Standard practice for training fighting dogs is to get a puppy or stray dog and tape their mouth shut. This is done so the fighting dogs (With no resistance) can attack and tear, getting a taste for blood with out getting injured. Mr. Vick had everything in the world going for him, still again and again he chose cruelty. Vick is not going to punch a time clock and work on an assembly line in some factory. He's a sports figure with adulation and endorsements. But in reality he is a troubled human that so happens to be a talented athlete. Is everything short of murder a guideline for playing in the NFL? No wonder our young people are confused. This brutal person will now make millions of dollars in front of a cheering crowd. The message? It's OK to participate in the brutal rampant practice of dog fighting.
Money is reward. A standing ovation to the football playing thug.

On 60 minutes Brown didnt ask Vick about bait dogs.

Puppies… Stray dogs.. Tape their mouth shut… Rip em up… Bait

ok Michael, you said you where scripted to say...however, animals are God's second skin.
you tourtured, and looked the other way. You are dead wrong, and my opion is that you didn't stay in prison long enough. kharm my darling...hopefully that will keep you up at night

Michael Vick spoke as though others were responsible for killing the dogs and he should have been a leader and stopped it. As you stated, far more eloquently and I, Brown in did not nail Vick about HIS participation in body-slamming, electrocuting, hanging and drowning those dogs. Vick can cry me a river. Does he remember the cries and the look in the eyes of the dogs he killed. This interview was obvious in its intent - soften the Vick
image. Didn't work for me.

Hi Jude, I think we saw this the same way. And I am glad there are folks who do try to remind us of what his victims went through. Thanks. Z

"What an outrageous suggestion that the actions of a couple of bad or lazy cops are responsible for Vick as an adult thinking it is okay to systematically torture animals"

A man who grows up around dog fighting as a child will find it harder to understand the moral outrage surrounding dog fighting as an adult. This was a social practice he was exposed to as a young child and it isn't hard to believe that a life time of exposure will numb ones sensitivity to the darker aspects of dogfighting. While a child raised around rape or murder (of HUMAN beings) will still have some inkling that it's still morally wrong, the same can't be said for animal fighting

On another note, the sensationalism of this article and others like it continue to befuddle me (words such as 'sadism' and anthropomorphizing his 'victims'). I was not born in this country so to this day I am a little confused by America's obsession with dogs.

I think Vick committed a terrible act, but paid his debt to society. Other sports figures have done a lot worse to humans. Michael has to start all over again and Philly is a tough place to do that in. When Donovan Mcnabb goes down to injury, Vick will lead his team to victory and all will be forgiven as it should be.

Can we ever forget that Micheal Vick participated in a murderous dogfighting street thug organization, no but we have all done things that we regret whether we admit to them or not. So are we to just ban him from human life as if he is the first person to ever commit a sin. I haven't heard people sound this upset about other celebrities who have done worse. If Micheal Vick was an ordinary guy no one would say that he should never be able to work again if they thought he was going to be working for minimum wages, so we should all get over ourselves and give the man a chance to prove himself now that he understands the standards that we expect millionare atheletes to live up to. For Christ sake he did pay his debt to society.

Michael Vick now has the opportunity to be an even greater role model than before he was incarcerated. Now he can speak to young people (and older adults) about how going to prison for THAT is a risk they don't want to take. The punishment did not fit the crime. His freedom was taken away and he didn't even harm a human being. Imagine that! Vick was made an example of, that's all. Lots of folk have gotten away with this for years...and punishing Michael Vick won't make as great an impact as you hope. It was wrong to send Vick away for that long.

Earlier this evening my girlfriend and I watched a drama in which the actor did not tell the whole story; only the parts that suited him for selfish purposes. When confron ted with the whole story, he said, "But I didn't lie." You article reminds me of this character. You conveniently omitted a salient fact - the head of the American ASPCA is supporting Vick in his rehabilitation effort. If he can do that who are you to persecute someone who has admitted guilt and paid a teribbly steep price for their sins. Don't forget, people in this country kill their wives (Robert Blake, O.J., etc..) and don't spend as much time in prison as Mr. Vick. We won't forget what Mr. Vick did but everyone deserves a second chance in their lifetime. Who the hell are you? Maybe your solution to this sad story is to just lock him away for the rest of his life. If not, then pleas show a little common sense.

