blogspot.com/
peacelovefreedomjustice
-s
p.s. sorry if i made you lose your lunches or any food you've ever eaten. I'll buy you some candy next time I see you.
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