I tried to come up with a clever little essay on how I felt while viewing a news video of the crowd gathered to hurl epithets at Michael Vick the other day.  These were all animal lovers, members of PETA, or both, and they were rabidly accusing Mr. Vick of being a base and immoral human for allegedly gambling his ample income on a disgusting and inhumane “sport”.  In the end, I couldn’t be very clever – I just have to say it like it is.

All I could think of, as the video camera scanned the faces in the crowd, was “where are these people when HUMANS are treated unfairly?”  I mean, there are people being held without charges at Guantanamo.  There are people in prison for crimes they didn’t commit.  There are people being arrested three and four and five times for driving while intoxicated or on drugs – and going home with a slap on the wrist.  There are women with restraining orders against their boyfriends/ex-husbands/stalkers who are lit on fire.  Who is going to be angry about these injustices?  Who is going to protest outside of the courthouse to support the remedy for these situations?

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t protest enough.  I don’t often stand up and voice my opinion when no one else will.  I guess having a blog is as close as I have gotten lately.  I blame my busy life.  I blame the lack of understanding of the issues.  I come up with reasons just like everyone else.  I’m certainly not as outspoken as the person driving the SUV I saw the other day that had written on their windows “Vick’s a dick!!”. 

I guess seeing those people standing up to defend dogs made me think… more of us need to get angry.  I should be angry about the pork passed around in Congress.  I should be angry about the young men and women serving our country in Iraq who are putting their lives in danger every day for a cause that I don’t believe is worth their lives.  I should be angry about the WM3 still being in prison.  (if wearing black and listening to heavy metal makes you a murderer I should expect a knock at my door next time someone’s killed in my town and be prepared to pack a bag of toiletries for Hubby.)

So, I’m challenging myself.  I am going to find a cause to get behind.  There are plenty to choose from.  I challenge you as well.  I’m not talking about giving $50 to the United Way or buying cookies from the Girl Scouts.  I challenge you to write letters to the editor (and sign your name to them!) .  I challenge you to protest.  March.  Make signs out of cardboard.  Don’t be afraid to stand up and speak from your heart and get passionate about something.  Even if you know people who disagree with you.  Even if your spouse thinks you’re a lunatic.  I know you can do it.   When you do, let me know.