This article goes to show what is wrong with America today. As a prior comment stated, there is an obsession with dogs in this country. While nothing is necessarily wrong with this, they are valued at a higher price than human life which is entirely sickening. Certainly, Michael Vick committed a horrid atrocity and was rightfully incarcerated for such an act but why don't you cover the same atrocity that is occuring with Donte Stallworth, Mr. Zurawik? This man was legally drunk and high upon killing a man in a hit and run. He receives a 30 day jail sentence and gets out in 24 days on good behavior. Yet, this story is completely overshadowed by Michael Vick who killed dogs. Animals. People in this country need to straighten their priorities and increase the value of human life. This man grew up in a violent culture and has admitted his guilt multiple times. What more do you want? It's fortunate that we are all perfect and have never made mistakes. I cannot stand to read any more articles like this one that only serve to drag on and relay what Vick has done. He served his time which I can hardly say for most professional athletes who live above the law. May he who is perfect cast the first stone.

I write about media. The newsmagazine 60 Minutes didn't do a questionable interview with Donte Stallworth Sunday night -- 60 Minutes did. That's why I am writing about this and not Stallworth. Thanks. Z

You nailed it.

All I ask is for just one of you bashers to spend time down in the tide water area and see the truth for your self. Too often what is presented to the public is not the whole truth. My guess is when presented with a choice to confess to a crime you didn't do for two years over severing twenty for the one you inadvertantely did the former would be chosen too. People tend to forget that a plea bargain is just that. He had to sign what the prosecuters gave him wether it was true or not. Michael lived in Alanta Ga. not Va. He was part of the Nike team so he spent time at there training compound as well as his other endorsement events when he wasn't in training camp or OTA's or during the regular season so please, in good common sense, tell me when did he have the time to kill all these dogs. Remember his cousin was the one in charge of a legitimate kennel that he, not michael, turned into a fighting ring. Also as far as bankrolling this fighting club? It only takes one cancel check for any expenses connected to the operation of an illegal business to get 20 years in the federal pen. so if he paid one light bill or his property taxes he was considered guilty. So next time listen with your ears and not your heart. Mike told the truth in the best way he could without revoking his probation or causing more harm than good. Besides were talking about the same state that sent Allen Iverson to jail for five years for breaking up a fight in a bowling alley. There track records speaks for itself. Good luck Michael get your head up and keep God first.

So, what you are sayingis that he's a liar -- and Tony Dungy and all his mentors and lawyers approve of that? Really, the lengths some commenters will go to deny what Vick admits doing surpises me. By the way, when does Vick become a man and do some mentoring, rather than being the one mentored by other men? When does he grow up and take responsibility for himself and the animals he tortured and killed? Thanks. Z

People need to remember prior to Vick getting into the trouble in 2007, he DID NOT HAVE AN ARREST RECORD. He wasn't someone like a Pac Man Jones, Lawrence Phillips, Maurice Clarett or a Chris Henry. Vick had bad associations, and should have distanced himself from those elements much sooner. However, in the 60 MINUTES interview when Vick said 'he wasn't a leader'...James Brown could have pressed him on it...

There is a bigger story here, but it really doesn't involve Vick.

Vick's biggest mistake was allowing that Surry County house to stay in his name. He probably knew bad things may have been happening, but what could he do without causing a PUBLIC SPECTACLE? Months earlier, the media over-reacted with the weed in the bottle at Miami airport in January 2007. Test came back negative, but Vick's rep took a hit.

Vick may have not been present when dogs were killed... however the other co-defendants such as career criminal Tony Taylor and other dangerous friends of Taylor may have tried to EXTORT MONEY FROM VICK OR THREATENED HIS BROTHER OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.

Why would VICK ADMIT HE DID IT? Maybe he was more afraid of Tony Taylor and his older group of gangsters..and he knew what they were capable of?

