On Dimples and Dog Whistles: Why Tucker Carlson Dehumanizes Michael Vick

[Better Believe It]

On Dimples and Dog Whistles: Why Tucker Carlson Dehumanizes Michael Vick
by Dave Zirin
December 30, 2010

In full, the paunchy, lipless, chinless, porcelain man-boy with the ubiquitous bow-tie said, "I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances. But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that."

I know it's hardly news for a Murdoch-owned right-wing shock jock to say something shocking. It's like receiving word of a celebrity sex tape. The thrill is gone. I am also well aware that in the current media set up, it's Carlson's job to say something utterly outrageous and the job of people like myself to respond. We make statements about Carlson's peculiar brand of blood-thirsty Christianity. Maybe we point out how easy it is for Carlson to call for the death of an African American athlete, always the low-hanging fruit for his race-baiting ilk.

It's a country that through its addiction to privatized prisons and "tough on crime" legislation, has created what writer Michelle Alexander's calls "The New Jim Crow." In Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness she details the way the prison system robs its present and past amd even future inhabitants of voting rights, citizenship, and any semblance of political power. She points that the United States now imprisons are higher percentage of black men than South Africa at the height of apartheid. As she writes, "Jarvious Cotton’s great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Klu Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting by Klan intimidation; his father was barred by poll taxes and literacy tests. Today, Cotton cannot vote because he, like many black men in the United States, has been labeled a felon and is currently on parole."

Michael Vick, whether he likes it or not, is humanizing the struggle to find redemption after serving time in a maximum security prison. After all, if a star quarterback doing hours of community surface can't regain a foothold in society, who could? Tucker Carlson's efforts to dehumanize Vick and paint him as a disposable, killable individual, cuts in a way that transcends the idiocy of Murdoch's 50 state southern strategy of dimples and dog whistles. I'd love for Carlson to spend even a week in Leavenworth and then make an effort to rebuild his nerfy little life. Then we'd see how a man without callouses could be so callous. This is why Michael Vick's story matters, and really another example—as if more were needed—of how Fox News has become a cancerous boil on the political soul of this country.

Read the full article at:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/157378/dimples-and-dog-whistles-why-tucker-carlson-dehumanizes-michael-vick

[tularetom]

1. Just because a POS like Tucker Carlson thinks Michael Vick is a POS

Does not mean Michael Vick is not a POS.

I'm real tired of people trying to paint everybody who thinks Vick got off way too easy as a racist.

[Better Believe It]

6. All racists agree with Tucker Carlson.

And everybody who thinks Vick "got off" easy isn't a racist.

I haven't noticed DU'ers painting everybody who hates Michael Vick as a racist.

So please stop playing that race card!

Vick did the time for his crime and now deserves the right to work at his trade.

You wrote: "Just because a POS like Tucker Carlson thinks Michael Vick is a POS .... Does not mean Michael Vick is not a POS."

Did you somehow miss the part where Tucker Carlson said Vick should be executed?

I don't think you did.

You deliberatly leave that out.

Why?



CASE CLOSED.

[tularetom]

8. Tucker Carlson is a miserable excuse for a human being

He has been fired from two cable news networks and he has to say outrageous crap like "Michael Vick should be executed" in a pitiful attempt to try to get his name in the news. And for maybe the first time in his sorry life, it worked.

But here's the thing. Talk is fucking cheap. Yes, he SAID that Vick should be executed. He didn't DO anything about it. He wouldn't have the balls.

Vick, on the other hand, actually did kill a bunch of dogs. And he did it in especially sadistic and inhuman ways. He hung them. He drowned them. He beat one to death with a club. Just like some asshole we all know and love who blowed up frogs as a kid and became president, Michael Vick is a sociopath.

Maybe he shouldn't be executed. But he doesn't deserve to be out of prison makin millions of dollars a year while other Americans, including many African Americans are rotting in jail for petty crimes.

[snagglepuss]

10. Effing bang on. nt

[Better Believe It]

11. What penalty do you think Vick should pay for his crime?

"Yes, he SAID that Vick should be executed. He didn't DO anything about it. He wouldn't have the balls."

Well, if Carlson joins the CIA and Vick is placed on the governments assasination list that could happen.

Would that satisfy you?

Carlson didn't threaten to murder Vick, he proposed that the government murder Vick.

[tularetom]

13. If Carlson joins the CIA? WTF? DId you really say that?

Listen, as I'm typing this there is a dog sitting on the floor next to my chair. We got this dog because she was abused by the asshole that previously owned her, my son's neighbor. The dog has been here for six months and still cringes every time somebody picks up a broom a mop or anything with a long handle because this low life used to beat her with a stick until my kid heard the dog whimpering, went next door and physically removed the dog from the house. He wanted to go back over there and beat the crap out of the guy but his wife talked him out of it. The guy didn't even try to get the dog back and we wound up with her because we live on 40 acres and she has room to run out here. This is the sweetest gentlest living thing I've ever seen in 70 years on this earth and as far as I'm concerned the asswipe that abused her is not worth a hair on this dog's ass. And neither is Michael Vick.

NO I don't think Vick should be executed. But I wouldn't shed any tears if he spent the rest of his miserable life in prison.

[hlthe2b]

14. I think you just became....

my favorite DUer. The love you give to that dog will be returned in spades and from your example, a bit of renewed faith in human kindness is my New Years gift today. Thank you.

[tularetom]

20. No, thank you

We're just suckers for animals around here. This is the third abused dog we've gotten. And they've been the best pets you could imagine. As you say they seem able to sense loyalty and they give it back double.

The only hostility this dog encounters around here is from the cats who really resent indoor dogs.

[woo me with science]

17. +10000000000000000

Beautiful, much-needed post.

