- Pols show their comedic side
- Merlino says family punished for others' mob ties
- Camden County judge seriously hurt in bike accident
- Racism underlies rage at Obama presidency
- Dogs try out for role in "Oliver!"
- 5 area schools win U.S. Blue Ribbon honors
- New Pa. public-records law: lots of requests ... & lawsuits
- Ronnie Polaneczky: Pen to paper: Will Madoff make him rich?
- Drawn by Obama's proximity, activists spar on health care, abortion & other issues
- Ailing woman, 78, spared eviction after PHA's reasoning collapses
- ACORN shows 'pimp' and 'pro' the door here
- Obama in Philly, fundraising for Sen. Arlen Specter
- Blockbuster may shutter 960 stores
- SnapGlow.TV: Modern Gems Galore!
RELATED STORIES
Stu Bykofsky: Hate mail from Vick lovers
SOME OF THE bad words that readers used on me after Monday's Michael Vick column: Hypocrite. Elitist. Hater. Neo-Con. Socialist. Judgmental. And the all-purpose tool of the all-around fool: Racist.
Oh! Also God, but not in a good way.
Here are some excerpts from the hate mail, with answers. (Since I can't verify the sender's identity, first names only.)
"I was wondering if Rick Pitino has your respect," asks e-mailer Rochkar. "He paid for the MURDER of an unborn CHILD. Who should he send a chunk of his salary to?"
Some people found a weird parallel between animal torture and abortion. Does adulterer Pitino have my respect? No. Is abortion legal? Yes. Is animal torture legal? No.
"What would satisfy you and these animal lovers? I am surprised there seems to be more outrage now then when Donté Stallworth killed a man and got 30 days," e-mails Roshanda.
The Vick outcry is huge here because it's a local story. Stallworth was a huge story in Miami, where it happened, and Cleveland, where he plays. Unlike Vick, Stallworth stopped his car, immediately admitted guilt, paid the victim's family. What Stallworth did was accidental, although he was responsible for driving drunk. Vick's crime was deliberate and I was satisfied by his sentence.
"Funny how the majority of you Vick haters have all of a sudden become football experts and telling people how they should feel about Vick," e-mails Gregory.
I told people how I feel, not how they should feel. Columnists are supposed to give their opinions.
"Why do people like you want to be GOD and determine whether someone has paid enough of a price," asks e-mailer Michael.
I wrote that he paid his debt. I made suggestions about how Vick could make his reformation believable. He seemed false, to me, on "60 Minutes."
"The whole thing is about Vick being a rich Black Man who got in trouble. It's all about race and race hate," fumes e-mailer Norman.
If it's all about a rich Black Man, explain the media attacks when Vince Fumo got a light sentence, Bernie Madoff got caught and Brett Myers beat his wife.
"You say you don't want to forgive Vick," says an anonymous female voicemailer, "BUT you forgive the people who tortured human beings, that brought slaves over here and threw 'em over in the water?"
I don't forgive slave traders. Call me again when the Eagles hire one.
Anonymous female voicemailer: "The problem with y'all Philadelphia Daily News people, y'all have more respect for dogs than what you have for human beings."
Like when we piled on the Valley Swim Club for rejecting minority kids?
"If you are such the animal lover that you claim you are," e-mails Everett, "aren't you curious as to why Vick was the only one who did time behind this deal?"
I'm curious why you don't know that Vick's pals from the 'hood flipped on him, but also got jail time.
"What you are also subtly saying is that the value of a black man is lesser than anyone else," e-mails Mike. "Racism has been spewing over this issue and even from people who would swear they are not racist."
Like you, Mike?
"I have a question. Deer hunting and bear hunting, and all the hunting they do in this state," asks another female voicemailer. "What is the difference between that and a dogfighting? In my mind, they're all killing animals."
One huge difference: Hunting is legal, dogfighting is not.
"Who are you to judge?" e-mails Michael.
A jury judged him. My opinion is shaped by that. Michael, are you judging me?
Mustafa e-mails to ask: "I am curious to know did you also stop wearing and buying your Eagles gear or care so much when Eagles president Jeff Lurie's wife ran over and killed a man when she was drunk driving."
I told Mustafa it was not Mrs. Lurie. He responded that he was "sure" it was. It was NOT, proving you can't change a closed mind.
"Christ forgave his torturers," a male caller asks. "Why can't you forgive Vick?"
Obvious, isn't it? I am not Christ.
E-mail stubyko@phillynews.com or call 215-854-5977. For recent columns:
