The Puppy Over the Cliff Video
Status: Real
Many of you have probably already seen the "puppy being thrown over a cliff" video that's been all over the internet in the past week. If you haven't, here it is, but be warned. It's disturbing. The Honolulu Advertiser offers this description of it:Two Marines are seen in combat gear smiling as one holds a white-and-black puppy by the scruff of its neck. The dog seems to be about 8 weeks old and is motionless as it is held.
"Cute little puppy, huh?" says one Marine as he smiles broadly.
"Oh so cute, so cute, little puppy," says another in a child-like voice.
The Marine holding the puppy is then seen throwing the animal overhand into a desert-like gully below. The animal yelps until it thuds to the ground at the bottom of the gully.
"That's mean," one Marine says afterward.
"Cute little puppy, huh?" says one Marine as he smiles broadly.
"Oh so cute, so cute, little puppy," says another in a child-like voice.
The Marine holding the puppy is then seen throwing the animal overhand into a desert-like gully below. The animal yelps until it thuds to the ground at the bottom of the gully.
"That's mean," one Marine says afterward.
When I first saw the video I felt it confirmed that there are some pretty sick people out there. But I didn't see anything that would make me suspect the video was fake. Nevertheless, a lot of people have been arguing that it's not real. For instance, see this youtube video. And more here.
The skeptics are suggesting that the puppy was already dead, and that the sounds of it yelping were dubbed in. But I think this is a case of being overly skeptical. That puppy looks alive to me. It's not making any noise initially because it's being held by the scruff of its neck. If you scruff a cat or dog it's going to become very quiet and submissive. It's an instinctive behavior.
The Honolulu Advertiser reports that the Marine Corps is investigating the video. The Marines have released a statement: "The video is shocking and deplorable and is contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine... We do not tolerate this type of behavior and will take appropriate action." (Thanks, Nettie)
Posted By: Alex | Date: Tue Mar 04, 2008 | Permalink |
Total Comments: 39
Category: Animals, Gross, Military, Photos/Videos
Category: Animals, Gross, Military, Photos/Videos
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >
It's not okay to just kill a puppy, but it IS ok to kill people for oil? These guys are Marines, they're paid to kill people not animals.
Posted by derek on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Just another fine example of what happens when you take young men, break down their individual and social mores in order to conform to a singular ideal of a killing machine and constantly reward them for behavior that would be considered reprehensible in any civilian situation.
Posted by fuzzfoot in Potland, OR on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 09:02 AM
Hear, hear fuzzfoot. Well said.
Posted by Jen in Florida on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 09:30 AM
But if we let the puppies live, the terrorists win.
Posted by ∂on in Calgary on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 11:01 AM
This is appalling. They may have "only" killed an animal, but here's a juvenile animal already in a submissive position and they killed it. They killed something that wasn't fighting them.
It's not hard to imagine this is the same sort of mindset that allows other soldiers to justify raping and murdering non-combatants.
Posted by tess on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 11:10 AM
It's not hard to imagine this is the same sort of mindset that allows other soldiers to justify raping and murdering non-combatants.
Another fine use of tax dollars! I am sure Fox will spin this into another tale of incredible heroism (the dog was really filled with anthrax!). Michael Vick should be so lucky to have so much casuistry in support.
Posted by Floormaster Squeeze on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 11:55 AM
If it's not throwing puppies in the Gulf it's using babies for target practice in My Lai, Vietnam. Strange, there are plenty of armies in the world that don't feel a need to exercise incredible cruelty and pain on other creatures. I mean, you don't hear about the Swedish Army throwing small mammals or Blackwatch killing and raping civilians.
Add that to the fact the US Army is incredibly talented at friendly fire.
Posted by Renquist in Glasgow, Scotland on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Add that to the fact the US Army is incredibly talented at friendly fire.
I think that the video is fake, consider the following
1) No badges, insignia or name tape anywhere to be seen.
2) No insignia on the left arm of the uniform.
3) NO cammo patern.
4) And most importantly... Where are their weapons? Two Marines out in the open, armed with only a video camera?
Posted by Mark Johnson in Australia on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 03:18 PM
1) No badges, insignia or name tape anywhere to be seen.
2) No insignia on the left arm of the uniform.
3) NO cammo patern.
4) And most importantly... Where are their weapons? Two Marines out in the open, armed with only a video camera?
I think it's a bit premature to go jumping in and condemning the entire US military for this when nobody has even figured out yet if this video is really what it seems or not.
If these people really did take a live puppy and fling it over a cliff, then they are indeed very disturbed individuals. But if you're going to say that it is a result of them being Marines, then you'll have to show that civilians don't go around abusing animals. Most Marines I've met are quite decent enough people, and judging them all by the actions of a few sick individuals is like saying all Muslims are crazed terrorists because of the suicide bombers in Iraq.
And Renquist, the US military hardly has a disproportionate amount of friendly-fire incidents or atrocities. They're no worse than the British or Swedish military in those regards, and far better off than many other militaries out there.
Posted by Accipiter in the Northern Hemisphere, unless They have lied. on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 06:49 PM
If these people really did take a live puppy and fling it over a cliff, then they are indeed very disturbed individuals. But if you're going to say that it is a result of them being Marines, then you'll have to show that civilians don't go around abusing animals. Most Marines I've met are quite decent enough people, and judging them all by the actions of a few sick individuals is like saying all Muslims are crazed terrorists because of the suicide bombers in Iraq.
And Renquist, the US military hardly has a disproportionate amount of friendly-fire incidents or atrocities. They're no worse than the British or Swedish military in those regards, and far better off than many other militaries out there.
