All life is precious, even dogs

Some time ago, there were some excellent letters challenging the apologist for Michael Vick's dubious “redemption.” However, a few things need clarification, especially since there have been “new developments”:

His champion wrote on Jan. 9, “It must be remembered that Michael Vick is a human being,” which is sanctimonious code for “so sit down and shut up!”

So? Pretty platitudes about “human dignity” and so forth aside, what concerns most people is the care and feeding of their own DNA. (As somebody who was orphaned fairly early on, I have had a front-row seat for this phenomenon.) Consider everything from vile personal behavior to political corruption and ruthlessness to institutionalized corporate skulduggery (catch Dylan Ratigan on MSNBC), all of which are rampant, and all of which have real human victims.

The writer concludes with, to paraphrase, “They were only dogs,” a convenient sentiment that allows people to pamper their purebreds, likely produced within the horrific confines of puppy mills (documentation of which will become a serious crime if the loathsome state bill prohibiting such admirable whistle-blowing actually becomes law), and to casually abuse animals in the service of everything from “science” to “entertainment.”

Some day the enlightened will realize that all life is precious (with the possible exception of fleas, bedbugs, and people like Vick - who just received some award for “heroism.” Go figure; hubris is certainly alive and well!)

Cynthia Thompson-Adhikari

Cedar Rapids