How many were shocked -- or, probably a better question would be how many should have been shocked -- by the 23-month prison sentence received by former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for running a dogfighting operation? Certainly, dogfighting must be condemned, as well as the brutal killing of the animals that didn't perform to expectations.
The shocking nature of his sentence reflects the totally ambivalent values of our society relative to good and evil. We have been on an accelerating moral free-fall ever since abortion was legalized in 1973. When pertaining to the humanity and value of the unborn, many have lost their sense of reality.
If Michael Vick had been called Dr. Vick, and had been requested by a mother to kill her unborn baby, his actions would have been perfectly legal. How can we condemn dogfighting or the destruction of the "losers," but sustain the killing of unborn children without exhibiting even a shred of outrage? It is obvious that many have not given this issue much thought.
Statistics show that an overwhelming percentage of our population believes that abortion is wrong. It's shocking to look at a newborn and realize that the mother could have had this beautiful creation legally destroyed at any time prior to birth by another human being called "doctor," who was extensively trained to save lives, not to murder babies.
I love my dog, but I would never expect her life to be deemed more valuable than that of an unborn baby. Doesn't this distinction seem simplistic and self-evident? Why, then, is it so difficult for some to accept and profess? Can we expect a reawakening, or will this moral free-fall simply continue to drain our nation of its God-given and time-honored values?
Vern J. Simon, Evans
Thank you for standing up for the truth. The sad fact is that this nation has condemned what it can see and not what it can't. The killing of the babies is the law besides which it is deemed "politically correct, it is perserving the rights of women, and is useful in scientific research". Furthermore the killing is performed without continual publicity or pictures always in the shadows. Actually the killing and torture of animals for the sport is in my opinion one step from killing and torture of human beings.
Vern, what's your point? Was Vick abused or is killing babies bad?
if mr. vick felt his actions weren't shameful & illegal, why bother to hide his actions ? ? ?,,, even a dolt should be able to find the answer imn-s-hfo
Not to be ugly, but without a doubt this has to be one of the most idiotic letters I've ever seen. It comparing apples to oranges. I'm personally opposed to abortion but feel the government doesn't need to put it's nose in peoples personal lives. If these people are wrong then GOD will decide that on judgement day. Michael Vick was responsible for the Death and torture of animals who can't defend themselves.He made a concious decision to be evil.Please don't try to make every situition fit your agenda.In the end we all stand before our creator and answer for our misdeeds.
They are just dogs. He should have gotten a $250 fine. Why is he given a prison sentence over dogs? What about fighting cocks, or rats, or cats? Would that garner a similar reaction I wonder? Animal pounds put dogs down everyday across this nation.
If, if , if, ... if you had a brain you would see that comparing dogs to babies is not a comparison. Vick deserved the sentence & more he is a lying "sack-of-you-know-what." If I had a brain, I could better understand what the hell your point is anyway.
Vern Simon never ever mentions the more than 252 million American women he and his anti-choice ilk help slaughter over a 231-year period. And they are now slaughtering women by the tens of thousands in Nicaragua with that country's anti-choice laws and that has gotten no press coverage here in our sorry mainstream media or ink in our do-nothing newspapers. What's worse, is that Nicaraguan hospitals are doing the exact same thing our hospitals have been doing since the 1950s: covering up the maternal deaths. Oh and yeah, our newspapers are also keeping quiet about the terrorist attacks that have happened at three Planned Parenthood clinics in New Mexico over the past 21 days. BTW, the increase in maternal mortality here at home is NOT because of obesity, it is because of this nation's anti-choice laws.
Note how these LTE's depict the great powers of "Logic and Reasoning" held by the human mind. It is a wonder we still don't live in caves.
free mike vick! what good is prison going to do? he was a taxpaying citizen, unlike the majority of trash in prison who have been parasites since they took their pacifiers away.free mike vick!
baroness, Vern Simon doesn't respect anyone. He and the rest of the "pro-life" people are misogynists. If you (and Simon) wake up and smell the Maxwell House, you will know that it is these "pro-life" laws that are killing women in Nicaragua. Once a woman is pregnant, it is STILL about that woman until the minute the fetus (feti is more than one) is COMPLETELY separated from her body and not a second before that.
