Roland S. Martin says it like it is

In a CNN opinion piece, Roland S. Martin asks, "Where is the outrage when humans are abused?" He brings up two recent cases where sick, twisted acts even more demented than Michael Vick's dog-fighting come to light: a case in West Virginia where a black woman, Megan Williams, was kidnapped, raped, and tortured and a case in Tennessee where a couple were on a date, Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, were kidnapped, both raped, tortured, and killed. Both are heinous crimes and I do hope dearly that the people who perpetuated the crime are caught and dealt with in the harshest manner allowable under the law.

He's right on one front: when it comes to animals there seems to be a greater attention attached to them. His suggestion that Vick's celebrity might have to do with his case being so widely covered is spot-on, but there is certainly something more than that. There is a vitriol which is raised among some people about the welfare of animals which seems to be lost when talking about people.

He does draw evidence by pointing out out Democratic Senator Robert Byrd's impassioned speech on the Senate floor in the Vick case who has, to this point, being mute about Megan Williams who was from the state he represents. This may be an unfair comparison, however, based on Byrd's leadership history with a particular group common in the South during his formative years and the race of the victim here.

He goes on to suggest that the blame follows to the media - after all, they are the ones who have concentrated on celebrity and ignored victims like these. But then he follows up with a typical member-of-the-media bit: it's not the media's fault; it's ours.

Commentary: Where is the outrage when humans are abused?
CNN

When federal prosecutors in Virginia released details of the dogfighting charges against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, all hell broke loose.

Martin suggests the Vick case revealed the public and media care more about celebrity and animals than people.

Folks were protesting, calling for him to be immediately kicked out of the league, and demanding long jail sentences for Vick and his co-defendants.

Many lawyers went on television and admitted that had Vick beat a girlfriend, shot or even murdered someone, he wouldn't have been slammed as hard as he was for the vicious acts committed against dogs.

I suppose the lawyers are right.