http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20081108/OPINION/811080309
November 8, 2008
Commentary: Dogfighting verdict deals another blow to state reputation
Like people all over the United States, I was absolutely incredulous when
Floyd Boudreaux and his son, Guy, were acquitted of charges of
dogfighting.
They had been arrested in March 2005 and charged with 48 counts of
dogfighting. They had been charged with animal cruelty and illegal
possession of steroids.
The Boudreauxs were well known for the pit bulls they raised and sold for
up
to $10,000 a dog. At the time of their arrest, 50 scarred pit bulls were
seized and subsequently euthanized. Also seized were surgical equipment to
repair wounds, break sticks to pry open a pit bull's mouth, magazines,
home
videos and pictures of dogfighting, steroids and also treadmills. How much
more evidence does one need, and why would it possibly take three years
before a trial was conducted?
This is a miscarriage of justice. It's incomprehensible that the
Boudreauxs
could have been found innocent.
Michael Vick's case was highly publicized concerning the extreme cruelty
and
violence involved to the animals. As I'm sure that many of us know, most
people who have behaved in a vicious, violent way to humans have usually
started their careers of violence with animal cruelty. People such as
these
pose a danger to other humans as well as to animals. How could these two
men
possibly have been acquitted? The children brought up watching this
cruelty
become numb to it, which contributes to having more uncompassionate people
in this world that is in so much need of compassionate people.
This "s****t," which is illegal, is well known for the very high-stakes
gambling and crime that is involved in it.
What do you think people around the nation are saying about this? "Well,
what do you expect; that's Louisiana!" I for one am very tired of this
shoddy reputation we have here for cruelty, crime, dishonesty and a number
of other undesirable traits for which our state is infamous. Louisiana
lawmakers and law enforcers, let's work to change this. Our state is in
desperate need of an extreme reputation makeover.
Anne K. Baron lives in Lafayette.
|