Mr. Simon you are dead wrong. The overwhelming majority in this country wants to see abortion remain safe and legal. Of course we ALL want it to be rare and only used as a last resort, but every poll shows Americans, by a large margin, while not liking the IDEA of abortion, still believe it should be a woman's choice and remain legal. And enough already with the Vick-Abortion analogies. Haven't we heard it enough already? And on another note, had all the aborted fetuses been born, our already over-populated world with millions of unwanted children would be in serious peril. Who would pay for and care for all the additional millions of unwanted children? You Mr. Simon? Or the other's of you who are against legalized abortion? How many of the millions of already unwanted children have you all adopted? How much of your money do you send to orphanages in other countries? How much of your money do you spend helping poor unwed mothers in your own home town? How much more of your tax money do you want going to welfare and Medicaid for unwed mothers and their children?
anti-choice? So if you are not against abortion should we call you Pro-Death. Please avoid the "spin-words" to strengthen your argument, willistontownsc. There are plenty of people who are in favor of a woman having a choice, as long as that choice does not involve killing a child.
Yes MAJORITY! The majority, like I said, don't like the idea of abortion and some want limits or restrictions, but the MAJORITY wants some form of abortion to remain legal. And up to 40%, depending on the survey, want unrestricted abortion to remain legal. Look it up!
Hiya KPC, you ready for some Sugar????? Let's me and you forgo this argument ok? I mean don't we already know where we stand?
That's why I didn't address you on the topic. You and I have gone round and round and gotten nowhere. (and I think that's where we will stay) I was just wanting those who do speak on the topic to forego the usual spin and just make their argument......................Woof!
Pssst... KPC, tell the sis I'm real sorry 'bout her Gamecocks not making it to a bowl. Poor ole Steve Spurrier! Gotta hate that!
Sis started at UGA...she just ended up as a gamecock.
FACT: Over 67% of Americans support a woman's right to abortion at some point in her 266-day pregnancy -- and this poll has been taken over and over again in the past 34 years and 11 months. So if there is anybody who is creating strawmen, it is you, kpc. And I am not creating any kind of spin whatsoever. The facts that I gather speak for itself. FACT: Women are, in fact, dying by the tens of thousands currently in Nicaragua because of the "pro-life" laws. The only reason why this isn't being mentioned anywhere in the Augusta Chronicle, New York Times or CNN is because of the right-wing media bias that has been rampant since 1998. Also the anti-choice crowd are now harassing and terrorizing people and clinics in Denver and Albuquerque.
For more insight on the right-wing media bias read The Republican Noise Machine written by former Neo-Con David Brock. You can also look up the many studies showing the main stream media actually leans more to the right than the left. One such in-depth study can be found at http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2447 Where it states, "The larger "liberal media" myth has been maintained, in part, by the well-funded flow of conservative rhetoric that selectively highlights journalists' personal views while downplaying news content."
I think the sentence Vick received was excessive in comparing the lives of animals to humans. But, the whole thing has ruined his life entirely...just as having an abortion ruins the lives of the persons involved there as well. The guilt never leaves them...
"Anti-Choice" isn't an intentional spin? Bull-crap! What have I attempted to spin. I believe that when you abort a child, you are killing it. You don't. Or if you do, then you feel it is OK. Those are the facts. There is no reason to accuse me of doing something I have not done.
Actually polls the last seven years indicate that from 25 to as high as 49% of those polled are in favor of unrestricted abortion. In all the polls the majority believe that rape or mother's health should be the major factor, and most want restrictions. These are CNN, CBS, ABC, etc. polls. Polls after the Gonzales v. Carhart supreme court decision favored the action indicating most want some restrictions.
I have often wondered how many people who loudly profess pro-life, have adopted unwanted children. How many have donated money, time and energy to assist children who are unwanted? Have you ever worked with a FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome} child? Are abused children wanted children? Have you personally had to deal with the effects of being an unwanted child? To sit and profess Christianity precludes pro choice, and never take active steps to continually support children is hypocritical.
Actively work with children. Volunteer 20 hours a week assisting children's programs. Go read to children, go to schools and volunteer, call your local hospital and see if they need volunteers to assist with children who are hospitalized, who may not have visitors. Be a true Christian, put your time, energy and money where your pro-life mouth and beliefs reside.
Gr-10....why not just kill the unwanted children after they are born? You seem to have no problem with it before they are born? AND YES...I have volunteered to help children, been a cub scout leader etc...not that that has any bearing on the topic. The topic is that you are assuming that a child is better off dead than unwanted.
Sadly, KPC, sometimes they are. I'm sure there are thousands of children who, if given the choice of their lives being brutally abused everyday, would wish they'd never been born at all. We think that life is everything, but if your life exists of torture every day, what life is it really? Children found half buried, covered in Lye and being eaten by ants. Or burned by cigarettes on a daily basis. Being raped at two, three, four years of age. Thrown down stairs. Drowned in tubs. Placed in ovens. And more horror than our minds can comprehend. So to answer your question, yes, sometimes they'd be better off dead and most assuredly those children would be better off never having been born at all.
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