Editorials
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Is Michael Vick A Yard Short Of Redemption?By Tony Zizza
"Never has someone fallen so hard, so fast and so far."
--Billy Martin, Michael Vick's attorney, 12/10/07
Of all the asinine things that have come out of his mouth during the Michael Vick dog fighting criminal investigation, at least when the sentence of 23 months in a federal penitentiary came down, Billy Martin finally made some sense.
Yes, Michael Vick has fallen. Fallen real hard. And this is right where he belongs. There is no one on Earth more responsible for where he finds himself other than, well, him. This is a fact no matter what kind of "mercy" drivel Hank Aaron, George Foreman, or Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin put forth. Mercy is the last thing Michael Vick deserves because it is the first thing he refused to give to innocent dogs who never consented to fight to - kill.
Along the way to where we are now in this incredibly disturbing case, we heard a lot of doublespeak. For instance, there is nothing wrong with dog fighting for a black person because it's "cultural." According to another one of Michael Vick's attorney's, Lawrence Woodward, he "grew up on some of probably the meanest and roughest streets in this Commonwealth." Yeah, what of it? There is no logical or biological or culturally acceptable leap from mean streets to executing dogs. Sorry, there's just not.
So, now that the cultural racist card failed to garner lasting sympathy or enough mercy that would make Michael Vick a free man, a new card has been dealt to try and explain why he has such a terrible time simply telling the truth. Gosh, you would think he was a Clinton if you didn't look close enough. In regard to lying to federal authorities about Michael Vick's marijuana use, attorney Billy Martin has the "audacity of dope" to actually say he puffs the magic dragon as "self-medication for clinical depression." Please stop.
Do you see why lawyers are the butt of so many jokes? Why they are often held in such low regard? Do they have no shame or standards or sensibility? Do they think we are all stupid? Do they think that just because they earned a law degree, they also earned a right to destroy our culture?
You see, the problem with attorney Billy Martin playing the "depression card" is that we as a culture are already way too dependent on prescription drugs. Not to mention, we are under the false belief that we are all mentally ill at some level. But golly, give attorney Billy Martin credit for dragging out all of the furniture in the room in an effort to block us from completely throwing Sick Vick out the door.
It's OK for Michael Vick to smoke dope since he's clinically depressed? How long did this diagnosis take - fifteen minutes? You've got to be kidding me. The last time I checked, clinical depression, which can be extremely subjective, does not entitle you to break the law and smoke dope. Perhaps Michael Vick is properly depressed because he has come to the realization of how badly he screwed up his "130 million dollar contract" life. And how disgusting it is to execute innocent dogs that were forced to fight to kill. Michael Vick deserves to be depressed because he is a loathsome creature who bank-rolled pure evil.
The question to ponder is this: "Can Michael Vick find redemption?" It's up to him, as we are a forgiving society. Unfortunately, he violated one of three key rules in our civil society. You don't hurt children. You don't hurt the elderly. You don't hurt, (let alone execute), dogs. My feeling is that by the time Michael Vick gets out of prison, even loyal fans of his "football talent" will have moved on to someone else. I mean, why not?
I also wonder how other football players who have dogs as members of their family could even stand the idea of Michael Vick playing on their team. Being in the huddle with him. Being in the locker room with him. A sports team needs chemistry and unity, in addition to raw talent to win. Michael Vick brings such horrific real images with him even after he pays his proverbial debt to society.
I just don't see it all coming together the way he will want it to happen a few years from now. Again, it sure as tomorrow being another day, is not a race thing. Humans and dogs are literally attached at the hip. Some athlete who wears #7 and can play quarterback/rush for a thousand yards in the same season isn't going to change that one bit.
Personally, I hope Michael Vick never plays professional football again. I really think he is a yard short of redemption. Let him give people other than his own fans the finger. I don't want to see him on the field or hear announcers call his name. I don't want to see fans wearing #7 anymore who have the temerity to dare say, "They're just dogs, Michael Vick is a human being."
