[MsMewiththat]

Your right that is what this is about and since the audience here is paying attention I am drawing attention to this case that will allow this person back in to the NFL in the 2010 season, What about Leonard Little of the St. Louis Rams struck and killed a woman while driving drunk in 1998. He was suspended for eight games, allowing him to come back in the middle of the season. He was arrested again for drunk driving in 2004, but was acquitted.

[artlady]

I am an Eagle fan because McNabb used to play for my hometown team.Syracuse! Go Orange!
I abhor what he did but he did his time.
If we hold our athletes or our politicians to a higher standard ,we are just asking for disappointment.
One would HOPE that they would be good role models but that is just unrealistic.Sadly.

[shazamataz]

I saw the PETA thing.

I'm not a big fan of PETA (I know, shocking) I think they're extremists. But, on this count, I'm on their side!

Go PETA! :)

Maybe Michael Vick will get tackled, break a leg and no longer be able to play. :)

Love it :D

Hmmm, anyone got some fishing line and a couple of sticks...

Access to the playing field would be great too

[BMI]

Lot of people up in arms against Vick.

I never liked him as a QB and I certainly do not condone or make light of what he did. However, suggesting he has learned nothing and only will behave due to the fact he has too is not really a fair statement. Those that question his ability to rejoin the league and make millions of dollars after what he did is not really his fault either. I mean he happens to excel in a profession that pays a pretty good wage, if he were a plumber or office worker would one be so quick to say he shouldnot be allowed to continue in his profession, I doubt it sincerely.

Also, comments about him spending the rest of his life behind bars is a bit much. With all do respect to dog lovers and owners he did not torture human's that would warrant him life in prison. Though you could make a case that he got off lightly.

[shazamataz]

Lot of people up in arms against Vick.

I never liked him as a QB and I certainly do not condone or make light of what he did. However, suggesting he has learned nothing and only will behave due to the fact he has too is not really a fair statement. Those that question his ability to rejoin the league and make millions of dollars after what he did is not really his fault either. I mean he happens to excel in a profession that pays a pretty good wage, if he were a plumber or office worker would one be so quick to say he shouldnot be allowed to continue in his profession, I doubt it sincerely.

Also, comments about him spending the rest of his life behind bars is a bit much. With all do respect to dog lovers and owners he didnot torture human's that would warrant him life in prison. Though you could make a case that he got off lightly.

I do agree with you. His extreme wage and public profile does make him a bigger target yes, but I would be just as disgusted at someone in a lower paying job being allowed to go back to their normal life.

I respect your second point as well, no it wasn't a human that he tortured but as I said before, I think that torturing animals is worse in some ways than doing it to a human because a human at least has the chance to fight back.

A boy here in my state was friend with my partner when they were in high school, my partner went over to his house and he had a cat tied up to a crucifix.
My partner took one look and walked out, never spoke to him again...

A few years back a newsflash came up "The wheelie bin murder"
That same kid had grown up, killed someone, put them in a rubbish bin and then dumped it in the river.

Animal torture has been linked with a lot of psychiatric problems.

I repects everyone's opinion but mine just happens to be a little more extreme :)

[BMI]

Fair enough Shazamataz. Your dedication to animal rights is quite admirable I should add.

[Alty]

Your right that is what this is about andd since the audience here is paying attention I am drawing attention to this case that will allow this person back in to the NFL in the 2010 season, What about Leonard Little of the St. Louis Rams struck and killed a woman while driving drunk in 1998. He was suspended for eight games, allowing him to come back in the middle of the season. He was arrested again for drunk driving in 2004, but was acquitted.

That is horrible. It warrants a discussion, but this thread is about Michael Vick and his crimes.

BMI, I value your opinion as well. You're right, it's not like he hurt a human being, but something tells me, if he had, he would have gotten a slightly longer prison term and then the offer to play with the Eagles. The only difference would be that more people would be outraged if he had killed and tortured people.

He bought these dogs for the purpose of turning them into vicious killers. Those that couldn't rise to the challenge were executed. He videotaped those executions so he could watch them over and over again.

My belief, it was only a matter of time until he hurt a human being. The road he was on would have lead to that eventually.

You're also right that the reason for most of my outrage is the fact that the job he has been offered will pay him millions. Why should he live in the lap of luxury?

I would feel better about all of this if 1/3 of his paycheck went towards animal shelters.

People have a voice, animals don't. It's up to the humans to protect the animals.

That's how I feel.

[slapshot_oi]

My belief, it was only a matter of time until he hurt a human being. The road he was on would have lead to that eventually.

More than likely, he'll probably become another OJ.

You're also right that the reason for most of my outrage is the fact that the job he has been offered will pay him millions. Why should he live in the lap of luxury?

