Josh Norris’ column took hyperbole to a new level (“If Vick charges are true, NFL must act harshly,” ODE, May 30, 2007). The article was likely intended to provoke a response, but it was so baffling misguided that the response it created was mere confusion. Norris writes that Vick’s training of dogs for dogfighting is “the most slimy, sickening, gut-wrenching, heartless, unconscionable act of cowardice ever perpetrated by a professional athlete.”
I’m all for animal rights, but a sense of perspective is necessary here. Mike Tyson (allegedly) raped a woman and bit off part of a man’s ear. Former Trail Blazer Ruben Patterson raped a woman and assaulted his wife. Tom Payne, former Atlanta Hawks player, raped several woman before being sentenced to life in prison. Football player Rae Carruth conspired to murder his girlfriend and is serving 18 years in prison. These are a few of the more extreme offenses perpetrated by some professional athletes. Norris’ claim that training dogs to fight is worse than rape, murder or assault means that he either values the life of a dog higher than that of a human or is ignorant of these (fairly infamous) cases. Dogfighting is heinous, but it is nowhere near the worst act committed by a professional athlete.
Peter Fehrs
Eugene resident