The Conundrum of Michael Vick's Reinstatement in the NFL
"There can be few greater thrills for a genuine dog lover than to take a homeless dog off of life's refuse pile, add love and care, and then see that dog, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, become the great dog it was meant to be. Training such a rescued dog may require a little more time, a little more patience, and a little more skill, but the end result is a dog that has been given back its life. A dog owner can ask for no better companion."
-- Joe Stahlkuppe, Training Your Pit Bull
Dog lover that I am (that's my adopted-from-a-shelter pit bull Casey above), there was one blog headline that caught my eye after seeing the news that Michael Vick is no longer persona non grata in the NFL:
Dog Killer Michael Vick Reinstated by Braindead NFL.
Sick, depraved dog killer, Michael Vick was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today. Goodell’s braindead decision allows Vick to participate in preseason practices, workouts and meetings. He can also play in final two preseason games if he can find a team dumb enough to sign him. A number of teams — including the New York Giants and New York Jets, have already said they have absolutely no interest in signing the disgraced, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback.
Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after Vick admitted bankrolling the “Bad Newz Kennels” dogfighting operation located on his sprawling Virginia estate. He plead guilty after three co-defendants testified to gruesome details of how Vick participated in the killing of dogs that didn’t perform well in test fights by shooting, hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground.
Vick spent 18 months in lock-up in a Leavenworth, KS prison after being convicted on federal charges of animal cruelty charges. He served the last five months of his 23-month sentence at his Hampton, Virginia estate. A timeline of this sorry tale is here.
So, he's paid his official debt to society for an abominable crime; should he be given a clean slate? According to this Q&A about the conditions of his release and reinstatement published in USAToday:
Q: What are some of the life-management conditions that Vick must comply with?
A: The meat of these are already covered in the terms of Vick's three-year probation. He can't commit other crimes, possess a firearm, or use drugs or alcohol. There are also limits on whom Vick can associate with. And, of course, he can't own, possess or be involved with the sale of any dog.
Q: Beyond showing remorse, what else did Vick do to help his case with Goodell?
A: He submitted a written plan that outlined proposed living arrangements, financial management (including what's contained in his bankruptcy proceedings), counseling and mentoring goals, and work with the Humane Society. Said Goodell, "I'm going to hold him accountable to his life-management plan."
His agent is also announcing some damage control measures Vick plans to atone for the QB's mutilation and killing of dogs for fun and profit:
Michael Vick's agent, Joel Segal, said today that Vick plans to address and atone for his involvement in dogfighting publicly. He said on the NFL Network that Vick intends to make an apology to animal lovers and dog lovers who were offended by his role financing a dogfighting operation.
Segal said Vick will appear publicly to speak "sooner than later, very soon." He did not give specifics on what forum Vick would use.
..."He's really remorseful," Segal told the NFLN. "He feels bad about what happened to the animals."
Well, sh*t, what else is he going to say -- "I'm sorry I got caught with the carcasses in my yard and you found out I beat, shot, hanged, electrocuted and drowned my dogs that didn't fight"? Whether this will be good enough for NFL teams sniffing around to see if adding Vick to their roster is a plus or a minus, is open to question; it depends on your POV. The Falcons and other teams have said they have no interest in associating with Vick's image as a dog killer, however, how many times have we seen sports teams forgive and forget top players convicted of rape or domestic abuse of women?
I seriously doubt Vick will go unemployed for long. If his arm is good and he's otherwise in shape, the almighty dollar will speak for itself.
Q of the day: Has Vick earned a second chance?
Sports Illustrated did a cover story (December 29, 2008) "The Healing Touch: What happened to Michael Vick's dogs?" on the ones that survived their stay at Vick's torture farm. Here's some video from Best Friends of the dogs trip to rehab. They were featured on NatGeo's Dogtown program.
More below the fold, including a fantastic new law protecting pets hitting the NC governor's desk and two unbelievable examples of animal cruelty in the news today.
In news related to how much our pets do matter, North Carolina's legislature has overwhelmingly passed a bill (that Gov. Bev Perdue will sign) that an abusive spouse will be held accountable for cruelty to a pet of the abused spouse.
A magistrate can direct how family pets will be cared for as part of a domestic violence restraining order in legislation heading to Gov. Beverly Perdue's desk. The House approved 104-7 in favor of the Senate bill that makes clear the magistrate has the authority to demand the abusive spouse who is the subject of the order doesn't treat cruelly a cat, dog or other domesticated animal held by either spouse or a child. The pet also could be placed Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield, D-Wilson, said the bill will help give battered women more confidence to leave abusive situations if they know their pets will be taken care of or protected outside the home. Rep. Ronnie Sutton, D-Robeson, was one of a few lawmakers who questioned whether legislators were placing too much attention on pets instead of humans in these situations.And another story, from Connecticut, shows how seriously depraved humans can be regarding animal fighting -- what sicko would run a canary fighting ring?!
