Selective Redemption

I haven't had much to say about the whole Mike Vick debacle. Initially I felt that he was definitely guilty of wrongdoing and broke the laws of his state therefore warranting punishment of some sort. However, I really was annoyed that so much was made out of the incident considering professional athletes and celebrities who have shot, killed, beaten, and run HUMANS over with cars. And while I believe that animals should not be subject to cruel treatment at the hands of humans, I also do not hold their lives in the same esteem as that of people. That said, Vick received the punishment the courts assigned him, served his time, and is now trying to go back to some semblance of normalcy which brings me to my rant. I'm very tired of the media and special interest groups trying to analyze this man's every move, word, eye blink, and hand gesture in an attempt to determine if he is really remorseful.

I don't know Mike Vick and probably never will but I feel comfortable in assuming that any reasonable person who commits a crime or facilitates a situation so that others can commit crimes is convicted and serves prison time causing him to lose MILLIONS of dollars, public standing, his reputation, residency in his own home, contact with his very young child, and the respect of many of his peers, he would be be pretty darn sorry about it. As I see it, he lost far more than the world lost when all of those dogs were mutilated, electrocuted, drowned, and beaten. But in all this, what I really wonder is why folks are so up in arms about this man and his bad acts yet people like Andrea Yates can drown all five of her children and garnish sympathy from civil rights groups for women and a mental health watchdog group formed by the Church of Scientology. It was implied that it should be understandable for her to drown her children because she was sick and sad. However, had she killed five dogs instead of five children, that apparently would have been unacceptable. Former Washington D.C. mayor, Marion Barry, was caught on tape smoking crack cocaine, an offense for which he was sentenced to six months in prison, and he also plead guilty to misdemeanor charges stemming from not paying taxes. In spite of all of this, voters still loved him and he was eventually elected to a second term as mayor.

Don't get me wrong, I believe Marion Barry deserved a second chance, though he would not have had my vote. I mean, isn't America the home of second chances? I would think a country formed by folks who needed a new life and a second chance would be sympathetic toward the redemption concept. Barry served his time and made whatever changes were necessary in order for him to get back to his initial standing and now, Michael Vick is doing the same. People advocated for Barry and Yates which causes me to wonder why few seem to be doing the same type of advocating for Mike Vick. The only conclusion I seem to be able to draw is that murder and a mayor crack smoking in a seedy hotel are alright and much less offensive than killing and torturing dogs.

I resent the idea that any of us can judge whether or not another feels remorse. Does everyone have to cry, beg, or engage in some sackcloth and ash action in order to satisfy the public's need to see the humiliation of others? Since none of us know straight away the intentions of others, I think it best we collectively shut up and watch the game.