At the same time, we do need to move on from where we're at. Michael Vick is not the first person to be fully involved with the evil act of dog fighting. Perhaps we can truly do something to eradicate dog fighting from this country. It can be done one person at a time, and it can be done on the legislative front. Support laws to give dog fighting the boot.
After all, our friends in fur deserve no less.
Tony Zizza is a dog lover who lives in Atlanta, GA. He writes frequently about dogs and popular culture. Reach him via email: tz777@comcast.net.
What Matters Most
By Tony Zizza
In last month's editorial, I lamented the horrible traffic that seems to crawl 24/7 on GA 400. I certainly didn't break any new ground by complaining about it. Many of you have your own tales of woe as it relates to "the daily commute." Day in and day out. Will it ever change?
Well, I have decided to make a change that will allow me to spend more time with my faithful babies. Yep. I'll have to make a deal with their pet sitter. Jessie the dog and Bebe the cat will definitely be happy to see more of me Monday - Friday. No more out of the house from sun up until sun down. No more having to savor every moment on the weekend from them that gets swallowed up Monday - Friday via both work and the commute. But is there really a difference between the two? Work and commuting can morph into the same grind.
I've decided to bow out of the rat race in Alpharetta and work closer to home. Take a pay cut? Sure. Make less money? Why not? Get up in the morning and realize my round trip commute will be fifteen minutes rather than ninety minutes? You better believe it. All is well in the world when you can make decisions in life that improve your life, and the lives of your babies. That is, when you realize what matters most.
The germ of this idea came to me last Wednesday night as I pulled into my apartment complex after doing battle with the commute home. I was extremely aggravated and said to myself, as if talking to a group of people, “Why not just make $5 an hour less and work around here?" I mean, there are a million office buildings around this Powers Ferry/Galleria area!" Very interesting idea. It's one worth considering - seriously.
I became committed to the idea when I opened the door to my apartment. There they sat oh so happy to see me. Good ole Jessie and Bebe. Faithful friends through and through. They looked at me as if to say, "Why don't you start coming home sooner?" I could have sworn they wanted to add, "Heck, you know you really want to. What's your excuse for being away from sun up and sun down?"
Truth is, there is no excuse. It seems odd that you can get used to a routine, even when it appears to be an asinine one. Sometimes you have to challenge yourself at a very deep and fundamental level so that you can arise to the occasion adults like to call - change. Change can be a good thing, and it sure makes life more worth living. It's crucial to live, rather than just exist.
So, I finished playing around with Bebe and got Jessie together for her walk. I don't even have to put the soft blue leash around her neck. Once I pick it up, she sticks her head out, and face first she becomes good to go. She is like a seal diving through an inner tube. And out the door we go.
We head down the stairs and I am absolutely amazed that at twelve years old, she has not only beat cancer, but has no signs of arthritis. What a blessing. I often think having Bebe the cat around her for the last eights years is great for her immune system and general sense of contentment. They're buds. A perfect pair. One and the same.
Jessie seems to almost sprint towards her second pit stop, and I realize with a fantastic feeling that I have completely forgotten the horrible commute home. Bumper to bumper. Going zero to 10 miles an hour for what seems like six, seven, eight, very long miles. The agony retreats. And watching Jessie smile and complete her second of many pit stops, I say to her quite openly, "Oh, Jessie, you deserve to live forever!"
I know she won't live forever. Physically, it's just impossible with a capital I. But mentally and spiritually for the both of us? Trust me, she's here forever. And with these thoughts I realize the power that Jessie has, as surely your babies have as well. Within minutes, they can loosen you up and make your frustrations go far, far, far away. Almost like you never experienced fierce frustration in the first place. Again, all is well in the world with the love your babies give to you, and vice versa.
Twenty minutes later, we decide to head back to the familiar apartment. It's funny. I think to myself as an adult (but child at heart) that a six hundred and fifty foot apartment is getting to feel a bit small. To Jessie and Bebe, it's big enough. They don't seem to mind it. In fact, they appear to love it. Even in this limited space, they have made certain areas in the apartment their own. Perhaps they realize how much they are loved and cherished. I think they know I want them to live forever.