A lot of experts are talking about the sound of the puppy, about how it would flail it's arms if it were thrown... what nobody seems to have cought is the fact that this animal is trussed up with wire. It couldn't be moving. Also, nobody knows what was done to this dog beforehand, what kind of drugs it was given, etc.
I completely agree that it does look real, and the sounds raised the hair on the back of my neck.
Posted by Richard Santoro on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 07:25 PM
I completely agree that it does look real, and the sounds raised the hair on the back of my neck.
I will qualify my prior statements with the following.
Out of the countless relatives and acquaintances of mine who've seen active duty in combat situations, not one has come back the same as when they left. This is not meant to condemn all armed forces, or any one branch. This is a statement about the specific rewiring that occurs to the brain of an impressionable teenager who is sent to kill and torture, and then praised for this behavior by his peers and superiors.
It is no coincidence that Odysseus' first act after victory at the battle of Troy was to lead a pirate raid on the island of Ismarus.
Posted by fuzzfoot in Potland, OR on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 09:18 PM
Out of the countless relatives and acquaintances of mine who've seen active duty in combat situations, not one has come back the same as when they left. This is not meant to condemn all armed forces, or any one branch. This is a statement about the specific rewiring that occurs to the brain of an impressionable teenager who is sent to kill and torture, and then praised for this behavior by his peers and superiors.
It is no coincidence that Odysseus' first act after victory at the battle of Troy was to lead a pirate raid on the island of Ismarus.
A couple of observations:
First, plenty of people (most of whom are no more disturbed or sick than the rest of us) don't see anything wrong with the mistreatment of animals - just look at how livestock are treated in the meat production industry. (Most of us who eat meat - excluding those who only buy from sources where good treatment is assured - collude in cruelty far worse than this, and on a far larger scale.)
Second, the horror and denial at this video is at least in part a reflection on our collective double standards in this respect: we fetishise dogs, give them a different status from other animals. Would people be saying these things if it was a rat?
(I'm not endorsing this act, or excusing it - I don't even want to watch the video. I'm merely making observations.)
Posted by outeast on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:44 AM
First, plenty of people (most of whom are no more disturbed or sick than the rest of us) don't see anything wrong with the mistreatment of animals - just look at how livestock are treated in the meat production industry. (Most of us who eat meat - excluding those who only buy from sources where good treatment is assured - collude in cruelty far worse than this, and on a far larger scale.)
Second, the horror and denial at this video is at least in part a reflection on our collective double standards in this respect: we fetishise dogs, give them a different status from other animals. Would people be saying these things if it was a rat?
(I'm not endorsing this act, or excusing it - I don't even want to watch the video. I'm merely making observations.)
Donkey throwing in Bagdad:
http://skoften.net/index/item/ezelwerpen
Posted by Unfairly Balanced in Earth on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 02:45 AM
http://skoften.net/index/item/ezelwerpen
BTW, abusers start by abusing animals--they graduate to people--people they, for whatever reason, are certain they can bully. BULLIES ARE
COWARDS!!!
That is such a lot of garbage about the military/killing machines/what can we expect etc.. They ARE killing machines--that's their job.
However its not their job to abuse helpless creatures. May I suggest taking the lowlife out to needles eye section of the Grand Canyon and drop him over the side. Then we could say"Oh, look at the cute bully. Whoops! He fell off the cliff and went SPLAT!"
did anyone see the link on the donkey? :( What is with people?
http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/43569/b690537f/gooien_met_dieren.html
Posted by gericka on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 06:29 AM
http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/43569/b690537f/gooien_met_dieren.html
One of my brothers is a marine, currently in Iraq. So I know he has not had his individual & social mores broken down. He has not conformed to a singular idea of being a killing machine, and has not been constantly rewarded for any reprehensible behavior.
I don't think this behavior is typical of any normal person, whether soldier or civillian. The military has it's share of bullies & bleeding hearts. Just like in civillian society.
The film is blurry, as far as I can tell...but there are other sources of news that have indicated the rank of the person throwing the puppy...and his name his mentioned during the video as well. There has been a lot of speculation on who these men are...and their families & friends are being attacked on different networking sites.
Whether this is a dog, a rat, or a human, the behavior itself is reprehensible. The blatant lack of care & feeling is horrific. I just hope the situation itself is sorted out.
Posted by Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 07:34 AM
I don't think this behavior is typical of any normal person, whether soldier or civillian. The military has it's share of bullies & bleeding hearts. Just like in civillian society.
The film is blurry, as far as I can tell...but there are other sources of news that have indicated the rank of the person throwing the puppy...and his name his mentioned during the video as well. There has been a lot of speculation on who these men are...and their families & friends are being attacked on different networking sites.
Whether this is a dog, a rat, or a human, the behavior itself is reprehensible. The blatant lack of care & feeling is horrific. I just hope the situation itself is sorted out.
I've got one word for you Maegan:
Waterboarding.
Posted by fuzzfoot in Potland, OR on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 07:44 AM
Waterboarding.
Did anyone notice the puppy licking its lips at the start of the video? If that's true and not an illusion, then it must be alive.
Posted by Jules8880 on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:24 AM
If I saw one of those guys, I'd taser them, tie them up and throw them off a cliff. Seriously.
Posted by Sakano in Ohio on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 03:19 PM
This behaviour has nothing to do with being a "marine". It has everything to do with the cruelty that human beings are capable of.. You would never see a "Dog" doing something like this to another animal just for the Hell of it, would you?
Posted by SickenedByThis in California on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >