She only stated that he was raised in the deep south where dog fighting is more common. I didn't hear her say he should be pardoned because he was a product of his environment. If you were raised in a country that believed in cannibalism, and moved to America and continued to practice you would be charged according to our laws. Living in the deep south, they know it's illegal but do it anyway. Vick would have learned that in his upbringing sooner or later. It's not an excuse, nor a reason to get out of trouble. What do you think?
2007-09-04 09:44:04 · 12 answers · asked by cueball0003 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
what a surprise the day Whoopi takes over on the view something provocative is stated? its all for the ratings game plain and simple
2007-09-04 10:01:34 · answer #1 · answered by goz1111 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Whoopi is ignorant. I am from the South and can assure you that dogfighting is not second-nature here! It is cruel and a crime. Vick is a low-life, just like OJ, Lindsay Lohan, and all of the other celebs that forget that they, too, are American citizens and are bound by laws. Vick is so lucky to have all of the money and fame; why not put his "power" to good use instead of becoming a criminal? This is proof that money cannot buy common sense. People need to stop playing the race card. Whether someone is black, white, purple, or green is irrelevant; YOU DO THE CRIME YOU DO THE TIME! If you or I were involved in dogfighting, you'd better believe the law would come after us!
2007-09-04 18:33:51 · answer #2 · answered by Literature Mommy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The deep south???? He's from Newport News. It's a major metropolitan area with more than a million and a half people and an hour from D.C. Knowing D.C., I wouldn't be surprised if people commute from his neighborhood. As someone having grown up in the real "deep south", I can tell you dog fighting is hardly considered an accepted activity. People are prosecuted for that crime just the same in the deep south as in northern New Jersey, maybe even more harshly. No matter what corner of the country or what "culture" you come from, dog fighting is always something discretely conducted in back alleys and isolated wooded locations... oh, and of course, the homes of "naive" NFL stars living in multi-million dollar Atlanta mansions.
2007-09-04 23:33:39 · answer #3 · answered by MDHarp 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd have to hear/read the actual Whoopi quote, but it sounds like she was explaining him, not excusing him. And there is definitely a difference.
Most people learn values from what others around them model more than they learn from what people say. So it makes sense that someone from a culture of dog-fighting might think it's okay to run dogfights. But he would be wrong.
2007-09-04 16:51:06 · answer #4 · answered by Vaughn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Difficult to say whether she was defending or offering a new perspective.
Either way - her comments were odious and offensive.
This is NO DIFFERENT that saying that, for example, what Don Imus said was because of he is a product of his environment.
Does this excuse the behaviors of these buffoons?
Hell, no!
I suppose a lot of redneck, white trash could (based on what Whoopi said) claim that lynching is okay, because its part of the southern culture.
Whoopi is as ignorant as anyone who excuses bad behavior.
We ALL need to be responsible for our own actions.
2007-09-05 10:00:27 · answer #5 · answered by docscholl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Moonshining is a product of the "deep south" too but that doesn't make it legal. I think Whoopi was looking more at race this time instead of common sense.
2007-09-04 17:16:32 · answer #6 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dog fighting is one thing, its is despicable enough but it is a cultural thing not only for black southerners but others too.
What went over and above was the fact that Vick personally killed the dogs and kittens that were used to accustom the fighting dogs to blood. That's nauseating. I don't know how to say this but that anything involved with killing or maiming dogs for sport is repulsive, and it doesn't matter if you are acculturated or not, its sick.
Its surely not a liberal thing, and trying to make it such simply reveals the ignorance of the person trying to make out as if it were.
2007-09-04 16:56:54 · answer #7 · answered by justa 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why aren't people so up in arms about BULL FIGHTING?
That's a cultural sport. So it's okay to torture and kill a bull because it's culturally okay? So Whoopi was saying that in that part of America, dog fighting is culturally acceptable. I think that she was trying to explain it, not defend it.
I DO NOT agree with either!
2007-09-04 17:24:18 · answer #8 · answered by beckini 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose of dog fighting were more common than someone being complacent in it would be less guilty of wrongdoing than someone who knew full well what they were doing. It's a fair argument, however in Vick's case he was the ringleader, he was in charge. We live in the US, animal cruelty is well understood and defined and it is known that it is illegal, if not immoral.
2007-09-04 17:03:07 · answer #9 · answered by Pfo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is never any excuse for torture and cruelty. Even to a dog. And he know exactly what he was doing. Her response was some of the worst liberal BS I've ever heard. She should be ashamed of herself.
2007-09-04 16:51:24 · answer #10 · answered by skullklipz 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