Read this column from by Lester Munson in MAY 2009:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4178972

People were fixated on Vick admitting he killed something. The Feds (Bush Justice Department) only came in after ESPN reporters begged prosecutors to investigate more.

The dogs taken taken off the property were deemed ADOPTABLE. However initial press reports in April 2007 implied they were in bad shape and the Humane Society/PETA said PUBLICLY the dogs should be euthanize.

The point where this interview went totally wrong for me was when Vick said, I grew up seeing this kind of thing, I was only eight years old. I vaguely remember being eight, but I do remember enough to know that even at that young age I would have known that tourture of animals was wrong. Any child at that age can reason the difference between right and wrong. Then I guess seeing the police have indifference was also enough to convince him it was right. I can't go with that. I'm sure we are victims of our environment to some extent, but come on right is right and wrong is wrong. I hope he can gain some compassion in his heart by working with youth and maybe he can convince some of them not to torture animals. He should do this for the rest of his life, not make tons of money in the NFL.

Yes, this interview was soft. But I think many people, both Vick haters and lovers, had a specific mindset going into the interview. And regardless of what was said, they would spin it to how they would want to see it. A Vick lover would say that he really did cry in jail every night and would truly believe him. They would feel he is a changed man and deserves a second chance. A Vick hater would say he's a liar, scumbag, was coached, etc. etc. So whatever was said, I could be spun. I wish people would have more open views.

Our young people are confused because we live in a culture that places more value on dogs, status, and money than people.

How many of those bleeding heart weirdos that sobbed for Barbaro as though Kennedy had been shot all over again give one hoot about the 1 million + human beings that are lawfully exterminted in this country? The same people are lining up to condemn Michael Vick. Yea, there's confusion...

Vick did horrendous things. That's a fact. It's also a fact that every single one of us, though the details are different, have been given multiple chances to redeem ourselves in the past, and we'll seek them again in the future. Mercy is easily received, but begrudgingly dispensed. And young people are confused...

If Michael Vick was in a trade that paid $9 an hour, few would be so up in arms. Yet if Vick becomes a bona fide story of redemption, he will regain wealth and a degree of status. Part of the reason so many won't yield an inch of mercy to the man is based on pure envy. And our kids are confused...

As for showing images of the dead dogs; my guess is that many of the people who think they should have been shown in the 60 Minutes piece are the same people who think we should never see images of 9-11 ever again. When doggies die, we must never forget. People? Not so much. Try showing an image of an aborted human being on prime time TV and see what happens.

There's confusion alright...

Let me first say that I believe dogfighting is wrong. I am not a Vick fan nor hater but let's look at few things. I don't know what the culture is where Vick grew up. Maybe dogfighting is an acceptable form of entertainment. I may think dogfighting, cockfighting or bullfighting is inhumane and disgusting. Then again I did not grow up where these "sports" are accepted. Vick paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance earning a living in his profession. The only reason people are complaining that he is going back to work is because his profession happens to be an NFL quarterback. If he was Joe Citizen making $8/hr working at McDonald's no one would really care.

You've all missed the bedrock for the entire discussion. Michael Vick is, unfortunately, a fair representation of the character being accepted into our colleges and universities-- and our professional sports leagues for one purpose: MAKING MONEY. Our tragically misguided American society is NOT doing minorities (or anyone else) a favor by allowing athletes of questionable intelligence and character to be funneled into the NCAA's revenue-yeilding sports programs and then into the professional ranks. While it is true that the effort has likely worked to temper the nation's prison population (people with millions of dollars rarely commit robbery or burglary), it has also served to fuel the out-of-control fire of unwed motherhood.

"Lebron's mom was 16 when she had him. She still isn't sure who the father was. I'd say she's doing ok right now. And he's doing pretty well, don't you think?"

If Gloria James can sleep in a mansion and take limos to NBA All-Star games, then Vick's mother should have been sent to prison with him. (Forget about his father. It's not even worth mentioning fathers of children born to 16-year-old girls anymore because we all know they're pretty much worthless predators for life). How old was she when she got herself pregnant? That's right-- 16. What percentage of unwed 16 year-olds "raising" children in the projects winds up with children living in a state prison, federal prison or county jail? Probably 75. What percentage of unwed 16-year-olds "raising" children in the projects winds up living in mansions and taking limos to All-Star games? Probably .0001.

