Ahimsa: Not in the NFL

One of the primary tenets in yoga is the concept of Ahimsa or non-violence, non-harming. To me, it simply means treating everyone and everything as best you can, without intent to harm in any way. The golden rule, right?

So, I'd vowed to focus on the positive in my blog entries but, I am so outraged and disgusted with the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles that I just have to write about it. Is the NFL really hurting so badly for talent that they have to bring back a convicted felon, a man who admitted to hanging, electrocuting and drowning dogs that had been abused their whole lives, once they didn't earn him any money in his dog fighting ring?

This man did not do this once or twice. He wasn't forced into it by his cohorts. No, Michael Vick was the ringleader. This abuse and murder of innocent animals occurred over a 6 YEAR PERIOD. Repeatedly. Casually. "Par for the course"....

This highest paid athlete in the NFL, earning multimillions, chose to make more money and have fun by torturing animals. Now, there are felony animal abuse laws in almost every state because research showed that all of the serial killers, like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and even Hitler, all tortured animals as children. The trait these monsters share is a complete lack of empathy for other living beings. It started with animals and then they moved on to humans. Michael Vick is a convicted felon.

So, the NFL chooses to bring this amoral monster back to play football. Why? What could possibly be the motivation besides money? And, who is going to pay to see this jerk? I cannot even begin to comprehend what went into the decision to sign him to a team. Aren't there tons of gifted, talented athletes who work hard and could be the quarterback?? Or, even gifted athletes who were not very nice people but NOT FELONS???

One of my favorite jobs I had was as Director for Animal Avengers, an animal rescue charity founded by Shannon Elizabeth and located in LA. We saw many dogs who were treated terribly but, fortunately, I never was involved in rescuing dogs from a fighting ring. So, my heart is screaming right now at the absolute injustice of giving this monster another chance. He doesn't deserve it. His abuse was over a 6 year period. Not an isolated incident. He is not rehabilitated. He is not a good person. He does not deserve another chance. He never gave any of the hundreds of innocent dogs a single chance.