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I don't like Michael Vick.
Nov. 20th, 2010 10:59 amI don't like Michael Vick. I don't like people who are like Michael Vick. I have very good reasons for it, and even if you disagree, they're my reasons.
As kids, most of us are born with an inherent sense of right and wrong which, if not enforced and developed by the age of 4, is pretty much lost forever. Losing it results in at least a sociopathic personality, if not a psychopathic one. Some experts claim the tendency is inherited, and yet others believe it is a product of enviroment and upraising. Either way, the end result is a person without any sense of right or wrong - except how it applies to them and what they want or need.
People like this are the types that abuse animals and don't think there's anything wrong with it.
There are also cases of men who are "cursed" with too much testosterone, which turns them into monsters. Mike Tyson, anyone?
Perhaps Mr. Vick is "cursed" with both. I can't say, because I don't know him personally, and I'm certainly not a psychologist or doctor. What I DO know is this: Vick is old enough, and has been exposed to enough, to know that what he did to those dogs was wrong in so many ways they can't be counted.
People who readily abuse animals will just as readily abuse children and adult people, so I'm glad I don't know Mr. Vick personally.
Does this mean he should be harassed for the rest of his life? No, but it sure as HELL means he shouldn't be allowed within sight of another animal or a child for the rest of his life.
I have read stories about the pit bulls which were siezed, as well as stories about those who were lucky enough to be adopted by truly kind, caring people. The dogs are scarred for life and chances are excellent they will never completely get over what was done to them.
As some of you know, I have a cat I recently rescued from the street, named Mauser. I've had him for awhile now. Judging by the condition of his teeth (all canines broken in some way, two broken off completely) combined with other obvious 'old' injuries, this cat didn't just have a hard time on the street. He was abused. His behavior also speaks of prior abuse. There are times he doesn't want to be petted, and he'll give me a gentle bite or swipe at me, then cower, expecting to be hit. Every time he does this, I speak to him softly, and touch his head before leaving him alone. He is slowly, but surely, realizing that he doesn't have to cower, that he won't be punished for making his needs known. There are other things he does that tell me that he's been severely mistreated by someone or a trail of someones.
For instance, he lives in the corner of my bedroom. I keep him separate from my little cat Isis because she's pulling dominance things on him that he's not prepared to handle right now. Even though I usually keep him in the bedroom by himself, he is very reluctant to leave the corner of the bedroom he's come to call his own over these weeks. He's always looking for things that might jump out at him, or come down on him, or otherwise hurt him.
It's going to take a very long time before he's convinced that it's ok, that nobody is going to do anything to him he doesn't want done. In this vein, I'm highly reluctant to take him back to the vet's to get the rest of the series of shots he's supposed to have. He was very traumatized by his one and only visit and it is highly likely I'll lose whatever progress I've made with him up to this point, if I take him back this soon. He's never leaving the house, so being vaccinated isn't as big of a deal as if he would be. I will deal with the vaccinations later, when he's less scared of his own shadow.
I watch him, and sometimes I want to cry. Who had this cat and why did he get so mistreated? Did he get turned loose, only to be taken in by someone like Michael Vick, or what? It's obvious he started out life as a domestic cat. He knows what a litterbox is. He behaves in other ways that indicate he started out life as a normal housecat. I just wish I knew what had happened that his life went so wrong.
He isn't the first prior-abused animal I have dealt with and often raised, and all I know is that the Michael Vicks of this world, no matter how they ended up the way they are, should never, ever be allowed near children, animals, or anything else that is vulnerable.
I could give a shit if he's got a 40 million dollar salary again; however, I do hope that his donations to the SPCA and other animal organizations are out of a sense of remorse, rather than some big publicity stunt. Chances are slim this is the case, however, since his behavior shouts sociopath.
It'd be nice to see Vick, and others like him, be more philanthropic to vulnerable people, as well, but there will be ice cubes in Hades before that happens.
I don't like him. I don't like others that are like him. Period. I won't endorse him. I won't buy products he endorses. I won't lend my support to him in any way, manner, shape, or form. I won't try to pubically shame him, because it wouldn't do any good. He lacks the capability to feel true remorse. He lost his inherent sense of right and wrong in childhood.