But wait, there's more, again in Connecticut at the home of Edward and Stacey Tighe:Animal experts were stunned by the Sunday arrest of 19 men in Shelton, charged with organizing a bird-fighting ring using saffron finches and canaries, small yellow songbirds commonly kept as pets. Roughly 150 birds, mostly saffron finches, and $8,000 in cash were seized during the raid on the Ripton Road ranch house. The men taken into custody face charges of cruelty to animals and illegal gambling.
Shelton Police Sgt. Robert Kozlowsky said Monday at least four of the birds have eye injuries. Most of the birds are saffron finches, and not canaries as initially announced by police, following a closer inspection Monday. The birds are in the custody of the state Department of Agriculture. Wayne Kasacek, assistant director of the department's Bureau of Regulation and Inspection, wouldn't say where the birds are being held. He also said the eventual fate of the creatures has yet to be determined, though it's likely the injured birds will be euthanized.
Kasacek said this is the first time he has dealt with a bird-fighting operation of that kind that is alleged. "This is uncharted territory," he said. "Up until now, this was not very common. It came as a complete surprise to us."
Animal control officers seized 17 rabbits from an Edison Road home last Tuesday, and now there are 20 at the shelter. "We are inundated with rabbits," said Animal Control Officer Lynn DellaBianca. "We took in 17 and then we got three babies."...Police said a putrid smell was emanating from the basement and when they checked for its source, they found a rotting rabbit carcass in a cardboard box. Checking another room in the basement, officers began to investigate what appeared to be a pile of cloth stuffing only to see, on closer inspection, rabbit bones sticking out of the pile, police said. Police said rabbit feces covered the first floor of the home. Written next to a large hole cut in the wall was, "Kyle was here," a reference to the couple's teenage son, police said.
Related:
* Reader reaction to my 'Fighting pet prejudice' column in the Durham News
* Rapper DMX faces time in the clink for animal cruelty
How can people automatically assume a dog is an evil man or dog killer based solely on its breed? The American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier and Bull Terrier are often targets of breed-specific legislation and discrimination. It is people like Michael Vick who foment fear and hatred of these breeds by breeding them and training them to kill one another. The misinformation results in shelters full of pit bulls that will never be adopted. The APBT in particular is among the least human-aggressive breeds, but it can be dog-aggressive if not socialized correctly from puppyhood. Even so, the terrible reputation spawned by the behavior of Vick and his friends who used these dogs for betting and entertainment and treated them like trash, only stoke the fear. That fear I had to overcome when Kate and I chose to meet Casey at the Wake SPCA. She was, by far, the friendliest dog we spent time with. And she loves other dogs -- today she is one of the most popular playmates at dog day care, so safe that she's been out in group play with the geriatric dogs.
The lesson -- don't buy the hype, but always read up on any breed that you're interested in.
Follow Pam Spaulding on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Pam_Spaulding
I don't know how what is going to happen to DMX...But I do know that he pulled over on the side of the road that night just to see if we were all right.
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What kind of dog you prefer, they say, speaks volumes. Pit bulls are favoured by the insecure, teacup dogs by the frilly. But how you treat those animals says a lot more.
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'To the NFL powers that be': Sick, depraved dog killer, Michael Vick was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today. Goodell’s braindead decision allows Vick to participate in preseason practices, workouts and meetings. The NFL has made a terrible mistake....this creepy, animalistic, sadistic creature...do you have an animal ...well he tortured these animals to end their misery after dog fights......M. Vicks is a disgrace to NFL & humanity...he lied, lied & lied to everyone...he’s a liar and you cannot trust him period.....he committed sadistic pain, pain, & more pain & murder on a lot of poor innocent animals...anyone that sadistic would do the same to a human being....not only no but 'HELL NO' ...let him do as he said and help other inmates the rest of his life....anybody that would bring him back have the same mind set and I hope we have real leaders in the NFL that will step up and protect it...I will boycott any team like millions will if they bring in this creep...
They say that criticism is autobiography.
Excellent article. Our dog trainer works a lot with rescue pit bulls and dobermans, and so although we have a basset hound and a cattle dog, we've been around a lot of these 'dangerous' dogs. It is all in how they are treated and raised and using common sense around them, as with any dog.
As far as Vick goes- we are a family of sports fans. We are also the owners of two rescue dogs and I have to say that we will NEVER support a team that hires Vick on or purchase tickets to an event he is participating i- unless it was a fundraiser for the ASPCA!! I don't believe he is remorseful- just sad he got caught. The only thing that might convince me otherwise is if he donates a ton of money, effort and time to working with homeless animals and improving the laws to protect them. A token gesture will not be enough to make our family want to support him or his future teams in any way. We can vote with our dollars and that is what we will do.
People should vote with their dollars. I respect that. Having said that, the NFL buying public spends big dollars on their love of the game. The only thing that Vick's presence changes are the betting lines on those games he might appear in.
What Vick did is abominable, but he's served his time and will be on parole. If he screws up, it's back to the slammer for him. There is a chance he can actually become a good role model, though I have my doubts. But I believe in rehabilitation--for dogs and people--so I'm willing to see if Vick has really changed. We'll find out soon enough.
