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Michael Vick apologizes. Is that enough?
As part of the dog-loving community, it is hard for me to welcome Michael Vick back into society. What I have against him: he tortured dogs. He killed dogs. He happily sponsored and gambled on dogfights. He showed no understanding that dogs will love and serve their human friends unconditionally, even in spite of such horrible treatment.
His sentence, 18 months, seems too short to make up for a crime I see as so horrible. And now, he is being co-opted by the Humane Society of the United States, the same group that went to court to recommend the destruction of his dogs rather than their rehabilitation. Hopefully, he will choose to align himself with Best Friends, the organization that retrained and rehomed his dogs, or the SPCA, a society who take care of abused dogs.
What I have to consider in his favor: Michael Vick served 18 months in prison. Whether or not that was long enough is not up to me. It was the sentence decided by the judicial system. Second, America is a country of second chances. Most of our ancestors were getting a second chance when they arrived here. All of us need a second chance sometime in our lives.
Forgiveness is a dictum recommended by religious leaders. In church, we pray, “Bless me Father, for I have sinned.” Forgiveness is not just for my friends. It must apply to everyone, as outlined in the ancient and eternal teachings of Jesus.
Sister Helen Prejean once gave a lecture about how she was able to work with Robert Lee Willie, a man on death row who had murdered one innocent woman and raped and tortured others. “Any man is greater than his worst offense,” she said. That sentence has always stuck with me.
On the other hand, there is Debbie Morris, one of Willie’s rape victims, who wrote about her struggle to get over what happened, "Justice doesn't really heal all the wounds." Everyone can identify with that adage, too.
Michael Vick has been on television all yesterday and this morning, saying again and again, “I want to be part of the solution and not the problem.”
Like all dog lovers and all Eagles fans, I will be watching carefully what he says and does over the next months. He will have to win my grudging approval through his actions.
For more info: Dear Michael, Please read my book. More about Pit Bull history. Another column on Pit Bulls.
Comments
How could the Philadelphia Eagles hire Michael Vick?? He is a sorry excuse for a human being....he NEVER APOLOGIZED, SHOWED REGRET, REMORSE - N O T H I N G! The Eagles should be ashamed -
so much for fair play, equality, HUMANITY....he has NONE OF THOSE qualities...how could he possibily be a morale booster for the team.....He never was properly sentenced or realized how horrible a crime he committed...
Sorry but I still think he sucks. Playing professional sports should be a privilege. No way should he be making millions of dollars after what he did. I hope the fans make his life miserable. I can't believe they hired him, hopefully their franchise will decline because of it.
Sorry but I still think he sucks. Playing professional sports should be a privilege. No way should he be making millions of dollars after what he did. I hope the fans make his life miserable. I can't believe they hired him, hopefully their franchise will decline because of it.
Sorry but I still think he sucks. Playing professional sports should be a privilege. No way should he be making millions of dollars after what he did. I hope the fans make his life miserable. I can't believe they hired him, hopefully their franchise will decline because of it.
sorry but i feel the same way how can he be hired back into football making that kind of money i hink he should be made to spread some of that around animals like in these no kill shelters
I strongly suspect the only thing Vick regrets was the all-too-brief potential of forfeiting all that dough that pro athletes rake in. I suppose, though, we must give him the benefit of the doubt and observe his future words and actions.
Forgiveness doesn't come with a key back to the "city." When God forgave, he still punished. Forgiveness doesn't mean life goes back to the way it was and you get back everything you had. Forgiveness means okay, if you are truly sorry ... truly, you are forgiven. You still have lost things and you still have to go through life known as someone who did something wrong. You now have the ability to reinvent your life in a good way. It may be hard, but go ahead. Also, if this man was not in the limelight, his reputation and forgiveness would not even be considered! Forgiveness ,,, maybe, but he should not play again.
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