Anyone that truly knows me, knows how much I love dogs. Simply put, they are the best. Just the absolute best. Years ago, when I first read about what Michael Vick had done to all of those poor pups, my heart broke. Then it filled with rage and I wanted Vick’s head on a silver platter. How could anyone not?! He and his crew heinously killed, at the very least, eight dogs. For as long as these fights had been going on, I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is much higher.

Fast forward a decade and the story still leaves a bad taste in our mouths. Vick did an 18-month stint in prison for his involvement with dog fighting. In addition, he lost his $130 million contract with the Falcons, as well as Nike and the rest of his endorsements, causing him to file for bankruptcy. Despite all of this, he managed to get back into the NFL, which has upset a lot of people. They want him gone for good.

Since, Michael Vick has become a major advocate for animal rights, donating his time and money, to stop the very thing he went to prison for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting we praise the man and hail him as some sort of hero. However, there is something to be said about his transformation. Vick also speaks with kids at inner city schools, warning the children not to fall into the traps that he did as a young man growing up in the projects. The pressure to join a gang is something that most of us will never have to know.

Recent news has Vick being named as honorary captain for the NFL’s upcoming Pro Bowl game. As you can imagine, the country is up in arms over it. They want him out. They want him dead. They want him tortured. The very people upset about his torturing animals to death, want to torture him to death. This might be the most upside down, backwards, and redundant way of thinking.

Our current society is so incredibly predictable it’s almost laughable. The media reports that he’s being named honorary captain and it takes just mere seconds for it to anger people from coast to coast. People are triggered instantly and insanely upset about something they didn’t even know they were mad about. In no time, posts and statuses start going up like wildfire. There is no stopping it now. In wildfire suppression, firefighters use a technique called a “burnout”. This is the process of starting smaller fires to stop the bigger fire from spreading. Unfortunately, this rarely works in the case of internet activism. Instead of slowly burning out, the fighting simply shifts to the next “injustice” that the media tells us to be upset about.

Our due diligence ends with the signing of a made-up petition and no further action is taken after that. This has become our way of “helping”. No one cares about the actual atrocities that we are plagued with; they just want someone to pay the price. Even when that person has done their time and paid their debt to society. There is no such thing as becoming reformed. We don’t allow people to better themselves and mature. You can never escape your past or be forgiven for your wrongdoings. God will forgive your sins, but “Cathy from Tallahassee” will not. In this particular case, the dispute between everyone is not about the real problem; dog fighting. It is now a contest of ignorance and egos to determine who has the best “expert” opinion.

This is all part of what is called “fake outrage”. It’s where an individual gets all pumped up over an issue, conjures up a thought that has been planted in their soft frontal lobe, and then spews it all over their social media pages. It is my belief that Vick served his time and has more than made up for his violent actions against helpless animals. This in no way condones his acts. I believe this is where everyone gets confused. What he did was unacceptable, but it is forgivable.

My suggestion would be to take this anger you have for this man and redirect it towards those that are still involved in dog fighting. Vick is no longer the enemy. He has renewed himself and is attempting to right his wrongs. We should be working alongside him to save these pups from a cruel and tortuous life.

We have so much more control over the predicaments that we are faced with, than we even realize. Social and mainstream media are racking in millions of dollars every day over us fighting with each other. Our expectable nature is fueling these news conglomerates and we are dividing ourselves further and further apart. It’s not the government or the media doing it, it’s us. They’re just profiting off of it.

So, how do we resist the urge to argue with someone on the internet? It’s so easy to do and it doesn’t require you to even leave the comfort of your couch. They’re faceless arguments that often result in name calling and a devaluation of other’s thoughts and opinions. Rarely do you see people being subjective and open to new ideas. We solve nothing because we’re too busy waiting to talk instead of actively listening. In my opinion, it is best to avoid it at all costs. This may seem easier said than done, but you aren’t going to win. Not because you are wrong, rather the person you are arguing with has already made up their minds. Everything after the fact is futile. Save yourself from the headache, extra stress, and frustration.

We are a very capable society that can accomplish great things if we would just learn to work together. We can make this world a better place if we would just step away from our computers and dig into our communities and neighborhoods. A little love can go a really long way.

With gratitude,

Ryan