Thank you for this thoughtful piece. I get so angry at those harm animals. What the he ll is wrong with them?
Your Casey is just beautiful. That sweet face.... Thank you again.
Pit bulls should certainly not be killed in shelters. They should be given to good people, without children, who will love and train the dog. Vick can be a major force in the re-education of peoples attitudes towards these dogs. However, people with children should NEVER have a pit bull in the house.
Vick should be given an unofficial year or so to follow through on some of the commitments he's made. Let's see how serious he is about putting his money where his mouth is before he gets picked up by any NFL team. IF he proves himself, and can still hang athletically, let him play again, but with a certain percentage of his paycheck sent directly to the Humane Society (nationally) and at least one local charity of his choice. I believe in forgiveness and I believe people can change, but I also believe in making them demonstrate sincerity before putting any sort of faith in them.
Oh, and props to NC for passing the cruelty to animals by a spouse bill.
Vick should be given NOTHING. Certainly not his multi-million $$ career back.
Michael Vick did not serve time for dogfighting or cruelty to animals. He was convicted of bankrolling an illegal gambling ring across state lines and thats it nothing else. If they prosecuted him on the dogfighting he would have done a maximum of 6 months jail time asit is the longest sentence handed down for that type of crime in Virginia to date. This reporter needs to lose her bias and get her facts straight
I believe she has her facts straight. The majority of people, football nuts excluded, do not want any part of this individual. You can say he served his time, many many criminals serve their time. That doesn't mean that they have changed their ways. I do not believe MV has changed.
Rubbish. He served his time and he can get on with his life. I can understand if he shouldn't be offered any job relating to animals but to say he can't be a football is absolute rubbish. And people wonder why a lot of ex-convicts go back to crimes. No matter how you slice it, you can't legally compare the harming of animals to that of human beings. He's done his time and it's legally not a life sentence. End of story.
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And a note to commenters -- I didn't lodge a a personal opinion either way in this case; I didn't because I can see both sides of this dilemma. Mr. Vick needs to be able to earn a living, but re-employment with a high profile position on an NFL team is more than a job - one is often labeled as a role model.
The bottom line is that some team will sign him, and those who feel he doesn't deserve a chance will picket or boycott the team, and others will pay to see him play. I don't see an easy answer to this; thus this dilemma is reflected in the title of my post.
My specific anger at this point lies more in what he and people like DMX have done to harm the reputation of pit bulls (and similar breeds), and to giving any legitimacy to dog fighting as some kind of proof of his manhood. We have enough pathology surrounding equivalence of manhood to violence and ignorance in minority communities. Vick's "rehabilitation" needs to include being a spokesman not only against animal cruelty, but to get rid of breed-specific legislation that permits pit bulls to be killed at shelters because 1) no one wants to adopt them and they are euthanized; or 2) they are bred to be a menace and are put down. There is an opportunity here to do a great deal of good in what has been an all-around horrible situation.
I am so tired of these so called dog lovers saying Mr. Vick should not get reinstated. He did his time and it is none of your business. Just because people do not share your love for dogs doesn't mean they have to live by your rules for dogs. And yes, I have had dogs and I like dogs. More power to the ones who treat them right. Where is your anger for the criminals who are killing innocent people? If you love dogs that much, go do something yourself for them and stop trying to run everyone else's life. He did his time. Leave him alone. why should he go around speaking against animal cruelty to satisfy people like you? Who do you think you are? are you living your life to satisfy others? This is not aimed at the writer of this post but to the millions of people including the media who keeps asking should mr. vick be reinstated? OF COURSE!!!
So you feel this way about everyone who has been convicted of animal cruelty? Or just Vick who is SOOOOO talented and SOOOOO deserving of a 2nd chance.
You can bet that others who were arrested with him won't find it so easy to go find a multi-million $$ gig someplace with a felony on their record..
They will need to deal with the fact that they are convicted felons and will likely be living in SRO's for the rest of their lives lucky to find work cleaning windshields.
That rep was out there before Michael Vick and apparently will survive his episode. Animal fighting remains a lucrative endeavor for lots of folk. Seems that prior to Michael Vick America was quite willing to overlook the general treatment of animals in this country that begins with a slew of uneducated and irresponsible owners.
The animals for food, the puppy mills, all go on unabated. Those who wish to continue to vilify Vick do so because they are him. They're lazy, unmotivated and stupid. They will go on demonstrating at NFL games for what? The NFL has TV deals that guarantee money and all the stadiums are sold out every Sunday. Hell, the NFL could make a statement but have they?
This issue is about the hypocrisy of all this nation where the abuse of animals, racing dogs and racing horses, just two examples, is the nature of the beast. Having a Black man to project it onto is just another part of the beast. Vick is just another hook for America's projection. Sixty or seventy years ago, he'd have been lynched.
I agree with everything you say Nommo, except the last paragraph. Speaking as a white woman, I can assure you that I would be just as p***ed if it had been a white man or a woman who got caught and my reaction would be the same.
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