Black Entertainment Television, LLC. (BET) has elected convicted felon and animal abuser Michael Vick for the "Sportsman of the Year" award.
In 2007, Vick was implicated in an illegal dog fighting ring that he had operated for over five years. His indictment revealed the sickening abuse of dogs who were pitted against one another and encouraged to rip each other apart in a fight to the death for entertainment. When the dogs on his property were not being forced to fight, they were kept caged and chained to buried car axles. Once the dogs were deemed no longer useful to fight organizers, they were wet down and electrocuted, hanged, beaten, drowned, shot, slammed against the ground, or killed in some other barbaric manner. Vick plead guilty to federal felony charges and served 21 months in prison along with two months in home confinement.
By the act of rewarding this man with prestige in light of his cruel criminal behavior, the wrong message is being sent to the people of our nation. It should be shown that such acts of violence from public figures are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
We the undersigned do hereby request that Black Entertainment Television, LLC. reconsider the decision to present convicted felon and animal abuser Michael Vick the "Sportsman of the Year" award. By the act of rewarding this man with prestige in light of his cruel criminal behavior, the wrong message is being sent to the people of our nation. It should be shown that such acts of violence from public figures are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We respectfully urge that Black Entertainment Television, LLC rescind this award. Thank you for your time and consideration regarding this matter.
