When Michael Vick was accused of dog fighting, Redskin running back Clinton Portis had a surprising argument in favor of Vick. Portis said "I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property; it's his dogs. If that's what he wants to do, do it." Many years before Portis spoke, John Locke wrote his Treatises of Government. In these he describes how must be free with their property, and government should not be too intrusive. While I am not sure of Portis ever read it, his argument rang of the same libertarian themes.
Political theory aside, it seems dog fighting is an enduring part of American culture. Portis said "I know a lot of back roads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it. But they're not bothering those people because those people are not big names. I'm sure there's some police got some dogs that are fighting them, some judges got dogs and everything else." It seems that like all sins we prohibit, blood sports will persist on the dark back roads of our culture. We are once again left to ponder whether legalization and regulation would in some way be better, allowing perhaps some measure of control over these unpalatable activities.
