Demand NIKE drops Michael Vick

Thank you Sarah for this link! I have a pit bull (her name is Spanky) who is the sweetest goofball of a dog! Pits do not naturally have any more aggressive tendencies than most breeds. But their muscular build and jaw strength have inspired vicious minded idiots to train them selectively to bring out aggressiveness. I will e-mail Nike and the NFL. This just sickens me!

ShellyC
 
I also sent an email and responded much like the previous poster who pointed out the difference between the legal standard of guilt vs. innocence and the standard as seen in the "court of public opinion".

Nike is walking a slippery slope in my opinion...first with Kobe and now with this. Money can really cause such an ugly reponse in people. These corporate tycoons are so concerned with the all mighty dollar and giving no regard for much else.

Situations like this make me want to be an extremist and go stand in front of their coporate head quarters with pictures of wounded, dying and deceased dogs that are used in these fights. I am sure that it would not make one ounce of difference to them...but it would make me feel like I was doing something!!
 
RE: Nike Suspends Next Vick Shoe

>Just in...
>
>Nike Suspends Next Vick Shoe
>
>http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/s...cknike_0719.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
>
>
>
>I am so saddened and absolutely disgusted. He's sick.
JUST caught this one the news, the prosecuter and sheriff are going for state charges in ADDITION to his federal charges. but it pi$$ed me off that they were showing dog fighting video on the news, ppl don't want to SEE it, its bad enough we have to hear about it. but i am glad they are going to charged him to the death and hope he gets his up-comins'


kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"

http://images.meez.com/user03/06/01/04/060104_10010099873.gif
 
RE: Nike Suspends Next Vick Shoe

I just got a very fast response from Nike:

Response (Caryn) - 07/19/2007 03:02 PM
Thank you for contacting Nike regarding Michael Vick.

Nike is concerned by the serious and highly disturbing allegations made against Michael Vick, and we consider any cruelty to animals inhumane and abhorrent. We do believe that Michael Vick should be afforded the same due process as any citizen; therefore, we have not terminated our relationship. We have, however, made the decision to suspend the release of the Zoom Vick V and related marketing communications. Nike will continue to monitor the situation closely and has no further comment at this time.

We appreciate that you took the time to contact us and your feedback will be passed along to the proper department.

Sincerely,

Nike
 
RE: Nike Suspends Next Vick Shoe

Sounds like they are starting to get a clue! (or at least realizing this might actually cost them $$$$....)
 
RE: Nike Suspends Next Vick Shoe

I sent one as well. Money over human decency seems like their style at the moment.:-(
 
Sarah,

Done! As the owner of two very sweet, smart, adorable, snuggly pit bulls I thank you for doing this. But anyone who has any compassion at all should be sickened by this story. It just brings tears to my eyes every time I think of it. I have this really cute shirt (if I do say so :p ) that says "Pit Bulls Deserve Better" that I've had forever and I'm gonna wear it tomorrow. I've never worn it to work. I'm sure my boss will have something to say, but oh well! I think it's a good day for it.

Suz

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
 
<Money over human decency seems like their style at the moment.>
Given Nike's human rights record in Third World countries I am not the least bit surprised. Unfortunately they are by no means unique.
 
RE: Nike Suspends Next Vick Shoe

>I just got a very fast response from Nike:
>
>Response (Caryn) - 07/19/2007 03:02 PM
>Thank you for contacting Nike regarding Michael Vick.
>
>Nike is concerned by the serious and highly disturbing
>allegations made against Michael Vick, and we consider any
>cruelty to animals inhumane and abhorrent. We do believe that
>Michael Vick should be afforded the same due process as any
>citizen; therefore, we have not terminated our relationship.
>We have, however, made the decision to suspend the release of
>the Zoom Vick V and related marketing communications. Nike
>will continue to monitor the situation closely and has no
>further comment at this time.
>
>We appreciate that you took the time to contact us and your
>feedback will be passed along to the proper department.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Nike
>

i heard this on the news this morning while getting ready for work and immediately thought of this thread!

i think they've done the right thing..... suspended release and sounds like they'll drop him once he's officially found guilty!


-------------
cute work out clothes are good for AT LEAST an additional 10-15 calories burned!

http://www.picturetrail.com/desertbriez
 
Thanks for the link. I sent e-mails to both Nike and the NFL--and then made a donation to HSUS to help the dogs that were affected by Vick's cruel operation.

I just read on the Falcons' newsgroup that, if Vick is convicted, the maximum he can get is 6 years in jail and a $350,000 fine. Not good enough at all. Getting kicked out the NFL and losing all the $$$ from corporate sponsors would add to the punishment, but still not enough. They should hand him over to us Cathe fitness fanatics and let us have a go at him.

MssL
 
Maybe you should send one of those shirts to the NFL, Falcons and Nike! I also sent emails but I feel like we really have to stay on this to motivate them to do something! I am already hearing things like racism, culture differences and other really lame excuses. I heard commentators saying Vick had been singled out because he is rich and famous. Crap. He is a monster. Remember the pet food scandal. If it wasn't for the public nothing would have come of it and I feel the same with this. I am afraid he is going to get away with this and that would really upset me.
 
Here's what a$$hole is up against. Fortunately, it sounds like he could get charged with a lot more stuff. I'm particulary fond of the "conspiracy charge."

(From ESPN's website)
The charges already filed against Vick are nasty and brutal enough. But is it possible that even more charges could be added as the case progresses?

