Groups working toward animal-fighting legislation in Virginia

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Let’s say you’re a law-enforcement investigator raiding a cockfight in Virginia. “You could have 100 people there, and 50 of them have entered roosters in the derby,” said John Goodwin, the manager of animal-fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States, setting the scene for us. “When the…

Worst to first – AG aims to toughen Virginia laws banning bloodsports

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Let’s say you’re a law-enforcement investigator raiding a cockfight in Virginia. “You could have 100 people there, and 50 of them have entered roosters in the derby,” said John Goodwin, the manager of animal-fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States, setting the scene for us.

The 3 D’s of security

Chris Graham

Story by Bonnie P. Lofton When Lisa L. Schirch, professor of peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University, launched the 3D Security Initiative in November 2006, she had no way of knowing how long it might take for 3D to gain the attention of top decisionmakers in this country. Regardless of the months, years or even decades…

The People v. Rick Krial: Staunton obscenity case has national attention

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The subject isn’t evolution, and the barristers aren’t William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. But the upcoming trial of a Staunton adult-video store owner on obscenity charges has some of that Scopes Monkey Trial flavor to it. Doesn’t it? I mean, on the one side, you have the fundamentalists who…

Obscenity v. The First Amendment: Why the prosecution of X-rated films affects books

Chris Graham

Story by Matthew Warner What’s so horrible about porn other than the poor quality of most of it? And why should you care? ‘LITERARY OBSCENITY’ Watch out, you writers and purveyors of erotic horror and explicit romance. The folks here in my Bible Belt city of Staunton, Virginia, care quite a bit. Last summer, when…

Caged fury: Inside the rough and ready world of MMA

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Amid a backdrop of men of various sizes and numbers of tattoos alternatively kicking and punching the air and occasionally a trainer wielding oversized protective gloves, the almost preternatural calm of Tyler Moyer stood out to me. At least what I was reading was calm. I soon found out that…

Questions about Vick case still linger for me

Chris Graham

Best Seat in the House by Chris Graham [email protected] Two questions have my attention right now regarding Michael Vick. One, was 23 months enough for leading a dogfighting ring and personally participating in the executions of several dogs that had been deemed not up to standards to complete in the bloodsport? Two, is 23 months going to…