[michaz]

18. Couldn't have said it better. We have 2 dogs that were abused and

they are the greatest dogs. One carries a little more "baggage" than the other one, but it is not the dogs fault. It is the fault of the so called human who had it before us. Vick should never be allowed to own another animal, period! He has already proven that he is not capable of it. And no...I don't believe that a person who does those kinds of things can change. Not when you do the types of things he did.

[northernlights]

19. + 1,000,000

Although frankly, I don't even care that he's allowed to work again.

But I also think if he's not willing to tithe, say, 10% of his mega-millions in income to Best Friends and Bad Rap, then he should be forced to.

And he should be banned from owning a pet for a lifetime. Sorry for his kids. He wants them to know the joys of dogs -- they could make volunteering at a local shelter a weekly family event.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

2. if only we could see same outrage over torture of HUMANS

but many seem to be ok with that.

[hlthe2b]

5. Progressives have been on forefront of fight against US use of torture.

DUers across the board have decried both the actions of the Bush* admin and failure of the Obama administration, thus far, to adequately address the problem. Is the issue of torture as US policy not being adequately addressed? Yes. But, not for lack of progressive or DUer outrage. I think you know that.

[woo me with science]

16. Thank you. nt

[woo me with science]

15. Oh for shit's sake.

Just because YOU may be incapable of outrage over more than one thing at a time does not mean others aren't.

Sheesh.

[hlthe2b]

3. What can one say about Tucker Carlson or Faux news or Murdoch...

That hasn't already been said. They are a blight on the world.

As serious as the issues with our privatized and thus incentivized National Prison system and the dire and racist impact on society, I think there are countless thousands of people and their examples that make the case for reform. I simply do not see Michael Vick as the best choice for that much needed effort. Tucker Carlson and his idiocy aside, Vick has his second chance, in spades, as would any other wealthy or celebrity person released from prison. Their path is smoothed by their previous opportunities. How atypical from what the average person will face. It seems bizarre and a bit cruel to imply that his example would somehow magically translate. Yet, that seems to be today's meme. When we move from all the emotional rhetoric on both sides of the Michael Vick debate, that is what we are left with....:shrug:

[cali]

4. what a craptaculous piece.

[Better Believe It]

7. Which piece? Tucker Carlson's racist statement or the article attacking the right-wing sob?

I'm listening.

[cali]

9. I was clearly directing my comment at the piece you posted.

That Carlson is disgusting is hardly news, and it's clear that his statement was racist. Oh, and yes, I'm also repulsed by Vick.

[customerserviceguy]

22. While I'm more than happy to agree with everyone

who thinks that Tucker Carlson is a gasbag, I fail to find what part of his stupid comment was related in any way to race. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to a possible missing word (such as a racial slur) that I might have missed.

[Better Believe It]

25. News Flash! Right-wing ass-holes like Carlson, Limbaugh and Beck are bigots!

You didn't know that?

[customerserviceguy]

30. So. absolutely everything a bigot says is about bigotry?

Not buying it.

[cali]

27. I doubt he would have said that if Vick was a white guy.

that's all.

[michaz]

32. I disagree. If he felt strongly about the situation I don't think he would care if he was white

or black.Why does everything have to be about race?

[Better Believe It]

35. "Why does everything have to be about race?" Because when a right-wing racist speaks it is!

[customerserviceguy]

33. Is there a case of a notorious white guy

who tortured and otherwise abused dogs, then got some sort of multi-million dollar contract that we can ask Carlson about?

I believe he's just one of those people who thinks that animals are always more important than people. I'll admit, it's rare to find that in a conservative, but I have a friend like that. In the bank where he works, he persuaded them to use a live-catch trap for a mouse problem in the basement. Then he took the mouse home, in hopes of feeding it in a cage.

Unfortunately, the mere presence of his two cats probably scared the damn thing to death.

[Better Believe It]

36. So Mr. Carlson is just a poor, misunderstood, animal lover who's best friends are Black people!

Bull shit!

[customerserviceguy]

37. In this particular case

It has nothing to do with black people, and everything to do with a complete overreaction to an animal abuser.

Why is race a part of this? If Carlson had made some comment about how dogfighting is part of some rap thug culture, I could see where some people might get 'racist' out of it. He didn't, and while he says totally goofy things, this wasn't one of the bigoted things.

[Catherina]

12. Again? Sorry my friend. Bullshit argument. Unrec. n/t

[Codeine]

21. Vick dehumanized his own damn self

by being less than fucking human. I've taken shits that had more value to the Earth than he does.

[Better Believe It]

26. "Vick is less than a fucking human" If not human, what do you think Mr. Vick is?

I have never seen such open racial bigotry dislayed on Democratic Underground.

And you claim to be some sort of liberal or progressive?

[michaz]

34. What is wrong with you? Why do you have to enter race into this?

This is not about race! I don't give a damn what color he is. It is about what he DID, not the color of his skin.

[Codeine]

38. I didn't say a word about race, you did -- because you have no argument.

I'd feel no different about the douchenozzle in question if he were white. Your nasty little implication that I am a racial bigot is a sad admission that you've lost.

[bullwinkle428]

23. This really is an insidious campaign - the effort to conflate the

psychotic ramblings of a proven fucktard like Carlson with the voices of those who simply don't want to see Vick elevated to sainthood status.

[hlthe2b]

24. Yes.. It most certainly is...

[Better Believe It]

28. And who on DU is elevating Vick to sainthood? Links please.

[cali]

29. + 1000

that hits the nail on the head. it's just repulsive.

[Better Believe It]

31. An "insidious campaign" to excuse the racism of Carlson and other right-wing bigots?

Or to even deny Carlson is a racist!