It's possible, yes. Officials in Surry County, Va., insist they are continuing with their own investigation of what happened on Vick's property. They claim they may file their own charges in addition to the federal charges already filed. Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter says he will rely on a Virginia law that makes abuse of animals a felony, but it is unlikely the local authorities will act at this point. When the federal government steps in, the local authorities generally step out. Poindexter's statements might be an attempt to save face after the feds came into his county and took over the situation.

But there is the possibility of additional federal charges. Significant sums of money changed hands in Vick's dogfighting operation, according to the indictment. What was the origin, for example, of that $23,000 in cash in a book bag that Vick handed over when his dogs lost a doubleheader? The IRS will be checking. If it finds tax violations, they would be added to the indictment.

What do these federal charges mean for Vick?

Vick is in real trouble. He is up against the might and majesty of the U.S. government with all of its agents, all of its investigative techniques and all of its skilled prosecutors. If he has any doubts about the power and skill of the forces arrayed against him, he can call Scooter Libby, former chief of staff to vice president Dick Cheney, or he can call Lord Conrad Black, the disgraced media mogul facing time in a federal penitentiary. If he still isn't convinced, he can call Jeff Skilling, the zillionaire former Enron CEO who is residing in a federal pen. All three of them hired brilliant (and expensive) lawyers. All three thought they could explain their way out from under federal charges. And all three were convicted. Vick can, and probably will, hire some of America's best defense lawyers, but they will face a serious battle.

Would Vick be sent to jail if he is convicted?

Yes. It's hard to imagine any other outcome. The charges are serious, and the evidence against Vick presented at trial will be nasty. >>>edited by me because I don't think we need to see (again)the horrible things that were done to those dogs.<<<<

What is the next step for Vick?

Vick will watch to see which of his three co-defendants will be the first to make a deal with federal prosecutors. Each of them will think seriously about turning on Vick and offering testimony against him in return for less time in jail. Vick is obviously the prime target of the government effort. Prosecutors and agents will be willing to talk with his co-defendants about a deal if they are willing to help prove the case against Vick. The government indictment discloses four witnesses who have already agreed to testify against him. If all three of his co-defendants join these four witnesses against Vick, he and his lawyers might suggest that he, too, should talk to the government about a deal that would minimize his time in jail.

Vick is charged with "conspiracy" and violations of the "Travel Act." What does that mean?

The conspiracy charge will make things extra difficult for Vick and his lawyers. Under federal laws, the conspiracy charge allows federal prosecutors to link Vick to things that occurred even if he was not present. If the prosecutors can connect the four defendants, crimes committed by one of them can be used to add to the evidence against the others. It's a tricky legal procedure that prosecutors love and defense lawyers detest. The Travel Act is a device invented by Robert F. Kennedy when he was U.S. Attorney General in the early '60s. It was designed for use against organized crime and made it easier to prove cases against hoodlums. In the sports world, it was used most recently in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics bribery scandal. Federal prosecutors charged the Utah organizers under the Travel Act and proved millions of dollars in bribes. Vick, however, can take some hope from the fact that U.S. District Judge David Sam found the organizers not guilty of violating the Travel Act even though there was powerful evidence of bribery.
 
I hate how he caused so much suffering and will probably get a rich man's justice. I hope this causes him major problems and not just a little speed bump in his career.
 
I live in Atlanta and have worked in animal rescue for about ten years and have really been keeping an eye on this story. First, let me tell you that this is not a rare thing. Dog fighting rings are BIG MONEY and happen all over. You can not even imagine what these poor animals endure and how they are treated (if you could even call it that). Not to mention what happens to the ones who lose. Many times, the people who run the rings go to shelters to adopt dogs or get the "free to a good home" dogs to use as bait to get the dogs "foght ready." I have rescued bait dogs before. Not sure how they didn't die. Not to mention the breeding practices. What is done to these dogs is unimaginable. Until we start putting pressure on the government to stop this, it will be prevalent.

As for Vick, they have video of him going in and out of the house so don't try to convince me he didn't know what was going on. Yes, there were mass graves and many of the dogs were TORTURED before they were killed if they didn't win the fight. I know people have mentioned the Duke thing, but the "proof" in the Duke scandal was the woman telling what happened. When it was thoroughly investigated (DNA, etc.) it was determined that she was not telling the truth. Yes, we are all innocent until proven guilty, but the evidence thus far seems overwhelming.

I really hope he is punished to the maximum extent of the law. We had a horrible cruelty case here a while ago. Two 17 year-old boys (Joshua and Justin Moulder...may they rot in hell) hog tied a puppy, dpused her in paint, lit her on fire. When she did not die, they put her in an oven and cooked her. There were scratch marks on the oven from her trying to claw her way out and all her nails were bloody. Not to mention that they made samall children look in the oven after the pup was dead and told the children they were going to do it to them. Yes, I know this is graphic, but people really need to know the kind of abuse that happens. The a**holes went to trial and it ended in a mistrial. Our wonderful DA did not give up and they were tried again. They got TEN YEARS. Not enough, but unheard of for an animal cruelty case. It's a start.

All the school shooters abused animals. Most serial killers abused animals as children. Many murderers abused animals. If a child is cruel to animals, chances are that violence will escalate. I say this as a psychologist who has done research on animal cruelty.

For the sake of society, we all need to make this our problem and do what we can to stop it. Stronger penalties must be established.

Sorry for the tirade. I can't tell you how much this topic hurts my very soul. I will forever remember each and every cruelty case I have been involved in and every animal that suffers.
 
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