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For Immediate Release:
July 18, 2007
Contact:
Dan Shannon 757-622-7382
This morning, all of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's corporate sponsors, Falcons CEO Arthur Blank, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell received a joint letter from hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, civil rights leader The Rev. Al Sharpton, and PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk roundly condemning dogfighting and other forms of violence.
"The recent media spotlight on dogfighting reminds us of society's callous disregard for the suffering of animals and disrespect for sentient beings," they wrote in letters that arrived by FedEx this morning. "We hope that Mr. Vick is not a product of this insensitivity that runs through our society. ... It does us little good to prosecute just those who are famous and allow people across the country to continue to commit these hideous crimes. We are hopeful that authorities will take the appropriate action against anyone found guilty of an atrocity as serious as dogfighting ... . Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong."
The statement comes on the heels of Michael Vick's indictment by a federal grand jury on a conspiracy charge related to his alleged involvement with dogfighting, including fatally hanging, drowning, and slamming against the ground dogs who "did not perform well." The indictment follows an April 25 raid on Vick's property in Surry County, Va., during which authorities reportedly found 70 dogs--including at least 60 pit bulls, the breed that is most commonly used for fighting--and paraphernalia commonly associated with dogfighting. Some of the animals reportedly had deep wounds and cuts consistent with fighting.
The Simmons, Sharpton, and PETA letters went to all of Vick's corporate sponsors, including Nike, Rawlings, Hasbro, Coca-Cola, Easton Sports, and Kraft.
"Anyone capable of forcing dogs to fight to the death should be kept away from all vulnerable forms of life, particularly children and animals," says Newkirk. "Dogfighting is an illegal act that deserves harsh punishment, no matter how famous the alleged perpetrators are."
The letter to Michael Vick's sponsors can be viewed at:
http://blog.peta.org/archives/Michael_Vick_letter.pdf
July 18, 2007
Contact:
Dan Shannon 757-622-7382
This morning, all of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's corporate sponsors, Falcons CEO Arthur Blank, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell received a joint letter from hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, civil rights leader The Rev. Al Sharpton, and PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk roundly condemning dogfighting and other forms of violence.
"The recent media spotlight on dogfighting reminds us of society's callous disregard for the suffering of animals and disrespect for sentient beings," they wrote in letters that arrived by FedEx this morning. "We hope that Mr. Vick is not a product of this insensitivity that runs through our society. ... It does us little good to prosecute just those who are famous and allow people across the country to continue to commit these hideous crimes. We are hopeful that authorities will take the appropriate action against anyone found guilty of an atrocity as serious as dogfighting ... . Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong."
The statement comes on the heels of Michael Vick's indictment by a federal grand jury on a conspiracy charge related to his alleged involvement with dogfighting, including fatally hanging, drowning, and slamming against the ground dogs who "did not perform well." The indictment follows an April 25 raid on Vick's property in Surry County, Va., during which authorities reportedly found 70 dogs--including at least 60 pit bulls, the breed that is most commonly used for fighting--and paraphernalia commonly associated with dogfighting. Some of the animals reportedly had deep wounds and cuts consistent with fighting.
The Simmons, Sharpton, and PETA letters went to all of Vick's corporate sponsors, including Nike, Rawlings, Hasbro, Coca-Cola, Easton Sports, and Kraft.
"Anyone capable of forcing dogs to fight to the death should be kept away from all vulnerable forms of life, particularly children and animals," says Newkirk. "Dogfighting is an illegal act that deserves harsh punishment, no matter how famous the alleged perpetrators are."
The letter to Michael Vick's sponsors can be viewed at:
http://blog.peta.org/archives/Michael_Vick_letter.pdf
