Where Is the Outrage When Humans Are Abused?

[bjorkfan]

CHICAGO -- When federal prosecutors in Virginia released details of the dogfighting charges against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, all hell broke loose.

Folks were protesting, calling for him to be immediately kicked out of the league and demanding long jail sentences for Vick and his co-defendants. Many lawyers went on television and admitted that had Vick beat a girlfriend, shot or even murdered someone, he wouldn't have been slammed as hard as he was for the vicious acts committed against dogs.

I suppose those lawyers are right.

Just look at the case of Megan Williams. The 20-year-old West Virginia woman was kidnapped by six sadistic individuals and held in a mobile home. They raped her, forced her to eat rat and dog feces, made her drink from a toilet, stabbed her multiple times and called the black woman a "nigger" every time they beat her.

Thank God she lived and may be released from the hospital in a few days. But it still raises the question: What causes such outrage and fervor in one case involving dogs and not in another involving people?

The same thing was said about the shocking details surrounding the deaths of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom. The two University of Tennessee students were on a date when they were carjacked by several men in the early morning hours of Jan. 7. They were taken to a house where Christopher was raped, doused with gasoline, shot and his body dumped on the side of a road....

http://www.blackathlete.net/artman2/publish/Commentary_1/Where_Is_the_Outrage_When_Humans_Are_Abused.shtml

[SeussTree]

1. -

:eyes:

[Taverner]

4. WTF???

[SeussTree]

7. It's that stupid headline.

So little animal abuse gets prosecuted, yet when there's one successful case people get all worried that there's not enough justice to go around to get human abusers. The problem is not that one piece of animal abusing scum got caught, the problem is that our media focuses on celebrities and fluff and the viewers shut themselves down to anything that's hard to watch.

What happened to the people mentioned in that article is absolutely vile, but that in no way makes what Michael Vick did any LESS vile.

[and-justice-for-all]

2. If they are abusing Aninals...

Then they are fully capable of hurting people.

I do not think I see enough on the abuses of Animals on the news or in print.

[bjorkfan]

3. But just about everyone know's Michael Vick's name.....

how many of us knew the names of Megan Williams, Channon Christian or Christopher Newsom? Of course, you could make the same comparison that everyone heard about Laci Peterson, Jennifer Wilbanks and Natalee Holloway.

[Teaser]

5. I'll tell you why

Because deep down, we believe that humans deserve it.

Adult humans, that is. Child abuse gets the same reaction as animal abuse.

Implicit in this idea of innocence is that an adult human has more power to defend themselves, because guilt and power are eternally intertwined (pace Donaldson).

[bjorkfan]

9. Do you think there's also an idea that males, the elderly and unattractive people....

deserve less protection? Kidnapping victims come in the above categories as well, but you seldom if ever see major news coverage of it. Even Michelle Malkin wrote a column admitting to the bias in favor of missing pretty white women.

[Teaser]

10. different processes at work I think

The bias towards attractive white females is pretty much just damsel-in-distress syndrome.

I think that crimes against elderly and unattractive people, though, fall in the category I described early...that they somehow "deserve" it.

A lot of people resent older people...."old" is used pejoratively frequently enough.

[varkam]

11. I think you're probably right.

Although I don't think that line of reasoning that people employ is just.

[Taverner]

6. I know - I was just thinking this the other day

This woman was attacked by sick individuals who should not be permitted to cohabit our world. Yet there is no outrage.

[PDJane]

8. I know those names...........

And I have enough outrage to go around for all of them, and more. What a brutal, vicious and stupid world we have created for ourselves.

[happyslug]

12. I believe it was Hurst who said "Dog bitting man is NOT news, a Man biting a dog IS NEWS".

AS to Vick, he was a well known Football Star who was caught involved in a CRIME relating to Dogs. If it had been any other similar type vile crime, it would have had the same news coverage, HE WAS A "STAR", what he did was front page news. The other Victims of Crimes were NOT "Stars" and thus not new items in themselves. If Vick, went out and helped someone out of a flooding stream, that rescue would have as much coverage as his Dog abuse case. If someone did the same, it is NOT front page news. IT has no legs, whether it is saving a person's life or abusing dogs. The abuse and the crimes done to these people happen every month, just like dogs bite people. On the other hand FAMOUS people rarely are bitten by Dogs, and it is rare for men to bite Dogs. Either way it is the exception to the general rule and thus "news".

People do NOT want to hear about things that happen every day, people are killed every day in this country, they want something that is NEWS, and that is the Vick Story.

[gristd2]

13. animal abuse is underrated

we hear about human abuse every waking second via press, but animal abuse is only in the news every few months. this infrequency is what causes a significant amount of people to rally behind the cause; it's so rare that it's worth fighting for

Additionally, humans were essentially the ones to blame when it comes to innocent animals. We know we fucked up inhabiting the world, making it unlivable for any non humans with our 5 start resorts or skyscrapers. Animals are victims in every way shape and form, whether it's a pet owner abusing its pet, or zoo creatures fighting the gate keeper for their naturally deserved freedom.

I've been reading up on PETA's new campaign to end animal homelessness, pretty interesting stuff (http://www.peta.org/feat-abc_campaign.asp). Check it out if you believe animals are victims, and there IS something we can do about it

[FaceUpAndSing]

14. I can't say anything about the legal side...

But as for the social and public end, I've noticed that people are more likely to listen if the abused is either an animal (usually a house pet or something "ZOMG SO CUTE!") or a young child. Adults and teenagers are expected to take care of themselves. I've caught myself feeling more sympathy for the ONE animal in the movie that dies than all the hundreds of humans that die. When I'm called on it, I honestly can't think of a good reason. And which stories get the tears rolling? Abused puppies. People know this and report the stories that will raise ratings. Abuse of both animals and humans of all ages are equally sickening, and both should be equally discussed. There is outrage for both, but I certainly agree with that article.

(Sorry if this doesn't make sense. Really tired.)

[mdinusa]

15. I totally agree; I also think the same argument should be made

for all people who are suffering in the world. We should not put emphasis on animals; we should put 100% of our focus on humans, all the precious people around the world who are needlessly suffering.

I think the stats are that 25-40,000 people die every day from disease related to starvation. We must be focused on this problem.

[marvinsmith]

16. I agree.

People who abuse animals get prosecuted more often and serve
more time than people who abuse children.  I love animals too,
but I think the priorities are backwards.