Fifty years of civil rights summersaults by Capitol Hill do-gooders haven't done a thing to improve the fate of most black Americans. That's because they're all afraid to speak the two words that would do the most good: birth control.

Maybe if our president decides NOT to run for re-election, he'll have the guts to get something done. But then, what would HE know about the childhood Michael Vick was handed? He'll have to do some serious research.

Good morning Luigi, Dave!

Luigi, you are partially right. Our culture does place more value on money (and the status that money brings) than people. We are not a classless society, and it is based on income .... as for valuing dogs - and horses - your argument strays onto thin ice. You seem to suffer from a deep-rooted inability to see something from someone else's perspective. This leads you to exercise false logic and lets you demonize those who disagree. I've never seen statistics on the percentage of animal-lovers who support or oppose abortion rights, have you? (I was about to say, "... and I'll bet you haven't either", but that would be applying the same faulty arguments you are using!) If you have, please let me know about them.

Abortion is horrible. Whether it is ever justified or not is another argument totally separate from animal abuse. And I have a strange suspicion that you can't believe that someone can hate abortion and support abortion rights until we find a way to make abortion unnecessary ... though I could be wrong!

Be that as it may. You are correct that if Mr. Vick weren't already well-known that his crime wouldn't cut as wide a swath through our collective conscienceness, but that's the way it is. There would be great outrage, but it would be strictly local. Who likes ugly in the public eye? And what has envy to do with it? I am not envious of the money Mr. Vick has made or will make, he's in a tough line of work and knowing what is going to happen to his body before he is forced by injury to find another line of work makes me cringe.

Why, please, are you dragging 9-11 into this debate? You are not only on thin ice, you are now jumping up and down on it. Your argument is here is a good, old-fashioned ad hominem attack.

Your final comment on showing aborted fetuses on TV ... well, that's a non-starter. We are never shown dead bodies on American TV of any age - and only recently did the powers that be even allow pictures of the caskets of our brave fighting men and women be shown as they return via Dover Air Force base (heck, TV drama [non-cable] hasn't even allowed to show the moment of bullet impact on fictional characters for years!)

Thanks,

Jane

Hi Jane, Thanks. As always, excellent points. And nicely presented. Z

"The "60 Minutes" producers are the best in the TV news business..."
Perhaps at presenting skewed opinion pieces disguised as news reports that generally cater to your own biases; to that I'll agree.

Newsflash: The trial is over. The sentence served is over. Other than that, the only thing clear is that it isn't enough for you. Admit it. You think he wasn't punished enough, and you'd like to see him punished more for his past actions.

James Brown did not pull any punches it's just some of you out there will never be satisfied. Vick has been to jail, was fined and lost what may be the biggest single animal abuse penalty in history. More than any other hunter, poacher or anyone who was cruel to animals ever!! Still not enough for you perfect, judgemental people. It's a wonder anyone can attone or make amends in this hate filled land we live. The one beauty of blogs is that it has exposed the true thoughts of many people who would not dare say such ugly things in public.

I think if it appears from people's comments here that they value dogs more than they do humans, it's because of what their dogs mean to them. They are unconditionally loving creatures who don't judge you or try to hurt you or do any of the other cold and often cruel things that humans do to one another. I think that most anyone would agree that a human life has more capability and more potential than a dog's, but I don't think people's outrage over what Vick did has anything to do with that. I think it is the corruption of innocent creatures who are defenseless against the will of people who want to see them brutalize one another for their own entertainment. It is what those dogs represent to them that drives their furor, rather than what they represent to life as a whole.

This is a complicated issue. Personally, I am rooting for Vick. I see no merit in destruction of a man's life in lieu of rehabilitation. But I also think his crimes should be fully acknowledged and I think that was more the gist of this piece than anything else.

