Inequity
I'm an avid Eagles fan so it would probably be amiss of me if I don't comment upon the new Offense. Michael Vick. Extraordinary athelete. Awesome quarterback. Doing things on the line that Philadelphia fans haven't seen in so long it's made me damn near misty. But as for the questions regarding his character and his prior conviction for being involved in dog fighting, well frankly, I don't care because it has nothing to do with how he plays football and he served his time. I wouldn't want him to be nieghbor but I have no qualms about him being my team's quarterback.
I love animals, especially dogs, and can't understand the depravity necessary to hurt something so unconditionally giving and loving. I think the type of behavior Vick was convicted of is morally bankrupty and deserving of punishment. And punished he was. Years later, sentence served, does he deserve the chance to continue his career which frankly was completely unrelated to the offenses to which he was convicted? Of course, he is. A fundamental tenant of our prison system in the U.S. is rehabilitation. The re-entry to society with the intent of being a lawful and contributing member of that society is the reason why prisoners are offered educational and trade opportunities, work release, half-way houses, etcetera.
The real issue, as I perceive it, is this: How is it Michael Vick is maligned for his involvement in the cruel treatment and death of animals, but former Eagle Donte Stallworth gets a slap on the wrist for killing a man?
Both athletes pled guilty to their crimes. Both were sentenced for those crimes. Vick got 23 months in a federal prison. Stallworth got 30 days in county jail. HUH? Does this make sense?
Philadelphia is not that far from Baltimore [Stallworth's new team is the Ravens; to Cleveland's credit they released Stallworth as soon as his one year NFL suspension was up], and I haven't heard word one about the Raven's picking Stallworth up. For the record, I don't have a problem with Stallworth playing ball either. But I find it disheartening that we, as a society, seem to put more stock in the welfare of animals than in the welfare of one another.
Let's put things into proper perspective... Go Eagles!
I love animals, especially dogs, and can't understand the depravity necessary to hurt something so unconditionally giving and loving. I think the type of behavior Vick was convicted of is morally bankrupty and deserving of punishment. And punished he was. Years later, sentence served, does he deserve the chance to continue his career which frankly was completely unrelated to the offenses to which he was convicted? Of course, he is. A fundamental tenant of our prison system in the U.S. is rehabilitation. The re-entry to society with the intent of being a lawful and contributing member of that society is the reason why prisoners are offered educational and trade opportunities, work release, half-way houses, etcetera.
The real issue, as I perceive it, is this: How is it Michael Vick is maligned for his involvement in the cruel treatment and death of animals, but former Eagle Donte Stallworth gets a slap on the wrist for killing a man?
Both athletes pled guilty to their crimes. Both were sentenced for those crimes. Vick got 23 months in a federal prison. Stallworth got 30 days in county jail. HUH? Does this make sense?
Philadelphia is not that far from Baltimore [Stallworth's new team is the Ravens; to Cleveland's credit they released Stallworth as soon as his one year NFL suspension was up], and I haven't heard word one about the Raven's picking Stallworth up. For the record, I don't have a problem with Stallworth playing ball either. But I find it disheartening that we, as a society, seem to put more stock in the welfare of animals than in the welfare of one another.
Let's put things into proper perspective... Go Eagles!
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