We are truly blessed if we can figure out what matters most. Better yet, if we can enjoy what matters most in life, and still be comfortable. Our babies, our friends in fur, if you will, know that we want to spend more time with them during the week. They hear the baby talk as we dash out the door in the morning, and when we arrive home in the evening.
As this year comes to a close, find some time to think about what matters most to you. What do you want the New Year to look like? What do you really want to be doing? If you're anything like me, I have a feeling that spending more time during the week with your babies is what matters most to you.
Make it happen.
Tony Zizza is a free-lance writer who lives in Atlanta, GA. His work has also appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Sunday Paper. He writes frequently about animals and popular culture. Reach Zizza via email: tz777@comcast.net .
Prescribe A Dog Instead Of A Drug
By Tony Zizza
If you sit long enough in Atlanta traffic, (which you will), your mind really starts to wander. Such is the case with me every morning. And this morning turned out to be no different.
At first, I ask myself questions that I already know the answers to. "What am I going to have for dinner tonight?" "Well, it will be pasta, veggies, salad, and garlic bread." "What do you think of the new Sara Evans CD?" "Well, it's fantastic." "How many miles are you going to jog right after work?" "Well, the usual six."
Traffic literally crawls on GA 400 South, and I begin to think about a very serious issue. Drugs. We have become a society of drug addicts. We falsely believe that there is a pill for just about every alleged ill. Ultimately, we feel cheated if we go to our doctor's office and do not walk out with a prescription or two. Or three.
Then, for some strange reason, I think about - dogs. Yes, dogs. Dogs have an absolutely curious way of making you feel better. Better with a capital B, I might add. They bring an incredible amount of comfort to your spirit. Certainly, dogs can deliver a supreme sense of wellness that is often missing in this writer's opinion from designer mood and sleep drugs we (and the medical profession) are far too quick to rely on.
So there you have it. Brutal Atlanta traffic. Questions on what to have for dinner. The danger of drugs. The power and passion of dogs. Putting this all together, I have a new mantra I'd like to share. It goes something like this, and it is geared to all of us.
Prescribe a dog instead of a drug. That's right. In fact, this mantra is worth repeating. Prescribe a dog instead of a drug. I say we print up t-shirts. Sing it from every mountain, valley or highway over pass. Challenge all who are in the medical profession to give it some consideration.
Think about it. There are millions of dogs who are waiting to be adopted. There are millions of parents who think there is something mentally wrong with themselves or their children. Significant evidence exists that shows that we are a over-medicated nation. Where does it end? Shouldn't we think long and hard before even starting a life full of drugs?
Dogs bring a sense of compassion and responsibility to a troubled household. Having a dog in your life, and in the lives of your children who might be smack in the middle of tough times, might very well help where you thought no more help outside of a prescription bottle was possible. Again, dogs introduce a strong set of both responsibilities and pleasure. Dogs help you focus on, well, them. And this forces you to finally take the focus off your real and unreal problems.
Truthfully, I realize my mantra of "Prescribe a dog instead of a drug" will not fly very well in the medical community. I understand very few adults and children will walk out of their doctor's office with a prescription for a puppy rather than Prozac. I don't think hundreds of thousands of drug reps would be too happy with this sea change in how we seek to feel better in this dynamic culture of ours.
It's not enough, or often times, correct to just say, "My child and I can't handle the responsibility of taking care of a dog." Can't we give it a second thought? Can't we focus on the fact that responsibility is just one piece of the puzzle? After all, with responsibility comes love, freedom, and compassion. To take care of a dog is to truly take care of yourself. It's a win-win situation for both humans and canines!
So, remember the mantra. Prescribe a dog instead of a drug. We won't likely change the fact overnight that we are indeed a nation under medication. Nevertheless, we have the ability to take care of ourselves and our children the best way we can.
