OT-Race Card Now Being Played In Mike Vick Case

[mikemarrs]

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The difference between those sporting Michael Vick jerseys and those urging his swift conviction on dogfighting charges is glaring: Vick's supporters are mostly black; his critics are mostly white.

The racial divide emerged early in the case against the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, apparent at rallies filled with cheering - and overwhelmingly black - Vick supporters and at anti-Vick protests that are noticeably white.

Vick's opponents say the evidence against him is overwhelming. For many black supporters, that judgment evokes uncomfortable questions about race and guilt in America.

"White folks 'been grindin' on an ax ... and that ax ain't got sharp enough for them," said Earnest Hardy Sr., who called the case a witch hunt targeting a successful black man.

Hardy's Surry County home borders Vick's property, where an April raid turned up evidence of dogfighting. Federal authorities indicted Vick on dogfighting charges, and he faces jail time and fines. He has pleaded not guilty.

In the rural county split 50-50 between whites and blacks, the case quickly took a racial bent. At the county courthouse, angry letters urged that whites "take back their town." Critics accuse the commonwealth's attorney, Gerald Poindexter, of stalling an investigation to protect one of his own.

"The only thing I'm doing is protecting my personal integrity and protecting the integrity of the office," said Poindexter, who is black. "I'm not going to be pushed into bringing charges that won't stand."

Hardy spotted Surry's racial divisions long ago - in the farmland developers are sweeping up and selling at prices working-class folks can't afford, and in the new neighbors who don't look like him.

Hardy suspects that Vick - famous, rich and black - is just the fall guy behind bigger issues.

"A hundred-million-dollar black man?" he huffed. "They can't stand it."

His view is reflected from the Newport News region where Vick was raised to Atlanta, where a rally supporting the former Virginia Tech standout drew several hundred fans, but barely 50 whites, said Gerald Rose, with Atlanta-based New Order National Human Rights Organization.

Rose said the outcry stems from what he said is Vick's premature conviction in the media - not support for dogfighting. But he said the case also awakens anger over a perceived smear campaign targeting famous black men from Kobe Bryant to Michael Jackson.

He argues black men who stumble draw excessive scrutiny and especially harsh public judgment.

"It's been too many cases involving African-Americans (where) they got through the court of law, they've been found not guilty, but damage has been done," Rose said.

Vick and two co-defendants are scheduled to stand trial Nov. 26. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference plans to recognize Vick at its annual convention, which began Friday in Atlanta.

"We're in support of Michael as a human being," SCLC president Charles Steele said. "Right now, he's feeling discarded, ostracized by people who are rushing to judgment. It's our responsibility to save him."

Tempers flared at Vick's July 26 arraignment in Richmond, where outside the courthouse blacks and whites debated everything from animal rights to slavery.

"It's racial profiling," said Bill Brown, a Richmond store owner who held a sign urging Vick's fair treatment. "We're always trying to brush everything up under the rug when it comes to racial things."

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, leader of the most vocal Vick protests, says the issue isn't racial.

"We're reacting very strongly to this case because Michael Vick is someone who's a hero ... If this were Peyton Manning or Brett Favre, we'd be out there," spokesman Dan Shannon said.

Both NFL quarterbacks are white.

Vick's case is a "crack in the dam" of American racial tension, explained Jeff Menzise, assistant director of the Race Relations Institute at Fisk University in Tennessee.

Whites, he said, may have underlying anger at blacks they feel constantly play the race card. Blacks, meanwhile, may feel whites rush to judge black suspects, but are more lenient to white ones, Menzise said. A case like Vick's offers a vent for those frustrations.

"When you dam up a river, any crack in that dam and every drop of water is going to try and get out," he said.

Menzise said blacks may despise dogfighting but support Vick as a figure of black success in a society in which there are relatively few.

At his Richmond clothing store, Brown said he'll continue stocking Vick merchandise, though others have pulled it from shelves. He likened black support for Vick's cause to the support for O.J. Simpson's acquittal.

"Black people didn't care about O.J.," he said. "But we felt like we finally won."

Norfolk correspondent Sonja Barisic contributed to this report.

[T-Bone]

Go Jessie Go!!!! And don't forget Big Al!

[mikemarrs]

yep.al sharpton and jesse jackson two racist punks.