As kids, most of us are born with an inherent sense of right and wrong which, if not enforced and developed by the age of 4, is pretty much lost forever. Losing it results in at least a sociopathic personality, if not a psychopathic one. Some experts claim the tendency is inherited, and yet others believe it is a product of enviroment and upraising. Either way, the end result is a person without any sense of right or wrong - except how it applies to them and what they want or need.
People like this are the types that abuse animals and don't think there's anything wrong with it.
There are also cases of men who are "cursed" with too much testosterone, which turns them into monsters. Mike Tyson, anyone?
Perhaps Mr. Vick is "cursed" with both. I can't say, because I don't know him personally, and I'm certainly not a psychologist or doctor. What I DO know is this: Vick is old enough, and has been exposed to enough, to know that what he did to those dogs was wrong in so many ways they can't be counted.
People who readily abuse animals will just as readily abuse children and adult people, so I'm glad I don't know Mr. Vick personally.
Does this mean he should be harassed for the rest of his life? No, but it sure as HELL means he shouldn't be allowed within sight of another animal or a child for the rest of his life.
I have read stories about the pit bulls which were siezed, as well as stories about those who were lucky enough to be adopted by truly kind, caring people. The dogs are scarred for life and chances are excellent they will never completely get over what was done to them.
As some of you know, I have a cat I recently rescued from the street, named Mauser. I've had him for awhile now. Judging by the condition of his teeth (all canines broken in some way, two broken off completely) combined with other obvious 'old' injuries, this cat didn't just have a hard time on the street. He was abused. His behavior also speaks of prior abuse. There are times he doesn't want to be petted, and he'll give me a gentle bite or swipe at me, then cower, expecting to be hit. Every time he does this, I speak to him softly, and touch his head before leaving him alone. He is slowly, but surely, realizing that he doesn't have to cower, that he won't be punished for making his needs known. There are other things he does that tell me that he's been severely mistreated by someone or a trail of someones.
For instance, he lives in the corner of my bedroom. I keep him separate from my little cat Isis because she's pulling dominance things on him that he's not prepared to handle right now. Even though I usually keep him in the bedroom by himself, he is very reluctant to leave the corner of the bedroom he's come to call his own over these weeks. He's always looking for things that might jump out at him, or come down on him, or otherwise hurt him.
It's going to take a very long time before he's convinced that it's ok, that nobody is going to do anything to him he doesn't want done. In this vein, I'm highly reluctant to take him back to the vet's to get the rest of the series of shots he's supposed to have. He was very traumatized by his one and only visit and it is highly likely I'll lose whatever progress I've made with him up to this point, if I take him back this soon. He's never leaving the house, so being vaccinated isn't as big of a deal as if he would be. I will deal with the vaccinations later, when he's less scared of his own shadow.
I watch him, and sometimes I want to cry. Who had this cat and why did he get so mistreated? Did he get turned loose, only to be taken in by someone like Michael Vick, or what? It's obvious he started out life as a domestic cat. He knows what a litterbox is. He behaves in other ways that indicate he started out life as a normal housecat. I just wish I knew what had happened that his life went so wrong.
He isn't the first prior-abused animal I have dealt with and often raised, and all I know is that the Michael Vicks of this world, no matter how they ended up the way they are, should never, ever be allowed near children, animals, or anything else that is vulnerable.
I could give a shit if he's got a 40 million dollar salary again; however, I do hope that his donations to the SPCA and other animal organizations are out of a sense of remorse, rather than some big publicity stunt. Chances are slim this is the case, however, since his behavior shouts sociopath.
It'd be nice to see Vick, and others like him, be more philanthropic to vulnerable people, as well, but there will be ice cubes in Hades before that happens.
I don't like him. I don't like others that are like him. Period. I won't endorse him. I won't buy products he endorses. I won't lend my support to him in any way, manner, shape, or form. I won't try to pubically shame him, because it wouldn't do any good. He lacks the capability to feel true remorse. He lost his inherent sense of right and wrong in childhood.
