Alert 8/29/07 MICHAEL VICK: NOW THE HYPOCRISY BEGINS
CROSS POST WIDELY
On Monday, 8/27/07, Michael Vick appeared before Judge Hudson who questioned Mr. Vick to ensure he understood the plea bargain being submitted to the Court.
Now the hypocrisy begins.
First, Michael Vick uses his considerable resources to buy the best legal finagling money can buy. Shortly thereafter we see an orchestrated program including expressions of support from other black athletes and the NAACP and SCLC, a confession that isn’t, and remarks by Falcon team owner Arthur Blank describing Vick’s heinous behavior over the last six years (and longer if Vick’s father is to be believed) as “the incident”, and last we are told by Vick that he has found the Lord.
What does this mean?
It means the brutalization and killing of trusting creatures is trumped by the mores of money and big sports business.
It means that illegal gambling is somehow being ignored.
It means that the people behind Michael Vick are relying on a mindless fan base to put aside any thoughts of making an example of Vick’s immorality, returning the focus instead to the entertainment value of professional sports and the simultaneous but less forthright effort to salvage some value from Vick.
Did you listen to what Michael Vick said? To whom did he apologize first? His family? No, it was to his team – to the deep pockets.
Did you hear what Mr. Blank said? He thought it might make everyone feel good to suspend or release Vick, but it wouldn’t be good for the “franchise”.
Was that money talking? What about the dogs? What about the mores? What about the awful behavior and its examplar value?
Michael Vick is sorry. You bet he’s sorry. He’s sorry he got caught. After years of dogfighting, and after only four (4!) months since he last killed a dog in the most horrible way for not measuring up, he’s now sorry. Yes, sorry he got caught.
If we are content to allow this to happen and do nothing, then there will be other lowbrow “culture” imports, and more dogfighting and gambling, and nothing will have changed – except that dogs will have been officially denigrated and professional athletes taught that thumbing their noses at the world is perfectly acceptable.
This is what counts: Vick killed in the most evil and deliberate way. He tortured. And he lied to his employer and the world.
And the calm after the storm suggests this is now over. Contrition rules. We await sentencing for Michael Vick, but it is time now to doze off.
If you have a sense of moral outrage at this as we do, do something about it.
1. Write to Michael Vick telling him what you think of his second coming.
(NOTE: addresses below)
2. Write to Arthur Blank telling him what you will do about supporting his Atlanta Falcons.
3. Write a letter to Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the NFL, and tell him what you think about the code of conduct for the NFL.
4. Write letters to your local papers about this and what you want to have happen.
5. MOST IMPORTANTLY, make a difference wherever you live. Every sheriff, police chief, commonwealth attorney, etc., in Virginia (or wherever you live) should be asked about animal fighting in their jurisdiction in the last three years.
Ask how many cases (or suspected cases) have been reported.
Ask for the case numbers so you can see for yourself what the cases were about.
Ask what happened to those cases including in which court the cases were heard.
Ask what happened to those convicted, and if not convicted, why not.
And when you get the answers, shout them out. Get them to the paper. If they are good reports, we cheer with you. If they are not, we will work with you. If you get no response, that tells you a lot, and we will help you.
Can Michael Vick be saved? Yes, but not by apologies or promises.
Let Michael Vick perform first and ask forgiveness later.
Let him – from afar and without being able to so much as smell a dog – give and do good in the manner of Bob Barker and Dave Duffield, the PeopleSoft entrepreneur who established Maddie’s Fund.
Let Michael Vick cooperate fully with the federal prosecutors, naming names of others involved in illegal activities, whether dogfighting related or not.
Until this is done, Michael Vick should be banished – disappeared – ignored – ostracized.
It isn’t too late for Vick, but it is surely too late for his victims.
Lillian Clancy/Don Marro
Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare/Virginians for Animal Welfare
addresses:
Michael Vick:
This email is for the administrative assistant for Arthur Blake.
To get an email to Michael Vick, in the subject line, write: Please Deliver To Michael Vick
Arthur Blank, Owner of the Atlanta Falcons:
This email is for the administrative assistant for Arthur Blake. Apparently Mr. Blank’s name does not to be in the subject line; send to this address and he will receive your message.
Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner
email: GoodellR@nfl.com or Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net