Michael Vick: Sharing the Blame?
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was released from federal prison recently after serving most of a 23-month sentence for his role in running a dog fighting ring.
But Vick’s new role—campaigning with the Humane Society to end dog fights—unleashed a torrent of public skepticism, from infuriated animal lovers to sports and opinion writers.
“People won’t easily forgive a man at the center of a ring that killed dogs that failed to fight well by hanging, drowning and electrocution,” stated one newspaper editorial. “A nation that fawns over Bo and Barney and queues up for ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua’ and ‘Marley and Me’ will understandably be skeptical about giving Vick a second chance.”
As people pondered whether Vick was truly sincere, genuinely remorseful, and/or accepting responsibility for his actions, an assistant sociology professor at Tulane University declared that Michael Vick had been punished for “our crimes” as a “nation of outraged lobster-boilers.”
“What did Michael Vick do that is morally reprehensible?” asked Professor Shayne Lee, writing in The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Some of us forget that dogs are mere animals, and that animal mistreatment is as American as Apple iPods. Like Vick, most of us shamelessly abuse and kill animals”—for science, “leather jackets, ham sandwiches, or horse-racing.”
Noting that Vick’s actions “did not lead to the abuse of one single human being,” the sociologist said, “I think we have it backward. Let’s give the federal sentences to athletes who harm humans by beating them or jeopardize their safety by driving drunk. And let’s give slaps on the wrist to animal abusers.”
His conclusion: “If Vick is guilty, then we all are.”
Tell us what you think: Are we all guilty—or responsible—as charged? Michael Vick did the time for the crime, so should he be forgiven? Was his sentence too harsh?
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Highschool Student
I think that he learned from his mistake being a dog fighter and he should get another chance even thoe he made it and he knew that it was wrong to do yea people is going to know him for doing that but people make mistakes in there everyday lives and people forgive and forget and move on from them.
George Bernthold | 4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Micheal Vick:Sharing The Blame?
I believe that everyone makes mistakes.Not everyone is perfect we all have done things that we are ashmed.in my opinion i believe that if we commit a crime then we should be punished.i believe that everyone should be given a second chance no matter how many mistakes they made.
DaNashia Moncrief | 4 months, 3 weeks ago
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animal abuse
i think that it is wrong to have a animal abused cause it is not right and it hurts the animal people think that ther just a mut when ther a animal that has a heart
tiffany thishia ray | 4 months, 2 weeks ago
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"mere" animals?
I am sickened and disgusted by both the comments of Shayne Lee and those of the majority of the people here. To assume that people are better than animals, or even to place ourselves in a separate category is egotistical and stupid. It is unfortunate that we have the ability and responsibility to protect those that cannot protect themselves, and yet most people, as demonstrated here, are self righteous and cruel when it comes to animals. If someone mercilessly killed people because of their lack of fighting abilities or even forced them to fight in the first place, would it be a popular opinion to give them a second chance? I don’t think so, and it angers me. Lock Vick up and throw away the key. This opinion does not make me crazy, it makes me logical and compassionate to my animal friends.
sarah | 4 months, 2 weeks ago
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"mere" animals?
I am sickened and disgusted by both the comments of Shayne Lee and those of the majority of the people here. To assume that people are better than animals, or even to place ourselves in a separate category is egotistical and stupid. It is unfortunate that we have the ability and responsibility to protect those that cannot protect themselves, and yet most people, as demonstrated here, are self righteous and cruel when it comes to animals. If someone mercilessly killed people because of their lack of fighting abilities or even forced them to fight in the first place, would it be a popular opinion to give them a second chance? I don’t think so, and it angers me. Lock Vick up and throw away the key. This opinion does not make me crazy, it makes me logical and compassionate to my animal friends.