[Clasicrockldy]

Oh my fucking God! Playing the race card??? Shit, that is what they want you to think. Vick got caught by letting his house be a place for dogfighting! White, black, whatever color, if you are caught dogfighting, you will be punished. There are quite a few successful black men who are multimillionaires. Will Smith, Wesley Snipes, Chris Rock. I have no problem with them being millionaires. They worked for it. What I care about is the illegal dogfighting. That is the only thing that should be on their minds, not playing the race card shit to get out of it.

[nikki]

I was wondering how long it would take for them to do this. It's almost standard procedure nowadays anytime someone of color gets in trouble. I'm sick and tired of people not owning up to their actions. Vick needs to be a man for a change and be accountable. And his 'handlers' need to shut the hell up.

[Red13JoePa]

The card IS being played, and it's a shame.

There are TONS of decent blacks who are aggravated by the incessant blaming of whites every time a black (especially a famous one) is in trouble. It sets things back.


Just like there are moronic, idiotic whites.

[mikemarrs]

i'll be the first to admit there are as many moronic whites as blacks......

however most crimes are committed by blacks.i live in memphis,tennessee.the most dangerous city in america.you look over your shoulder going to the car and into your house.

just this last week the people on both sides of me have been broken into.they caught the people breaking in last time.they were black.even in the wealthiest parts of this city the murders,peeping toms,rapists 90 percent of the time are black.

[Rockindeano]

No, sorry, this is NOT a black v White issue.

Vick is toast. Count on it.

[Escape Artist]

The people that yell racist the loudest ARE the racists, they are the ones who perpetuate racism.

Idiotic.

Vick is an asshole, white, black, green, purple... dosen't matter.

[T-Bone]

I somehow knew the "racecard" would be thrown sooner or later. Any time someone tells someone of a different race, color or religion that they're not allowed to do something, or they've broken a law of some kind, it's always racist to them. I've read many laws and law books, and I can honestly say that I've never seen any law that's written in a way that someone of a race is allowed to do something where someone else is not allowed to or vice versa. Law is Law and it covers everyone even if it doesn't look like it sometimes

[Greg]

I'm so tired of the race card being pulled out everytime a black person of prestige gets him/herself into trouble. What kind of message is this being sent to the black community? If you screw up, don't worry, we'll just call everybody who's trying to help you correct the mistake you made racist, then you'll be able to get away with anything you want.

[mikemarrs]

thats what they do though.everytime a high profile black person gets in trouble then here comes jesse jackson and al sharpton right behind.i call it the get out of jail free card courtesy of jesse and all.committed rape? cold blooded murder? cheated on your taxes? killed da white man?



just call jesse and al because after all they need the publicity.you get yours and we get ours.its a two way street and both get what they want out of the process.the suppose convicted and al or jesse.i've seen it happen way too many times.....

[Liam]

Oh my fucking God! Playing the race card??? Shit, that is what they want you to think. Vick got caught by letting his house be a place for dogfighting! White, black, whatever color, if you are caught dogfighting, you will be punished. There are quite a few successful black men who are multimillionaires. Will Smith, Wesley Snipes, Chris Rock. I have no problem with them being millionaires. They worked for it. What I care about is the illegal dogfighting. That is the only thing that should be on their minds, not playing the race card shit to get out of it.

Well...I know Sallee's pissed. She cussed.

[CatEyes]

Hardy suspects that Vick - famous, rich and black - is just the fall guy behind bigger issues.

"A hundred-million-dollar black man?" he huffed. "They can't stand it."

I don't care a rat's-fucing-ass if Vick is a hundred-million dollar black man, the poorest white dude in the county or
fucking purple.

Give him to the dogs.

then give me what is left.



Cat

[RPM]

I am so sick of this . I will never forget the news shots of the Blacks
cheering the oj ruling, it made me realize just how divided we really are.
the LA riots was another eye opener. how can anyone defend this prick??????
anyhow he is FINISHED.

Ray

[squirt1]

Jessie has made himself rich by appealing to the uneducated. Sharpton thought he would give it a go as a career. Remember his Twana Brawley fiasco. Educated blacks will tell you that those 2 ass clowns do not speak for them.

[Just Mindy]

Rose said the outcry stems from what he said is Vick's premature conviction in the media - not support for dogfighting. But he said the case also awakens anger over a perceived smear campaign targeting famous black men from Kobe Bryant to Michael Jackson.

Ummm....I'm pretty sure that if it were a famous white guy the media would be jumping all over it too. Smear campaign? Live a clean life, you won't get smeared.

[Ms_M]

Rose said the outcry stems from what he said is Vick's premature conviction in the media - not support for dogfighting. But he said the case also awakens anger over a perceived smear campaign targeting famous black men from Kobe Bryant to Michael Jackson.

