Let's Call A Spade A Spade!!

This past weekend, Louisville Kentucky played host to what is a staple in American culture - the Kentucky Derby. Crowned as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports",this year's event boasted the second-highest attendance in its 133 years of existence. Entertainers and other affluent Americans came out in droves to witness the racing of these well-trained, polished, three-year old horses. Oh yeah, and they placed their BETS!!



(Pictured Above: Gabrielle Union and Essence Atkins, Kid Rock and some blonde, and 'fallen' Star Jones at the '08 Kentucky Derby)

Existing longer than basketball, and American football as we know it played today, horse racing (AND GAMBLING ON THEM) is as American as apple pie.

This year's race was a thrilling one in which Big Brown "won the roses" followed by Eight Belles, who took second place honors. Unfortunately, Eight Belles broke her ankles directly following the race And was KILLED (they call it "euthanized") right on the track in front of 157,770 spectators.

After the race, the vet basically explains that the injury is painful thus, the only option is to KILL THE HORSE. Reading in between the lines, I think that what they're really trying to say is that this horse won't be able to compete, therefore, there's no value on the horse's life so we KILLED IT. C'mon, who's gonna bet on a horse that has a history of two broken ankles????


I'm not into horse racing or anything like that, but I can't help but to see similarities in what happened here and what happened in the case of former Falcons quarterback Mike Vick.


(I know that's not the most personable photo of Vick, but Damnit, I like it!!)
Lets see:

*Vick and his associates fought dogs that were bred to be vicious similar to how horse owners breed and train their three-year-old horses to race and compete against others.

*Gambling is usually involved in both of these activities.

*They're both done for the mere entertainment of humans who clearly have nothing better to do.

*When one of the animals is deemed non-profitable or performs badly, they are killed (or whatever the nice way of saying it is).

Animals are euthanized EVERY DAMN DAY to take them "out of their misery". I'm quite sure the bestial, vicious, yet poorly-performing dogs that Vick played apart in killing were in terrible shape and a great deal of pain after they competed. So, in essence, they were taken out of their misery.

The problem with Vick is that dog fighting is illegal in the U.S. NOW. It used to be perfectly legal back in the day (it is legal in Japan, Latin America, Russia, and other parts of the world by the way). If you really delve deeper though, one would realize that vicious dogs, or attack dogs, are more so popular amongst the lower class communities in the U.S.. Because of its underground nature, my theory is that the United States is unable to collect taxes and effectively make capitol on dog fighting which is why it's a felony on the law books.

I know some of you may be still thinking that comparing dog fighting and horse racing is like apples and oranges. Dog fighting is inhumane, barbaric, savage, and violent. I agree, but so is BOXING...and because it's such BIG BUSINESS, it's not only acceptable, but it's promoted, taught in schools, has its own category in the Olympics, the participants are idolized, AND they get a big ass purse at the end of the match...sometimes whether they win or lose.



I know there's a great deal of skill in boxing that separates the Iron Mikes, Ali's, and Mayweathers out there from the rest of them, but you're lying to yourself if you don't believe that boxing is a barbaric sport in which people have suffered serious brain damage, severe physical ailments, and even DEATH.


(Pictured Above: Korean Boxer Duk Koo Kim, KILLED by Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini in the ring as many watched on.)

The difference is there's BILLIONS of dollars in the boxing industry. Just ask HBO, Showtime, the Pay-per-view folks, Don King, or residents of Las Vegas.

The money in dog fighting = Not. As. Much.

Let's call a spade a spade and just say that the double standards are all over the place. Bottom line is, a horse that broke her ankles was KILLED and it's ok. Black man plays apart in killing some dogs, toss him in a federal penitentiary and take away his livelihood.

Is that justice?