To everyone who thinks his debt is paid, and Stallworth is this terrible, hurtful creature: Stallworth did a terrible thing, and no one is debating that. Stallworth made a mistake-his actions were awful, harmful, hurtful, and terrble. They were not malevolent, cruel, depraved, or purposeful. That last one is the doozy. Michael Vick and his cronies purposefully killed dogs unwilling or unable to fight. They did this without regret, without thought, and without humanity. And the bait dogs? This is what a bait dog looks like. As a warning, this picture is incredibly graphic.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/1833011467_0d837fd4f4_o.jpg

I'm sorry, but people who do that on purpose, people who think it's "cool" and "exciting" as Vick admitted last night, do not deserve to be in the public eye. Vick also said last night that football didn't matter to him anymore. I suggest he back that up and quit playing. That's the only way I'd ever earn one iota of respect for him.

It truly scares me that the majority of comments I hear from people is "they're just dogs." or that he paid his debt. The guy is a killer and now he's paraded around for kids to idolize while he makes millions of dollars. Lets see how much he donates to animal organizations...

i think he should start a dogfighting business down in a country where it is legal. get out of the usa, and go somewhere else. if your a public figure or a man in the spotlight, you committ an offense, then lie about it. your done. so be done and go away

By the way, that dog was rehabbed and adopted because it deserved a second chance. The person who did it....not so much.

Don't confuse legal satisfaction of a prison sentence with moral probity. Just because he served his time doesn't mean his character has changed. We can still pass our own personal judgment on what he has done and, more to the point in this article, his attitude about it.

Vick intentionally avoids taking responsibility for the most heinous part of his illegal actions. Forgiveness requires acknowledgment of one's bad acts, or it's meaningless.

No, he's not looking for forgiveness. He's looking for collective amnesia. I'm not willing to cooperate.

To Joe, who said, "Newsflash: The trial is over. The sentence served is over. Other than that, the only thing clear is that it isn't enough for you. Admit it. You think he wasn't punished enough, and you'd like to see him punished more for his past actions."

Let me speak for the author of this piece. What is clear is that the author is disappointed that 60 Minutes lobbed softballs to M. Vick about his complicity in this matter. And, for that, shame on 60 minutes (BTW, I concur)

Michael chose to get up on TV and speak, and so now he get's critiqued.

As an animal lover and pet owner, I was horrified at the crimes that Michael Vick and his cohorts committed against defenseless animals. I believed he should've been punished and severely fined. That being said, I also believes he deserves a second chance to prove himself. He lost a heck of a lot including a reputation that will never be the same even if he does get back some portion of the fortune he threw away.

For the record, yeah his answers sounded coached to me as well but what more do you need to get from him to be satisfied? He was forced to admit his crimes, forced to give up his freedom, his fortune and heck even his good name. Is it going to make you feel better if he gets on his knees teary-eyed and begs everyone's forgiveness? Of course, that's what you seem to want. Are you naive enough to think that even if he was at his most sincere, that he would EVER show that to anyone?? Seriously? So I ask again, what more do you want of him?

To me, the only issue is whether he is really sorry for what he did and truly understands that what he did to those animals is horrific. It definitely should have been brought out exactly what he did to those animals. Trying to put a spin on these crimes and soften the actuality of what happened just makes me believe the only thing he regrets is that he was caught.

What about the horrible acts that were used against African-American by their white slaves owers with such practices as calling together families to watch the hanging of African-American men, women and children in what we call today a picnic. If anything can we still hold these people accountable for their crimes against human beings.

Everyone needs to let it go and move on. Yes it was morally and legally wrong. At least he did not run over a human being with his car and kill him because he had been drinking, like some other football player that I will not name. He did his time. Everyone needs to get on with their life

It amazes me to hear how unforgiving people are, especially those who of a religious background. In Jesus model prayer one of the things he taught his follower to pray for was for God to forgive us our trepasses, which of course was contigent upon our forgiving others. So, if God is forgiving, what right does any imperfect man have to permenantly condemn another. Would anyone want that done to them.

how is anyone going to even think of comparing this to slavery? alright, you want to bring race into the mix, lets talk about it. goodell appointed a black man as his mentor (bad move), he was interviewed by a black man (bad move, and has no affiliation with 60 min anyways so what was he doin there?) this said interview was really soft on him, coincidence? how about they fire the eagles coach and appoint a black man? that might make him feel better. all the wrong things have been done, he is not above the law or society. as a business operator, if an employee lied to me about ANYTHING, they are immediately fired. no second chances. i don't know anyone else who could goto jail for several years, come out and get his old job back with very little to no effort on his part, as well as having the opportunity once again to make millions. its showing all the wrong things to all the potential athletes of the nfl.its goin to be a league of ex-cons in about a year, just like the bengals.

