With the release of Michael Vick from federal prison on Wednesday many are speculating as to whether or not Vick deserves a second chance in the National Football League (NFL). The Atlanta Falcons are adamant in their conviction that Vick continue his pro football career (if he still has one) with another team. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says that he must meet with Vick to see if he is truly sorry and remorseful for his actions. With all of this we still wait and see what will happen with Michael Vick's future but above that many will pass judgement on what Vick's place in society as well as football will be.
While we do this though, we must keep Michael Vick's transgressions in context. Michael Vick pled guilty to funding a dog fighting ring. This behavior is inhumane, cruel and malicious. However as a society we have to remember that we currently praise athletes, politicians and citizens who have done far more egregious things. We can start by looking at Sure-fire Hall of Famer Ray Lewis. Lewis is the star middle linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. In 2000 Lewis was involved in an incident that resulted in a man's death. Lewis eventually accepted a plea deal where he admitted guilt for Obstruction of Justice in order to avoid facing murder charges. A year later Lewis was the Defensive Player of the Year and SuperBowl MVP. From there people seemed to only remember the star player.
In that same vein Leonard Little, a defensive end formerly of the St. Louis Rams was driving drunk and killed a citizen. Little was reprimanded by the court but did not face any jail time. After that Little was again stopped for drunk driving. Recently receiver Donte' Stallworth was driving drunk in Miami and he struck and killed a citizen. These are just a few examples of athletes who have done things that most would regard to be a bit more serious than dog fighting. Despite this, none of these men have served jail time to this day. No organization is threatening to picket in front of stadiums where they play and no one is questioning whether or not these men deserve to make a living at something they are extremely talented in.
Athletes are not the only people who make transgressions and the public tends to look the other way. Famed journalist Bill O'Reilly had a sexual harassment claim brought against him for the way he treated a female producer on his show. There were even tapes of his terribly improper and lascivious conversation with the young lady. The matter was resolved by settling out of court. O'Reilly went on air and apologized for the incident and said he didn't want any other mention made of it. There was no mass mobilization of women's group that organized a boycott of Fox News or even of O'Reilly's program. O'Reilly is not alone, as journalist Rush Limbaugh was found to have an addiction to prescription drugs. Despite this being public knowledge he still serves as a voice and authority on social and public morality.
As Michael Vick tries to immerse himself back into life outside the walls of Leavenworth, there is much that he is going to have to get adjusted to. He'll be working 40 hours a week at a construction job, he'll have to check in with federal officials.He will even have to work to reduce dog fighting among inner-city teens. No one has demanded that Rush Limbaugh work reduce the number of suburban kids on crystal meth. Even fewer people have asked Bill O'Reilly to lead seminars on workplace diversity and gender respect. Mr. Vick will have a difficult time resuming his life and resurrecting his career, he doesn't need any hypocrites and cynics biting his tail.
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3 comments:
My thoughts exactly! Good post
Fantastic blog Ray, and great point. I couldn't have said it better myself!
Who decides what crime is worst than another? By which standard are you measuring Vick? Yes, he committed a crime and he served the time so he should be allowed to resume his career. We agree on that point. However, the difference between Vick and the other people you named was that he was CONVICTED! He did not only fund the fights, which is heinous in itself, but he also trained dogs to torture and kill one another for sport, drowned and hanged dogs who wouldn't fight, and laughed while watching his own family dogs fight for their lives as they were maimed and finally killed. That is psychotic sociopathic behavior.
The commissioner of the NFL said that Vick must undergo a full psychological evaluation before he can play in the NFL again. That is perfectly fitting for someone who exhibited behavior of a psychopath. Our community is outraged and saying that "they are only dogs, it's not like they are people".... but they are living creatures with a capacity to feel. Animals deserve our protection, not our abuse. At one time the brutalization we endured was socially accepted because we were not considered "people" either. Vick, like all of us, is the master of his own fate. He chose to commit the crime and these are the consequences.
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