And this should include bringing a dog into your home.
Zizza is a free-lance writer who lives in Atlanta, GA. He writes frequently about dogs and popular culture. Reach him via email at: tz777@comcast.net
Because It's The Right Thing To Do
By Tony Zizza
tz777@comcast.net
I don't think a week goes by without me hearing the following jab from an otherwise thoughtful friend: "Why do you share custody of the dog? You're divorced. It just doesn't make any sense." My answer, week in and week out, goes like this: "Because it's the right thing to do."
It seems inconceivable to many in our culture that it is possible to remain somewhat civil after a divorce. All you have to do is take a look at most Hollywood divorces, and most divorces in general, to see that divorce is hell. I suppose common wisdom and practice dictate that divorce is war. So much is on the line.
But what about the pets? Particularly, dogs? Is it really fair to a faithful dog to automatically lose the love and presence of one of their human parents just because the parents choose to divorce? Think about it. And when you think about the alleged absurdity of sharing custody of a dog, contemplate the damage that is done to children when parents and the adversarial family court system partner up for perpetual war. The madness must stop.
So much good is possible after a divorce, if even before the divorce takes place, there is an agreement about the pets. I feel blessed to have had a wonderful shepherd mix brought into my life. My ex-wife actually had Jessie for two years prior to us even meeting. I immediately bonded with this sweet dog. I live much closer to my job than she does, so it was decided I would have her during the week, but on many weekends, she would have her. Yes, sharing custody of the dog.
I cannot wipe out reality and pretend that Jessie does not still love the person who picked her out of a pound. That is, my ex-wife. I see it with my own eyes, and I see how they both are happy together. Would it not be cruel to destroy their relationship just because there was a divorce? Is there not a way to share the dog? Jessie is, after all, a furry friend who brings much joy to all who encounter her. Despite a divorce between humans, and when it is feasible, pets must not be viewed as mere property that either a divorcing wife or husband can never ever see again.
Truth is, the divorce rate in our country is still high. Couple this with the reality that humans spend millions and millions of
dollars every year on their pets. Just imagine for a moment
how many dogs and their human parents are heart broken after a divorce. They no longer see each other because perhaps one of the other parents is playing keep away, or maybe because the needs of the dog were not even discussed. The dog, like many children of divorce, are too often used as pawns and taken for granted.
It doesn't have to be this way. We need to be honest and admit we love our pets, and they love us in return. With human communication as a first line of defense, pets wind up OK after a divorce. They can either stay where they are and one their other parents gets to see them often, or they actually go live in an equally loving new home with the other parent, but return often to their other home. All the details about transportation, food, vet bills, and everything else can get worked out. I mean, why not? Doing the right thing as a divorced parent may seem emotionally taxing at times, but when you do the right thing, either a child or pet stays in good health.
Again, turn on the television or open up the entertainment section of a newspaper. All the rage is who is getting a divorce, and what happens to the child at hand. Witness the Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger divorce. Perhaps this is a wake up call to the country about what happens when parents get angry and/or play keep away with children. There are always negative consequences. And believe it or not, there should always be an opportunity to finally get it straight. That is, divorced parents have the ability to rise up beyond their contempt for each other in order to properly raise their children. The years have an awful way of slipping by.
Yes, divorce is an unfortunate reality. Sometimes it just must happen. Don't forget about the other reality that won't go away. These days, we are spending a lot of time with our pets. We view dogs - and cats - like members of our family. We do this because they, well, are. This won't change. The bond between humans and pets is undeniably strong as steel. It's equally sweet as honey.
So, despite what my friend thinks, I will always believe that "sharing custody of the dog" is the right thing to do. Jessie, and all pets of divorce, really deserve no less. They expect to be treated with respect, no matter what their human parents no longer feel for each other. In the end, it just feels good to do right. And thinking about the real feelings of your furry friends after a divorce can never be - wrong.
This page was last modified on Thursday, December 20, 2007