First - the usernames are screwed up here. My post has the wrong name on it now.

Anyway, as George Jettson would say, "Jane, stop this crazy thing!"

Come now... you aren't so naive as to need statistics to tell you that animal rights extremists are often - not always, but very often - the same people who don't lose a wink of sleep over the scourge of abortion. An entire political party is built on such twisted priorities; we can protect polar bears and tree frogs but not people. Neither of us need stats to know that this is true.

The cultural confusion that engenders such disordered priorities is evident in the way people are so visciously stingy with mercy for Michael Vick. The shoe fits whether you care to acknowledge it or not.

As for the use of horrendous images of dead dogs in the story, I didn't introduce the question, "Z" did. An attack? Hardly. I offered a theory about the way people think 9-11 images and how they might feel about this. The fact that you took as an attack tells me I must not be far off.

Luigi

Hello Luigi, What do you mean the about the usernames? Can you clarify? And I can see why a few folks here might have wanted to take you on. This alleged correlation between people who care about animals and their so-called beliefs on abortion seems like quite a stretch. Could you cite some evidence? Like Jane, I would actually be so naive as to need some evidence. Thanks. Z

I didn't watch the interview, no need to, you knew what Vick was going to say.

He's so fast though!

He did some terrible things but at least he wasn't dealing drugs. You people need to get a life. He has paid a terrible price for what he did, prison and lost of $80 million dollars, but he should be able to get on with his life. Some are saying it is worse than pedophilia and dope dealing. I would beg to differ.

Vick has paid his debt by going to prison.I'll bet that all of us have done things in our lives that we dont want made public, or for our parents and family to find out about.

What would America be like if we didnt give our politicians,entertainers, etc a "2nd chance". I wonder if any of you who want to condemn Vick want the same "justice" applied to you or your family members? Our nation's spiritual values preach turning your life around. Give the man the chance that you would want your brother, father, mother, close friend to be given if they commited crimes, went to prison and wanted to start fresh.

Stop being so HARD!

To the arrogant person who seems to think human life is above all other life, what gives you the right to make such an ignorant assumption. Humans commit crimes against all other species on the planet for reasons such as greed, jealousy, hate, racism. Humans pollute, rape, and waste our planet. Humans are at the bottom of the ladder of worthiness to live and occupy the good earth, not the top. Every other single creature on earth is worth more than the entire human race. Just because we are human we must be the most deserving. Garbage.

How much must any man do to prove his contrition? And how long must he live under the microscope of public scrutiny? Horrible and appalling are accurate terms to describe what Michael Vick and others did to those dogs. But let's keep this in perspective: People abort innocent children daily (fetuses, if you prefer, but certainly not dogs) -- without remorse -- and no one holds the prospect of keeping or acquiring a job over their heads. No one parades their likeness and names to the media for worldwide, verbal lynching. This has really gone too far. Writers, reporters, dog lovers, chaplains, and football fans, let's keep in mind that none of us is without sin. And each of us will be judged for good some day by One whose verdicts are true and without prejudice. Give Mr. Vick the second chance we all need in life. Have mercy. For some day, at some point, you and I will need a little of it for ourselves.

I honestly still do not know how some commenters are making the leap from Vick killing dogs to abortion. Please help me understand if you can. Thanks. Z

What we really need to "get over" this is - do a 60 minute (or however long it takes) Pay Per View STEEL CAGE deathmatch with Pretty boy Vick vs. one of his Pit Bulls that hasn't forgoten what he did to it (remember - he IS fast and evidently enjoys beating up dogs) It would be the highest grossing pay per view event in history and - give ALL the reciepts/$ to the humane society. Then win or lose - we can call it even. All be forgiven!

