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Yogi's Blog

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Letter to the Editor

Yogi on My Blog - Thu, July 19 2007

Here is a copy of the Letter to the Editor my mama wrote today. She is really ticked about this whole Vick thing. We just wanna go to the bark park.

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As the details of Michael Vick’s alleged involvement with illegal dog fighting continue to be publicized through the various media outlets, I find myself growing increasingly angry, no furious, with much of the public's indifference to this. Granted, Michael Vick deserves his day in court, but the evidence against him, all contained in the 18 page indictment, is pretty convincing. The dog fighting allegations made against Michael Vick are very serious. Not only is dog fighting illegal, it is inhumane, and the sign of a cruel and violent personality.

I encourage the public to write, call or email the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons, and the various companies that sponsor Mr. Vick, to express your outrage about this situation. Mr. Vick claims he had no knowledge of the dog fighting going on at his property in Virginia, despite the obvious dog fighting set-up that is present on his property and despite the testimonies from at least four other individuals who claim Vick is actively involved in this practice. This is not a "witch hunt". There is evidence that Mr. Vick has engaged in this illegal practice, hence the indictment.

Michael Vick has brought ridicule and shame to the NFL, and when we, as a public, sit silently by and let him do it, we bring shame upon ourselves. He has chosen a victim that can’t speak for itself or defend itself—a dog. How is this crime any less aggregious than Tank Johnson's crime or PacMan Jones' crimes? To sit back and do nothing is terrible and inhumane.

The public needs to ask themselves some hard questions. Is watching your favorite team or player on Sundayso so important that you can overlook this incredible, heinous crime? Is the fact that the animals involved are Pit Bulls, a breed that takes a lot of criticism from the public, making this crime more palpable to you? Is this the kind of person you want your child to admire and look upon as a role model?

As a dog owner and animal lover, I cannot fathom what kind of person would get enjoyment from torturing and killing animals just for “sport”, or in the name of "gambling". To me, a person like this has NO place performing in front of the public, being paid millions of dollars just because he can pass a football and run well. Instead, a person like this should have a very special place in a prison cell, or, at the least, be doing community service in an animal shelter.

Along with being an animal lover, I am a big NFL fan, and spend quite a few Sundays watching football games. If the NFL does not take a stance on this, I will have to reconsider watching it this fall. I hope others will follow suit.

Again, I am asking the public, "Where is the outrage on this?" Putting a stop to these dog fighting rings is a must, no matter if your favorite quaterback is running one or not. It is the moral and ethical thing to do.

Jersey Joe on Jul 19 at 07:24 PM

104595

:::CLAPPING!!!::: WELL SAID!!!! you have a wonderful way with words!! did that get published, or did you just write it? let us know if it gets in the paper. :)

Taijah on Jul 19 at 07:30 PM

94513

This is great!!! Thank you so much for going above and beyond by writing this letter. Hopefully more people will follow suit.

Yogi on Jul 19 at 09:04 PM

11804

Thanks! I just wrote it tonight, so we'll see if they print it.

Daphne Marie on Jul 19 at 09:09 PM

3895

Well, the better print this one for sure. Paws up to Teddy & Yogi's Mom !!!!

Serena on Jul 19 at 09:15 PM

996

If anyone has an email address for the NFL or the Atlanta Falcons, post it here and we can send some emails!

Yogi on Jul 19 at 09:19 PM

11804

These are courtesy of Kim, Ally's mom.

National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Contact attached below

http://www.us.powerade.com/contact-us.jsp

www.Nike.com

Rawlings 1-800-RAWLINGS

Amber on Jul 19 at 09:20 PM

8551

Very well said and you do have a way with words. After watching CNN today, I felt sick! They were talking about Vick and they were showing film clips of pitbull fights in the background. It was awful! The last clip showed a pit being killed by another pit. The poor thing just layed there defeated and badly wounded. It turned my stomic and brought tears to my eyes. These horrendous acts of abuse must be stoped!

Madeleine on Jul 19 at 09:22 PM

109307

Woo Hoo! They usually call you to let you know if they are planning to publish your letter. I wrote one on Wednesday AM, and later that day they called to ask permission to publish. But...it wasn't in today's paper. Wouldn't be great if they had many letters from us? I think the public IS beginning to be outraged. BTW, your letter was perfect!

Yogi on Jul 19 at 09:22 PM

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Nike's address: Nike USA, Inc.
Consumer Services
P.O. Box 4027
Beaverton, OR 97076-4027

♥Zoe♥ on Jul 20 at 09:32 AM

109226

Loved the letter....I have contacted the NFL and the Falcons letting them know how outraged I am at this whole situation. They will have a fight on their hands if they do not take action!

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