USA Today has a poll in the Paw Prints section that is subtly pushing the sales of Michael Vick Jerseys to kids.  The marketing tactic is hidden in a questionable article asking if parents want their kids wearing a Michael Vick Jersey.

If you read the article, it reminds people that Michael Vick was ‘involved’ in dog fighting, not that he pled guilty, nor that he ran a dog fighting ring for almost his entire tenure in the NFL the first go round nor that he killed and tortured dogs with his own hands for fun.

They quickly cite a different link to an article out of Philadelphia by Dom Giordano.  Unlike the USA Today article, Dom’s opinion piece actually has some editorial substance with a hint of news.  Although I do not agree with Dom’s analysis that there does exist a path upon which Michael Vick could become a legitimate role model for children (ever).  I think the article in fairness does a decent job of pointing out that even walking the middle ground of ethics, Michael Vick has not yet come remotely close to meeting even the lowest standards for the role model job and hence jersey sales to kids. 

Keep in mind that we have consistently believe that this is exactly why Michael Vick SHOULD NOT BE IN THE NFL ANYMORE.  We believe that his pedestal as a propped up NFL star, gives him defacto influence over kids, teens and many young adults that promotes a life path just like Michael Vick’s which would include a life involving dog fighting, illegal gambling, crime and violence.

But the USA Today poll, is slanted towards the concept that people should/must accept Vick as a role model someday, as opposed to having the option to never accept Vick as a role model.

If a respondent quickly checks the No button, they might miss the caveat in the question ‘No, give it some time’

Hey USA Today, How about ‘NO, hell no, double hell no and not in a million years!’

Sometimes people cross a line and do something so vile that there is just no going back.  When it comes to Michael Vick and kids choosing a role model, the line has been crossed and no kid should be turned in his direction as a role model.  Historical lesson yes, role model no.

There’s no telling why USA Today would do this.  It might be because they are a crappy paper, getting crappier.  It could be some blogger unchecked and out of control using their site.  It could be that they are trying to suck people into an article, flip them into the conceivable concept that yes, now is not the time, but the time may come sometime, and then maybe USA today will just happen to have some nice NFL ads selling said jersey’s online.

Maybe not today, but some day soon at USA Today.

As to the asshole father’s of the year in waiting that are fueling the fire by buying up Michael Vick Jersey’s, well you reap what you sow.  Show your kids that you admire a dog killer that helped send his cousin and friends to prison along with himself by funding their illegal dog fighting ring and lifestyle for years and you are definitely sending the wrong message to your kids.

Want to Help Correct This Michael Vick Jersey Sickness?

Leave a real comment on that original article or on Dom’s article.  Don’t bother with the poll, its rigged from go.  When given a choice between 2 or 3 rigged binary or tertiary options, don’t submit to the game, reframe the question or explain things the way they really are.

We’re reposting this article from our friends at The Truth About Pitbulls.

SIX holiday miracles!   We took in four emergency dogs and two kittens these past few weeks, and have been working so hard on their rehab and medical care, we werent able to get out our holiday plea out in a timely manner!   We know everyone is strapped right now, with the economy and all, but we couldn’t say no to these six!    We were lucky enough to have one of our wonderful fosters help out with TWO of them
So now we just need to raise the money to cover all their medical care.

Above left is Wally, rescued from an animal control the day before his scheduled euthanasia.   He came to us underweight, and with a badly abscessed and painful front paw.  We neutered, vetted, and fixed up that paw the very next day.   He is kid, dog, and cat friendly, and SO grateful to be here for the holidays!  

In the middle is Stuart, a super sweet dobe mix.  He came to us in the middle of an ice storm, TWENTY pounds underweight, with explosive diarrhea, in very, very bad shape.  We have been nursing him back to health ourselves, and he is finally putting on weight. On the right is Kingston (original name was Ice), a gorgeous pit bull with one blue eye and one brown eye.  He is showing off the two shaved spots on his back from his heartworm treatment.  He is on the mend and is good with his foster’s kids, dogs, cat, guinea pigs, AND ferrets. 

WOW!  

He goes to work with his foster mom at a nursing home (check out his photos at the nursing home on our site, dontbullymybreed.org).  He was on his way to an animal control (after no one answered his Free to Good Home ad, thankfully) that does not adopt out pit bulls,  when we intervened.  Our fourth doggie rescue, Daisy, is on the Adoptable Dogs page on our site (we didn’t have a good enough photo to embed in this email:).   She was rescued by someone from a very bad situation but they were unable to keep her themselves.  This sweetie is a boxer (all jowly) mixed with pit.   She has a LOT of energy and has nipples hanging to the ground from being overbred.  She had a rough surgery when she was spayed but is finally feeling better now.   She loves, loves, loves to play!  

The kittens we took in were trapped with a humane trap, also during the ice storm, so we named them Warm and Toasty .  They were super sick when we rescued them, and are not thrilled with all the medicating we’ve been doing to them, so they are a bit shy right now.  They are now fully vetted and also ready to be adopted.  

We really need donations to pay off our vet bill because we have another rescued dog scheduled for oral surgery in two weeks.   We are hoping each of you can PLEASE make a holiday donation for their care!   The link for making a donation is http://www.thetruthaboutpitbulls.org/donation.php or, if you’d like to send a check, please email us at [email protected], for the name of our vet and the address.

Thanks for all your previous support this past year, and wishing you all a VERY happy, safe 2009!

There have been several reports this week, about Michael Vick’s dogs getting place and very shelters and homes.  One of those shelters is as best as I can tell something of a ranch out in Utah that specializes in taking care of abused dogs and dogs raced for dogfighting.

Monday, Michael Vick faces sentencing for his actions and transgressions.  But for the dogs that were abused and tortured and survived, they get to start a new life.  Let’s hope, someday in the distant future Michael Vick will be a start a new life and make up for what he’s done.

Pet Connection Blog » Now this is what you would call ‘a good outcome’