sarah | 4 months, 2 weeks ago
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No cooment
i would just like to say that animal abuse should be stopped
Kelly sALINAS | 4 months ago
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Unjust
08/26/09 I WENT TO HOMEDEPOT AND TOOK MY DOG ALONG FOR THE RIDE. EARLIER DURING THAT DAY IT HAD BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY WARM. THE TIME I WENT WAS 4:30 IN THE EVENING AND I PARKED NEAR A LARGE TREE. I LEFT MY DOG IN THE CARE WITH ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN UNIFORMALLY, THEY WERE DOWN LOW ENOUGH FOR HIM TO HANG OUT BUT NOT ENOUGH TO JUMP OUT. I WENT IN THE STORE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MADE MY EXCHANGE AND PROCEEDED TO WALK TO THE FRONT TO CHECK OUT. AFTER WALKING UP FRONT THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE INTERCOM FOR WHO EVER IS DRIVING A SILVER AVALON TO PLEASE COME TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. I THEN WALKED BACK TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ASKED IF I WAS THE DRIVER OF THE CAR AND IF I HAD A DOG IN THE CAR, I STATED YES I DO AND ALL OF MY WINDOWS ARE DOWN AND I HAD ONLY BEEN IN THE STORE TO MAKE A QUICK EXCHANGE. THEY THEN SAID THERE ARE 2 POLICE OFFICERS AND ANIMAL CONTROL AT YOUR CAR. I THEN WALKED BACK AS QUICK AS I COULD TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE STORE. (I HAVE A PROSTHETIC KNEE AND MY PACE OF WALKING IS NOT FAST) AFTER ARRIVING OUTSIDE OF THE STORE I YELLED SO THEY COULD HERE ME TO KNOW I WAS THE OWNER. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE CAR THE MALE POLICE OFFICER TORE INTO ME YELLING LIKE HE HAD LOST HIS MIND. OF COURSE THIS PROVOKED ME TO GET DEFENSIVE. I RESPONDED WE LOVE OUR DOG AND WOULD NEVER DELIBERATELY HURT HIM. I STATED I WAS ONLY IN THE STORE TO MAKE A QUICK EXCHANGE. THE OFFICER AND I GOT INTO A DEBATE IN REGARDS TO THE TIME I WAS IN THE STORE 10 MIN VERSES 20 MINS. THE FEMALE OFFICER STATE HE IS AN AVID ANIMAL LOVER; I REPLIED HE IS NO MORE THAN AN ANIMAL LOVER THAN I AM. I OFFERRED FOR THEM TO VERIFY MY VET AND PETSMART IN REGARDS TO MY PET. ANIMAL CONTROL HAD ME TO GET THE DOG OUT OF THE CAR AND SHE LOOKED HIM OVER AND STATED SHE CAN SEE HE IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT SHE SEES NO NEED TO WRITE ME A CITATION, I THEN INFORMED ANIMAL CONTROL THE I GOT DEFENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE WAS YELLING AT ME WITHOUT KNOWING MY CHARACTER NOR ANYTHING ABOUT ME! THE OFFICER HEARD ME SAY THIS AND HE RESPONDED THAT IS WHY HE IS WRITING ME A TICKET.THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER HAD A LOOK ON HER FACE LIKE SHE COULD NOT BELIEVE HE WAS GOING TO DO THAT. MY COURT DATE WAS ON THIS TUESDAY AND THE JUDGE DID NOT ASK IF I WAS GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY, THEY HAD ALREADY PRESUMED I WAS GUILTY. SHE THEN ASKED THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WOULD SUGGEST. THE PEOPLES RESPONSE WAS 1 YR PROBATION, 5 DYS IN THE COUNTY JAIL AND 680.00 IN FINE. THE JUDGE THEN ASKED ME IF THAT WAS FINE WITH ME, I RESPONDED NO IT IS NOT! THEY RELEASED ME WITH MY SIGNING AN OR AND THE NEXT COURT DATE IS 12/21/09. MY DOG WAS NOT HURT; WHEN WE GOT HOME HE DID NOT EVEN GO FOR WATER HE ACTUALLY WANTED TO PLAY! I HAVE NEVER HAD A RECORD OF ANY CRIME AND THIS IS TOTALLY UPSETTING! My Vet and MY groomer have both written letters for me.
Darlene | 4 months ago
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im here
your dumb dumb dumb dumb
your ass | 4 months ago
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Guess what I'm sure he wil do it again ,it just li
Mr. Vick is a dangerous animal with a human form. My close neighbor is an animal killer and puppy mill. This person has killed 2 dogs this year because they barked too much. They are guard dogs. They were bred to bark. I reported it 5-6 times, different crimes against dogs. I started to audio tape it , around the first part of August. I did 6 audio tapes of her beating and yelling at the Lhasas. Then I had a camcorder given to me. I taped 6 hours of different times when she abuse these dogs. She hits them in the mouth when they bark and she beat on 1 so hard one day that she almost killed it. Then when it got better she killed it anyway, because and I quote“I won’t feed an animal that doesn’t make money for me, and the dog is too stupid to make good puppies.
GUESS WHAT. THEY NEVER LOOKED AT THE EVIDENCE.
The Humane cops where I live in NYS are all volunteers and with so many people home together with no money and no job. They spend their time watching the neighbor or taking their anger out on their on children and animals.The abuse reports are crazy , which is what is happening around the country. The State Troopers and such are way over tapped for the same reason. The animal killer is AKC registered kennel owner she keeps 25-30 dogs to take care of . I have seen her do things like hitting a dog 15 time with a 3 foot long stick . She beats and screams at the alpha male the most so the other dogs will be scared and quiet. The carries the puppies by one leg and I have lots of video of her throwing the puppies into kennels by one leg all the time. Animal Abuser are sick people and should be put in jail . The Spca has been to her house 3 different times, but she keeps the kennel looking good and the dogs are not laying dead in the front yard so unless the cops see it with their own eyes they can,t do anything. Did I say that 3 days after SPCA was there she went right back to beating and scareing the dogs. MY LIBRARY WINDOW IS 25 YARDS FROM THE KENNELS .
Jess James | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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Animal Abuse Is Harsh...
I dont think it is right that he put a dog fighting ring because every animal is a good animal.
They dont do anything wrong… How is living and playing with human doing the wrong thing?
I think that Michael Vick deserved to have time in prison! What he did was just wrong!
Lupita Arroyo | 3 months, 3 weeks ago
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