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[Adventurer]

Racial divide

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports
July 26, 2007




RICHMOND, Va. � The crowded, chaotic sidewalk on Main Street, across from the federal courthouse, was an unlikely location for a lesson on the virtues of the fifth amendment.

But standing behind a throng that wanted a pound of Michael Vick's flesh � people that had just screamed for the Atlanta Falcons quarterback to "burn in hell" and held signs advocating his murder, torture and neutering � was Thomas Smith in work boots and a white t-shirt.

High above his head he held a simple sign with just a single word: "Constitution."

"These folks have convicted a man who hasn't even had a chance to defend himself," said Smith. "They just forget everything about America."

But here was America in full force, full vision, mixing it up while Vick pled not guilty to federal charges pertaining to an alleged dog-fighting ring on property he owned in rural Surry County. And front and center, impossible to ignore, was race.

Like Smith, almost all of the people supporting Vick or holding signs pleading for "due process" and "innocence until proven guilty" were African American.

On the other side was an emotional, angry, passionate anti-Vick group that was overwhelmingly white.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-vickhearing072607&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[Adventurer]

I have a feeling if a white man beat a black man in a racially motivated way there wouldn't be black people holding signs saying "Constitution".
Granted, no one should be really protesting whether they are purple, black, or white and let the judge do his job. Vick is still supposed to be innocent until proven guilty despite what was found on his property which seems to strongly indicate that he was guilty. I am sure there must be African Americans who are dog lovers who are appalled that Vick may have done this and think the evidence collected so far makes him look shameful. I wouldn't be protesting for or against him and think judges are supposed to mete out justice, not crowds of any racial background.

Anyway, what about protesting more serious things like what the government is doing, the Attorney General Gonzalez who should be fired etc... People are not getting worked up enough over more important issues...

[Alias]

Just look at the Duke lacross players rape fiasco.

[Alyallen]

SO WHAT? They do this same crap with Bonds and OJ as well. It's like, "It's a Black guy, let's follow how many of his "kind" like him or agree with him." What's the journalistic value of that?

[Atavistic]

A racial divide? In Atlanta? You don't say!

(I was the only white woman on my grade for three years in my public school in Atlanta, the only "full" white person ever in my classroom. One kid once called me a "white honky wh)re b1tch." Did my all-black admin team do a thing to him? Nope. However, his father came to school and beat him outside of my classroom door.)

[Alyallen]

[Atavistic]

[twg]

[Alyallen]

[Fresh Prince]

Here's an article where Vick is being tied to another dog fighting incident, it turns out it wasn't him after all.

What I found interesting was that they were willing to name Vicks as a "person of interest," but weren't willing to name the other, "person of interest."

[Alyallen]

[On the other hand]

[Alyallen]

[Adventurer]

Frankly, I do not support any protests outside the court house. It is inappropriate. The trial should be conducted without prejudice. I can understand the passions. I do like dogs. African Americans love their dogs just as much as Caucasians, I am sure. However, too many African Americans get defensive when one of their own is accused as if people are going after Vick because he is an African American.

However, I didn't see Sharpton and Jessie Jackson bothering with Vick. No one appointed the animal rights activists as spokespersons for white people in Atlanta and the black people who showed up as spokespersons for black people. Anyway, like I said, people should protest in America, but it should be about things like no health care which is killing 18,000 people a year as compared to some dogs in a dog fight, major corruption by the Attorney General in Washington D.C., the huge drop out rate in many major cities etc... There are some far worse problems in the country and people are protesting over the dogs... Where are peoples' priorities? I am not callous and unfeeling when it comes to dogs and cats, but my priority is first with homosapiens...

As far as OJ Simpson, many African Americans defend people of such caliber, because there is a persecution complex in the community based on history and they are used to for decades having negative fingers pointed at them and now leveling constructive criticism by even members of the African community is a sensitive issue. I could be wrong.

Anyway, Vick should be tried by a judge not by hysterical protesters...

[Alyallen]