Pomp and circumstance

I went to UGA for law school. I'm not really much of a football fan, so the whole bulldog ritual thing is sort of lost on me.

Admission: I attended three years of law school and never once attended a UGA football game.

What can I say? I was raised in NC and I'm a basketball girl. Sue me.

Anyway, the good people down in Georgia are nuts about football. They are also nuts about bulldogs (bullgods?), the mascot for the University of Georgia. A real live mascot dog attends the games, and the dog (god) is always named UGA. UGA VI recently died, and while the death of any beloved animal is sad, what I read in the article about his burial was surprising.

The god (typo but I'm keeping it) died in Savannah, Georgia, which is a few hours from Athens. Upon his death, THE UNIVERSITY FLEW THE DOG'S CARCASS ON THE UNIVERSITY PLANE FROM SAVANNAH TO ATHENS. In case you don't understand me, let's get this clear: public funds were used to fuel a plane, when gas is at it's highest price ever recorded, in order to transport a dog's body?

Then, the dog was buried after a ceremony, complete with anthems and speeches.

We're not talking about an epic car ride from Savannah to Athens. It's maybe 5 hours. I mean, we're not talking Sacramento to San Diego here. Using public funds to transport dead soldiers in planes? Why yes, that's a-ok by me. Using public funds to transport a dead dog in a private plane? Fuck off, State of Georgia.