Way to go Vick!!! I'm so proud that you are given a second change to redeem yourself. Pit Bulls kill people everyday but when you

Seriously, I agree he committed an atrocious act, but he DID pay his debt. Give the guy a second(it's not like it's his 3rd or 4th like A LOT of other athletes). Nobody is perfect, myself included. He repayed his debt and continues to do so. GET OVER IT!

What Vick was involved in was, "in his words", unethical and cruel. That's first and foremost.
He HAS paid his debt to society. If he can save more dogs than were destroyed, that would be a postive thing.
You can judge him all you'd like , but until you have walked the path of his life...what makes any of us martyrs to throw that first stone.He should be afforded that opportunity, just as anyone who has served their time for punishment of a criminal act is afforded that same opportunity.
It's time that we move on, just as Vick would like too.

Personally, I think we do too much moving on and not nealy enough remembering the past as a culture.Thanks. Z

Anyone that can forgive Vick has some serious mental issues in my opinion.

Why can't this sink into some of you people?

Vick knowingly and willingly tortured and killed innocent domestic animals for his own amusement. If that isn't bad enough he lied about his involvement to every person in the united states.

He shows remorse? What kind? That he's sorry that he had to go to prison?

That he's sorry that he lost his millions?

That was the only sorrow I heard from him last night: That he went to jail, had to sleep on a prison bunk and hurt his image. Thanks. Z

Vick is the worst kind of person, a sadistic arrogant coward that considers himself above the law. Prison is too good for him.

How are people making this gigantic leap between abortion and the torture and killing of animals? Even the chaplain. I don't understand that either. People are created in God's image and given dominion over animals. How are they on the same level. I have to agree with Jane they are literally jumping up and down on thin ice, and I also agree with Z.

Dunkin Donuts, Pepsi, and a host of others are all sponsoring Vick in one form or another. We are boycotting any company that sponsors the Eagles and/or Vick. If you agree, please send these businesses a message letting them know you will not purchase their product so long as they put money in this creep's pockets.

See below site for a list of Vick's sponsors:

http://www.sackvick.net/contact-for-action/protest-vicks-new-sponsors/

No, Vick wasn't punished enough. I can not support someone like this making millions of dollars for what he did. I don't deny him a living but I can not support someone of his caliber in professional sports. Like it or not, these athletes are held in high esteem by some in our society - especially children. It's a travesty and one I will not encourage.

i kind of agree with the steel cage match. i'd pay for it. but i would prefer vick had a sword, and that he would fight lions instead.
and to all that say lets give him a second chance, thats fine. but not in the nfl. playing in the nfl is not a right, its a privelege. or at least it was.

No. No. No. No. No. There is no way in hades that I will ever forgive and accept Michael Vick as anything other than a criminal. A man who had much, but had such evil in him to maim, torture, and slaughter defenseless dogs. He himself is an animal.

I have personally met and spoken with thousands of criminals throughout this country who never laid a hand on any other living creature, yet they will never awake to a day of freedom ever again. This is where Michael Vick belongs; Right in the bunk next to them for the rest of his life.

That Vick is now free after such a short time is not only disgusting to the people of Philadelphia, it is disgusting and abhorrent to many throughout the country and the world. He is a criminal and always will be a criminal. The he has been signed by the Eagles means that I will never again set foot in the city of Philadelphia, or the city of any team that may sign this criminal in the future.

Hi David,

Silly me: the username problem was just the loose nut behind my keyboard. I din't realize the names appeared below the posts. Duh. : )

As for your request for evidence, first, understand that I am not talking about people who "care about animals;" I don't know anyone that doesn't. I'm talking about animal rights extremists; those who are uncomfortable or unwilling to admit that human beings are of superior dignity and worth than every other creature on the planet. They're not very hard to find, and they are not coincidentally largely 9not exclusively, but largely) pro-abortion.

If you want something concrete to sink your teeth into, you might start by reading the ruminations of Peter Singer, the Princeton professor widely considered the patriarch of the modern animal rights movement. His writings plainly establish the logical connection between animal rights and not just abortion, but euthanasia as well.

