Michael Vick and American Culture

American news, culture and democracy take center stage in most places in the world. So when a Michael Vick enters stage right with 7 dogs executed in Virginia over the last half-dozen years, there's an understandable buzz. The buzz of course is both positive and negative.

While the Vick case and his expulsion from the NFL (the professional National Football League) causes confusion among overseas onlookers, those of us who live the American culture understand why we have a special feeling and love for dogs. These pets are not mere animals, but our friends, comfort givers and helping dogs of all kinds. From babies and toddlers to teens and adults, we develop close bonds with our pets, especially responsive ones such as the intelligent canines who live with us. Foreigners may say we value other people's lives less than we value that of our dogs, but the Vick case teaches the world about us. Yes, we consider our best loved animals almost as family, --or family itself. We do fight back if our family members are attacked or abused and otherwise made victims. That is some of what turns the majority against Michael Vick and his gambling in dogfighting (or Vick's making dogfighting available to his friends and others).

I think outsiders ought to appreciate our love for dogs. They need to see how loyal we can be to our friends and family, even if these "family members" are perceived as less deserving of special treatment by foreign nationals and media. Both Americans and world citizens can build on our sense of nonviolence toward pets and animals. I think that, in the final analysis, those who show tenderness and protectiveness toward any of Earth's fauna and flora, will be good guardians of our human heritage. Those who want to build a better world ought to grasp the opportunity there is in the Vick case which, despite the racial divide and differences of opinion, remind the world that any life is sacred, invaluable. If a jury included Gandhi and Buddha, they would clearly vote against Michael Vick and his murder of these animals.