Friday, November 19, 2010

Perception is Reality

So were were watching this court thing on the ID channel and this woman started talking about how you shouldn't "judge people by appearance BUT this person came in wearing jeans, steel toed boots and a key ring the size of fist"...Cue Dena to yell out, "Maybe he was just coming from work, Dumbass!" The woman on tv then says..."and that was a woman."

I laughed but really, as a female ironworker Dena has seen a lot of this. Steel toed boots are a job requirement as are the keys so no one steals equipment from your job site. And with men chasing after her she didn't "dress pretty" for work...I mean would you? You have to climb all over putting up the steel frames of buildings, operate heavy equipment and be in the field all day with a bunch of men. When you are their boss and the only female that's tough work. Couldn't be me. Just sayin. Now she's on the railroad and sometimes running into the same thing, though she only has one key nowadays. 

Perception is reality and no matter who you are you will be judged daily by others based on your looks and your actions.


Part of one of the comments made was "I say you have right to cast judgment on him only if either you are judge on his trial or you haven't committed a crime yourself." 

 

You know that kicked off fireworks, people. I know the person well enough but my friends in rescue do not.  He was trying to toss out sarcasm and spur on a healthy debate about where and how we judge and draw the line...Yeah, that shit didn't happen. He got bashed over the head and in the end said the person doing the bashing shone in his book and is the type of role model he would choose. Funny isn't it. 

While the case did draw attention and set a precedent many people are bitter that he was never actually punished for his abuse of animals. That's how our legal system works. It's not fair. Ya know, like catching a gangster on tax evasion or something. It sucks. It's not fair. And some folks will not just say oh, the legal system is flawed but that's over now and we should just all move on. Some folks never will.

 

He was compelled - as in not volunteering - to contribute to the dogs care and he's tried to look better in the public eye but I fail to see where he's sorry for anything more than getting caught. I will never root for him, and by default his team. The whole situation stinks worse than a rotten carcass no matter what side of the argument you're on but my mind is made up and that is that. 

 

How does this tie in with Dena's seemingly unrelated story above? What is the point? We are all judged each and every day by how we look and how we act. Such is the way of life. Each and every one of us deals with this in some way every day...And if you don't like it, it's up to you to change folks perceptions. Michael Vick ain't done shit (to change my mind that is.) And so I do still hold a grudge against him as he moves on to rebuild his career and his wealth while the dogs he scarred for life are left behind as a reminder. 

 

1 comment:

  1. I read a lot of articles about Michael Vick recently (thanks to your self-same facebook page) and what I read absolutely appalled me...I cannot believe that he is playing again.Those poor dogs....

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