September 5, 2007

Is Dog Fighting a Southern Tradition?

By Stan Dyer

By now, just about everyone has heard of the troubles of quarterback Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons in respect to dog fighting. That's no surprise, but it is a surprise that a number of influential people, including other pro athletes and celebrities, have come to Vick's defense, stating that dog fighting is "just a part of the southern way of life." Well, that may be so, but it does not make it right and the argument is reminiscent of the argument used many years ago to defend another southern tradition.

In the 1850s in this country, people began to notice the condition of human bondage on southern plantations. In the antebellum south, fewer than 10% of the population owned any slaves at all, and only 5% owned more than 20. Yet, that minority convinced the rest of the population that the mere threat of this southern tradition being compromised was reason enough to break away from the Union. One of the main arguments that the elite few used was that slavery was an integral part of the "southern way of life." It is peculiar that this argument surfaces again and whom the people are who are raising the argument.

Make no mistake about it. When those dogs go into the ring, they aren't wearing gloves and they aren't wearing head protection. They go into the ring like Roman gladiators to either win or die. It is a fight to the death. If this truly is a tradition anywhere, maybe it is time for another tradition to end, just as that "other" tradition ended.

In all fairness, I am a vegetarian and I became one for humanitarian reasons. I believe all animals deserve better treatment by humanity. For me, the brutality of dog fighting is little different from the way we people treat most animals, except maybe our pets. Many animals are raised for the purposes of working, breeding or becoming food. Think about that the next time you eat a steak, a pork chop or a chicken breast. Are you that much different than Michael Vick? Would you eat that flesh if you had to kill it yourself? Are those dogs much different from the slaves of the antebellum south?

Well, if we learned anything from slavery, the plight of the fighting dogs will not change even if the south breaks away and a great civil war ensues. Soon, other arguments will arise, such as, "We treat those dogs like family," or, "It is God's will," and the practice will continue. Michael Vick may be the scapegoat, but many others are just as guilty, and few of us see any error in the traditions.

Michael Vick, dog fighting, and anyone who engages in brutality against animals for any reason all share more than southern tradition, they share an American tradition. It is a tradition in this country to defend our actions no matter how inhumane. We shared the tradition with African slaves, European immigrants, Chinese railroad workers, Mexican farmers and any other weak minority, including defenseless animals.

Is dog fighting a southern tradition? Maybe, but more than that, it is part of the larger, American tradition that we choose to sweep under the rug and forget about. Michael Vick may pay the steepest price, but he is not alone in his guilt. We all share in the American tradition every day.