Michael Vick, a murderer, is playing professional football again. Upon his return to the field, he received a standing ovation from Philadelphia Eagles fans. Football fans all over the US are claiming "he did his time," and now deserves a second chance.
He did not, and does not.
I read this on Facebook, and I'm running it as-is. CAUTION! Contains horrific animal-cruelty details.
For everyone that has participated in the Victimization of Vick with all of the comments of "He did his time, he paid for his crimes" - think again.
Perhaps, you should be aware of the facts of this case and more informed of the actual "crime" this man paid of his debt to society. Perhaps, you would then think twice before complacently handing out your second chance arguments and support.
If your mind still forms the argument of "We all make mistakes" - perhaps you will feel differently knowing that children are sporting dog masks to football games mocking the dead victims of his crimes. Laughing - joking - making fun - in support of their great idol with their parents right behind them screaming "To hell with Dogs - we love Vick".
If this would not lower your head in shame, then I fear for the monsters this has unleashed in division across this United States in support of this great American hero.
Michael Vick "did his time" for Federal Racketeering, he served his prison sentence for Federal Racketeering - ONLY.
The crimes, the heinous acts and crimes of Animal Cruelty - Michael Vick plead "Not Guilty".
In a brokered Plea Agreement, the charges of Animal Cruelty were dismissed. Thus, unpunished were these crimes, by this man, against humanity.
The known, proven, admitted crimes of murder, rape, and torture of innocent defenseless beings was thrown out - dismissed - in the Plea Agreement.
The crimes in which, Michael Vick, systematically, prepared, planned, participated and executed, repeatedly, against these animals, was left unpunished in the legal justice system.
This is a known public record of fact.
Below are the opinions of Michael Vick's deserved second chance by Bad Rap's Tim Racer and Donna Reynolds.
Tim Racer -
It is no mystery that Michael Vick wants another chance at the game, the money, and the fame that he once possessed. I am all about forgiveness and second chances – when one is truly remorseful . There is of course a world of difference between feeling badly about a wrong doing, and feeling badly about being caught. Who knows where Roger Goodell stands on this? I am disappointed that there has to be so much time spent to make such a seemingly simple decision about whether this man should ever play the game again. He ran a major felony dog-fighting operation since he first became a professional ball player – for his entire six year career. He fought and he killed countless innocent animals, some by repeatedly slamming their skulls and spines into the ground until they broke. What exactly does it take to be released from the NFL?
Twenty three months in prison does not make a sick (in the truly medical sense of the term) individual like Vick, better. Mike has teamed up with the HSUS to to good things now. His agents made it so. Good move. Maybe that will help him play again.
For those who believe Vick has paid his dues, I would have to differ. He has not and will not spend a single day behind bars for animal cruelty as his federal charges were for racketeering. And as for remorse, Vick pled NOT GUILTY to animal cruelty charges at his state trial – and it was dropped in a plea deal. How can this man be remorseful for his crimes if he does not even believe he was cruel to animals?
Donna Reynolds -
I admit I'm stuck on this one because I just can't get myself away from the swimming pool in Vick's yard. I first learned about it while riding in the back seat of a federal agent's car that sweltering Tuesday back in Sept 07. The agent was assigned with escorting us to the various Virginia shelters so we could evaluate "the evidence" otherwise known as 49 pit bulls - now known as cherished family pets: Hector, Uba, Jhumpa, Georgia, Sweet Jasmine and the rest. I'm not sure if sharing insider information with us was kosher, but you know how driving down long country roads can get you talking. I imagine she just needed to get some things off her chest. She said she was having trouble sleeping since the day they exhumed the bodies on the Moonlight Road property. She said that when she watched the investigators uncover the shallow graves, she was compelled to want to climb in and pick up the decomposing dogs and comfort and cradle them. She knew that was crazy talk, and she was grappling with trying to understand such a surprising impulse.
Her candor set the tone for this entire saga. Everyone we worked with was deeply affected by the case. The details that got to me then and stay with me today involve the swimming pool that was used to kill some of the dogs. Jumper cables were clipped onto the ears of underperforming dogs, then, just like with a car, the cables were connected to the terminals of car batteries before lifting and tossing the shamed dogs into the water. Most of Vick's dogs were small - 40lbs or so - so tossing them in would've been fast and easy work for thick athlete arms. We don't know how many suffered this premeditated murder, but the damage to the pool walls tells a story. It seems that while they were scrambling to escape, they scratched and clawed at the pool liner and bit at the dented aluminum sides like a hungry dog on a tin can.
I wear some pretty thick skin during our work with dogs, but I can't shake my minds-eye image of a little black dog splashing frantically in bloody water ... screaming in pain and terror ... brown eyes saucer wide and tiny black white-toed feet clawing at anything, desperate to get ahold. This death did not come quickly. The rescuer in me keeps trying to think of a way to go back in time and somehow stop this torture and pull the little dog to safety. I think I'll be looking for ways to pull that dog out for the rest of my life.
So that's where I'm at. A second chance for Vick? An HSUS sponsored spokesman for ending torture? In my mind's eye Vick is still in the shadows at the side of that pool. As many times as this scene plays out my head, he hasn't yet moved towards that dog to pull him out. Not there yet.
*Bad Rap Statements Courtesy of: Bad Rap Vick Dog Blog/Behind the scenes*
Copyright 2009 Shelley Bright - Tucsondogexaminer@gmail.com
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