Dog day afternoon

I’m gonna keep this brief cause your folk is madder than a mug right now. Just found out to day in an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution that former Falcon Quarterback Michael Vick has agreed to leave a large amount of loot to take care of some 50 or more dogs that were left on his property, $928,073 to be exact.

According to his lawyer, it will be set in a escrow account controlled by Billy Martin’s Washington, D.C. based law firm. They say it’s to pay for restitution decided upon by the court. This makes me sick to the stomach, giving all this money to dogs.

Why couldn’t he or his lawyer say that the money would go to scholarships for African American males leaving high schools for college or for after school math and science programs for primary and middle-school age African American male youth? I tell you why, because it is still more appropriate to provide a nurturing environment for a dog (Canis domesticus) than African American men in these United States of America.

No one can find the caretaker of the dogs now for comment Rebecca Jean Huss (in picture), a professor of law at Valparaiso University and the court appointed caretaker of the dogs. Ain’t that some shit, it takes $900,000 to maintain and find homes for some pit bulls according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and groups like PETA.

Glad to see folks care more about dogs than me. That’s why I said before, Mr. Vick was stupid for the choices he made, now not only is he losing money, but his philanthropy, albeit court order has more significance for dogs, than his own folks.

Lift up Your Skirt and Find Your Balls

As African American men, we find ourselves in precarious and difficult positions daily in life that the average denizen will never experience. Namely due to social, economic and historical factors, we have a hard job of just maintaining respect and our life. The conundrum is that we are few in many, especially those of us deserving of the title of men.

As it stands, we are a dying breed although many self proclaim the title of being a real per say, man. I just think the aforementioned has a responsibility to his community and family as being one. That includes making to the best of his abilities, a stable living environment free from detrimental factors both in the home and neighborhood. This means being responsible enough to provide and take care of our children and our women. It also entails being able to sustain tolerance for scrutiny, criticism, and plane old meanness that will be directed towards breaking us down.

We should be able to critically make decision that look at our families and communities first, even if they may be to our disliking. We should not desire outcomes such as that which lead to the arrest of former Atlanta Falcon Asley Ambrose who is reported to have pushed his wife in the face and threw a glass vase at her after she responded in self-defense. According to police reports, when she tried to call 911, thge brother of the former falcon, Naim Shakir, 24, "tackled her and held her down while Ashley Ambrose kicked her in the side and hit her in the face, according to the report."


So I guess I state this as challenge to us men who claim to be real but are never there at PTA meetings for our kids, never changing diapers, not treating the women in your lives like queens, being faithful and respecting the relationships and commitments of others. More importantly, it means if you cannot do any of these things, then lift up your skirt and find your balls.