Ummm....I'm pretty sure that if it were a famous white guy the media would be jumping all over it too. Smear campaign? Live a clean life, you won't get smeared.

Very well said, M.

[NealIsGod]

Great, now Ving Rhames is in dog trouble.

KNBC in Los Angeles reports that an incident this morning at the home of actor Ving Rhames has left one person dead. Police were called to the home and found a body, presumed to be a groundskeeper, covered with bite marks from a dog.

Police officials tell TMZ.com that the deceased man cared for Rhames' four Mastiffs, which have been taken into custody by Animal Control. Cops tell The Los Angeles Times that the caretaker, in his early 40s, was mauled by at least two of the dogs. Investigators also did not rule out other possible causes of death, such as heart attack or stroke. Rhames is believed to be out of the country.

[Enigma869]

Where the hell were these Affirmative Action Assholes when the three, rich, white kids were being railroaded by the moronic DA in the Duke Lacrosse case???? Un fucking real!!!!! I didn't hear any of them proclaim any of those kids as innocent until proven guilty! Listen...I will never deny racism is alive and well, and will never go away in our lifetime. That said, this is like the boy who cried wolf too much!!!!!


John from Boston

[piecesofeight]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=a ... &type=lgns

[KittyKat]

Wesley Snipes did it too over the back taxes issue on his house. Anytime a celebrity, athlete, etc. is accused of a serious crime it makes headlines in the media regardless of the color. As for MJ and Kobe Bryant they were very serious charges that we're supposed to overlook because they are accustomed to getting special treatment. Why not? OJ got away with murder and MJ and Kobe weren't proven to be guilty of anything. Now they are giving Vick a deal for his guilty plea.

[Red13JoePa]

Of course.

And who's surprised?

The adamant outright refusal of some to accept the fact Vick is in heat now because HE BROKE FEDERAL LAWS, NOT BECAUSE HE IS BLACK is continuously amazing.

To say NOTHING of the fact that as usual, they immediately brush aside the fact that he broke the law. It's "So what? He's being picked on."

[squirt1]

Joe- Bingo ! He broke FEDERAL LAWS and they could care less about Al & Jesse. Haven't those 2 been quiet. The NFL probably will be concerned with the gambling and PR issues , but I think they should stay out of it ,as he is going to pay for his crime through our laws.

[X factor]

No, sorry, this is NOT a black v White issue.

Vick is toast. Count on it.

Agreed, but this is most definitely a race issue- if it wasn't to begin with, it will be now.
What I'M starting to hear from some of these geniuses on the call in shows is this bullshit "Aw, ya'll care more about DOGS than you do PEOPLE" line. It's sad, but there is an element in Black society that feels they HAVE to pull out the race card anytime something like this happens, and scream how quick to judge white America is. (Ironically, I just saw a piece on Don Imus today. Have they forgotten how the entire country seemed to turn on him for simply running his mouth?)

The other issue to me is that I believe it's obvious that the "gang culture" out there has a "so what" mentality about this crime. To them, I think they feel it's an affront to their culture. Dog fighting is part of that world, and when the law tries to prosecute someone for it, and worse, when the public gets in an uproar over it, they feel that's tantamount to spitting on their culture. Sad, sad shit...I'm starting to wonder if we're ever going to be able to heal the racial distrust in this nation.

[Escape Artist]

Wait a minute... Mike Vick pleaded guilty.

Does that make him the racist now??

[yak]

I don't care a rat's-fucing-ass if Vick is a hundred-million dollar black man, the poorest white dude in the county or
fucking purple.

Give him to the dogs.

then give me what is left.



Cat

You've got it, Cat.

Everytime these jackasses play the race card, it's a step back for blacks everywhere...but, that's why they do it.

[Ms_M]

The NFL has suspended Vick indefinitely. I like the sound of that.

[chf34jmac]

You guys amaze me that you all seem so surprised by the fact that the race card was whipped out. My only reaction when the story first came out was how long would it take before it was thrown. The guy is a typical ghetto scumbag. he got to college and had a great collegiate career, got drafted into the pros and now has no clue how to act with all the money being tossed at him. He reminds me a lot of the child actors the explode because they can't handle the fame, and the fact that with all that money comes the ability to easily acquire drugs, alcohol, and all of the other vices out there. Prison should be a real eye opener for him. (brown eye too )

[stevew2]

This guy is a fucking tool