Nike and the football superstar/ex-convict/football superstar have reunited. It was only a matter of time before the people over at Nike hatched themselves onto the back of the Vick bandwagon. Not surprisingly, some people are upset over Nike’s decision to have Mr. Vick sponsor their products because, you know, the dog fighting shenanigans.
Mr. Vick went to jail for brutally training dogs to become killing machines. This is no doubt a heinous act according to many people; even if we exclude the animal-loving members of PETA. In the grand scheme of things yeah, it was fucked up if we look at it through the supposed values of our society. Dogs are so gosh darn cute and cuddly. They’re man’s best friend for crying out loud, right? So yeah, people have a reason to be upset about it, I don’t blame ‘em.
Now, I am glad I watched the film “Full Metal Jacket” because of the two-part format[1] and what it symbolized about the very idea of a state having armed forces. Here we are, the 
great state of America, the pinnacle of justice, due process, freedom, peace, and democracy. We are the beacons of freedom in a backwards world that doesn’t know of the values of freedom and democracy. We are Gandalf the White, storming into Rohan at its darkest hour when it seems that Sauron’s ridiculously large army[2] is sure to defeat man’s forces and make half-human, half-Uruk hai babies with our women.[3]
great state of America, the pinnacle of justice, due process, freedom, peace, and democracy. We are the beacons of freedom in a backwards world that doesn’t know of the values of freedom and democracy. We are Gandalf the White, storming into Rohan at its darkest hour when it seems that Sauron’s ridiculously large army[2] is sure to defeat man’s forces and make half-human, half-Uruk hai babies with our women.[3]
We serve[4] as an example of how great and noble a civilization can become when its morals are properly in order. These are the ideals of our nation.[5] This is what we’ve been told K-12. When we were little annoying five year olds peeing our pants during apple picking trips we took an insane amount of pride in standing up, putting our right hand to our hearts and bellowing out the national anthem. We are the best, and we must go out and quell injustice wherever we find it. That is our duty.
Au contraire! Brother Mike Vick trained dogs to fight against each other, Uncle Sam trains humans to go fight other humans. The similarities outweigh the differences. One isn’t any more just or unjust than the other. The killing machines molded and honed in Full Metal Jacket are akin to the dogs that Vick’s people turned into vicious animals who only knew how to destroy the dogversary[6] pitted against them on that occasion.
Maybe Operation: Dog Attack lacks any semblance of a proper mission statement. Actually not maybe, it definitely lacks a proper mission statement.[7]
But this is a connection I have made and undoubtedly, many will disagree. The state occupies a position of authority, for this it is justified in training killing machines to carry out its bidding. The situations are both inhumane; the major difference is that one operation was being run by one man, or a bunch of men, who don’t hold the authority of the state. They don’t claim to be promoting freedom or democracy in the world.[8] They don’t let the American flag hang from the rafters of the dog fighting ring or sing the national anthem before the fight.
There are contradictions in society everywhere we look, some more apparent than others. Vick compared to Uncle Sam may be a reach, but the connection is there. I have no problem with people being upset over the transgressions Vick made against those poor dogs. But I do have a problem with those of us who are not equally upset and annoyed with the transgressions done against man.
It is all the same. Wars are not fought over ideologies. Wars are fought over resources, power; always look for the (oft’ hidden) incentive for going to war. Ultimately Vick and Uncle Sam participated in these heinous acts because of the lust for monetary gain and they should be seen as such. Vick simply lacks the license to kill that our great Uncle Sam holds. We are still a society that believes in brutality, history has shown us so.
I want YOU to suck my dick.
Yet there is a sense of denial of the true nature of America. Indoctrination is a powerful tool, perhaps the most powerful tool of subjugation known to man.[9] For the most part, we’ve been properly indoctrinated to trust in the reason and virtuousness of the men and women we choose[10] to be our legislators. If you’ve been told you whole life that up is down and down is up, goddamnit you’re gonna argue that point to the death until you discover the truth.[11]
Sergeant Hartman and whoever was the head dog trainer for Operation: Dog Attack would be best buddies or sinister enemies if they were to ever cross paths in the real world. They’re so much alike. What we see are two individuals given the task to create things that will be efficient in ending lives or brutally injuring other things. These things become dispensable and are treated as such.
I am no animal lover, but I do fancy myself as a pursuer of the truth no matter where it may lead or how far I have to go. And when pursuing truth, comparisons from one situation are made to other situations and so on and so forth. So I implore that we discover the truth in the armed forces, and expose that truth in its naked form.
Its similar to a model or better yet, any date that you’ve been on. In perfect nakedness lies the truth. But when we go dates we tend to hide the nakedness because of its imperfections and incongruities. It is no coincidence that this fact of life is correlated to the activities of those who work for the government and those who work the government.
We are forever shown the perfect model, the nakedness must be hidden. If there ever was a nipple-slip[12] or full-frontal nudity we’d never call this government back after the first date. But there have been multiple nipple slips and bare breasted flashes. Maybe at this point we’re already married to the broad so we might as well put it with the bull crap that comes outta her mouth every godforsaken day. But hey, at least we’re secure with our relationship. Or maybe we’re just too tired to look for alternatives.
So while both entities are conducting similar businesses, one is frowned upon and thrown into jail for two years, and the other carries on without adequate questioning. Strip down both of these situations and then we can see them in their truthful nakedness. Only then can the hidden realities and herpes on the genitals be exposed. If both of these circumstances were naked in front of us, we’d get the hand lotion or the lube and choose to pleasure ourselves. Both of them are unfuckable.
[1] Part I: the training of the Marines. Part II: The story of one of those Marines in Vietnam.
[2] Seriously, how did they feed all of those things?
[3] Somebody check Mickey Rourke’s family tree… I bet there’s somebody from Middle Earth on there somewhere.
[4] …are supposed to serve, I think
[5] Supposedly
[6] Yeah I just made that up.
[7] It would read something like this: “Mike Vick’s Dog Fighting Ring, making Cujos outta Scrappys since 1999!”
[8] By sending mob hits out on heads of state and terrorizing civilians of Middle Eastern countries… FOR FREEDOM!!!
[9] “Let him believe that it is he who is in control, though it is always you who really controls. There is no subjugation so perfect as that which keeps the appearance of freedom, for in that way one captures volition itself”
- Jean Jacques Rousseau
[10] The word “choose” is used very loosely here.
[11] If there is any truth at all…
[12] Allah bless you Janet.
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