This is another argument, why should any athlete get as much as they do? Even chief executives and their annual bonuses that amount to the lowest-payed worker's salary twenty-fold? But yeah, this is the central reason why Vick's been on the chopping block since the indictment. Cock and dog fighting is prevalent in the southern US, and I doubt those that got convicted of torturing animals alone did not get two years in prison.

...but I would be just as disgusted at someone in a lower paying job being allowed to go back to their normal life.

Why? The one thing in life everyone needs to realize is that people do f**k up and make bad choices but they can learn from them. Ya know there are some guys out there, take a former gang member, who got nabbed and did his time prison, was released and made a valiant attempt to turn his life around but can't because no employer will hire him. If a criminal paid for the consequences of his actions he should be allowed to return to his normal life. And if he's not, he'll go back to the one thing he knows, crime, and wind up back in prison. He's not allowed to move on, this is wrong. Vick falls into this category. Inmates and criminals are humans too, I guess it should be no surprise to you that I stand vehemently against the death penalty.

[shazamataz]

Why? The one thing in life everyone needs to realize is that people do f**k up and make bad choices but they can learn from them. Ya know there are some guys out there, take a former gang member, who got nabbed and did his time prison, was released and made a valiant attempt to turn his life around but can't because no employer will hire him. If a criminal payed for the consequences of his actions he should be allowed to return to his normal life. And if he's not, he'll go back to the one thing he knows, crime, and wind up back in prison. He's not allowed to move on, this is wrong. Vick falls into this category. Inmates and criminals are humans too, I guess it should be no surprise to you that I stand vehemently against the death penalty.

I agree with Alty's point that if he did return to his life of making millions of dollars (which he is) then he should at least have his wages garnished and donated to anti fighting organisations and have to do a service/volunteer work with an animal rights organisation.
For the rest of his life.

I understand your point, I know people can turn their life around once they have realised their mistake but to me, this goes beyond that.
I don't know if it is just because of my love of animals or I have a warped point of view but to me someone who can do that to a defenseless creature is not right in the head and no amount of jail time or "I'm sorry's" can fix that, they will always be a sick person.

I will use paedophiles as an example: yes they do their time in jail, get let out but would you want one babysitting your child? Would you want that person livng in your town? On your street?
The way someone thinks can't be changed, I personally love chocolate, I can't just say to myself "I don't like it anymore" and it be true... same principle.

They may stop for a while but for some people the temptation is too great.

[slapshot_oi]

I will use paedophiles as an example: yes they do their time in jail, get let out but would you want one babysitting your child? Would you want that person livng in your town? On your street?
The way someone thinks can't be changed, I personally love chocolate, I can't just say to myself "I don't like it anymore" and it be true.... same principle.

No way, the only one babysitting my future children are girls who are honor roll students. You're right, prison won't rehabilitate anyone with a psychological disorder, it'll just make them less human. But, provided you were sane when you entered prison and were sane leaving prison, chances are you'd think twice before committing the same crime that landed you in the joint in the first place. And if that is the case, you should be allowed to live a normal life.

True, you can't control your thoughts but you can control your actions and that's really all that matters. Although you love chocolate, if you really wanted to stop eating it, you could very well do that and the easiest way is to avoid as much as you can (within reason).

[JudyKayTee]

You forgot the rape stand.r.

Actually as offensive as the idea is to people, the "rape stand" is fairly standard practice for dog breeders.

Otherwise - carry on.

Just as a side note - how many people actually wrote letters to the various groups that were involved in Vick's sentencing? I was shocked that so few were received and yet so many had something to say.

[Alty]

I joined a "keep Michael Vick in Jail" campaign and signed a petition.

I didn't send a letter, didn't know who to send it to.

[MsMewiththat]

Judy brings forth a great point. I'm sure letters could be sent to NFL commission and also to the judges/probation officials that sentence and release these men. I don't believe in what he did and I believe that he was wrong and ignorant to take part in such behavior. However, I do believe that he was justly sentenced. I think that the amount of time he received was not only for the dog issue, but for his dishonesty in regards to his involvement, his drug use and dishonesty about that and just as an over all lesson... in you should know better and if you don't know better, maybe after you sit down for a minute and have nothing else to think about you will know better.
I do think that for someone with such privilege that prison no matter the amount of time has changed him.<--it would have to. Was it for the better? Time will tell. I'm prayerful that he will learn and mature and make stronger choices in the future. I don't think that people will trust him and allow him to fully move on and I do think that is somewhat sad. I'm not saying I feel sorry for him, but we have to learn to let go. Never forget, forgive and move on.

[shazamataz]

Actually as offensive as the idea is to people, the "rape stand" is fairly standard practice for dog breeders.

Otherwise - carry on.

Just as a side note - how many people actually wrote letters to the various groups that were involved in Vick's sentencing? I was shocked that so few were received and yet so many had something to say.

I didn't know about it until much later... it wasn't publicised here otherwise I would have.