Radical environmentalist organizations, which are interchangeable with the animal rights movement, almost without fail support human population control (read, abortion.) Ten minutes of Googling these organizations and browsing their websites will aptly demonstrate the connection. They've grown clever enough in recent years to avoid the term abortion; "reproductive rights" being one of the euphemisms they now use.

If I am incorrect, your own research should find that animal rights / environmentalist groups are just as likely to demonstrate a pro-life position. I think you already know that you won't find this to be the case.

All of that said, just look at your own friends; I find it hard to believe that the vast majority of your most ardent environmentalist / animal rights aquaintences are any different than my own; unabashedly pro-abortion.

I think that the situation could be better solved if adults would step up and mentor young men and women who do not have good role models in their lives. Why not take all of this energy and help a kid out before he or she goes down the wrong road? Instead of standing outside of the Eagles practice facility protesting Mike Vick and the Eagles, go to a school, recreation center, and become a coach, mentor, tutor, etc. As a society we spend too much time complaining about the way things are, instead of doing something to fix or change them. Use your energy to keep a young man or woman from becoming the next Mike Vick, Matt Jones, Tonya Harding, Rae Caruth, Marian Jones, etc.

If was a regular guy out looking for a regular job and had a FELONY on his record, it would be extremely hard to get any job! He would not be able to come out of jail making the same amount of money (MILLIONS) that he was making before. Sure he did his jail time, but shouldn't he have to struggle to find a job with that record like the rest of the people like him?

Vick should be treated the same was he treated those animals. They should tape up his arms and legs and let the dogs go after him. People who think that harming an animal is ok need to be right there with him. It's ridiculous. I can't even believe people argue about this...I don't care what he saw as a child, it is sick and disgusting. If u don't think so, then you are not much of A human. Anyone who could take pleasure in the destruction of a beautiful animal would feel the same way about destroying another person. Violent offenders often start their careers by torturing animals...Jeffrey dahmer anyone?! Get real. I believe in god but what's all this turn the other cheek BS? How about do unto others? God said take care of his animals, that is our job as humans. Noah didn't tie female pit bulls into rape harnesses when they were on the ark. I hate Micheal vick and so does my dog. I have a pit bull rescue and I paid 5000 bucks for hip replacement surgery on him and I would do it again...some people think that's a waste of money but my dog also disagrees with that! Dogs rule, people suck. Period.

The only thing Michael Vick seems sorry for is that he got caught and he lost everything (well he lost everything for a couple of years anyway).
Do all you Vick supporters honestly think that he wouldn’t still be involved in dog fighting if he hadn’t gotten caught?

As for all of you people saying that he deserves a second chance. Sure he deservces a second chance. But he should be treated as every other normal person is treated after they get out of jail. If any of us were ever convicted of a crime and lost our jobs, do you really think our old jobs would just be handed to us when we got out??? Why is a man who tortured innocent animals handed his old job back? There are people in jail who did much less than what Vick did and they will be in jail for longer sentences and when they get out they will struggle for the rest of their lives trying to get back on their feet. Playing in the NFL is a priveledge, not a right. It makes me sick that we live in a world where celebrities are held to such a low standard that they can get away with anything.

Sure there are a lot of people out there, famous or not, who have done crimes to humans. Many of these people made a one time mistake and probably are truly sorry for it. I can sympothize more with a person who made a one time mistake against a human being than I can with a man who killed and tortured innocent animals for nearly a decade. A DECADE! He says that he “made a mistake” as if what he did was a one time thing. The man killed defenseless innocent animals for YEARS. YEARS. To me that is worse than most other crimes.

Michael Vick

GOD LOVES YOU. And he is with you.

The bottom line is Vick is only sorry that he got caught. He has yet to man up and apologize the real victims, his dogs.

If he was really sorry he would be worrying a lot less about his image, handlers and his paycheck and would be volunteering at a animal shelter.

The bottom line is that Vick could care less about the dogs, does not think he did anything wrong and just wants his paycheck and standard of living back.

American football makes me sick with all the criminals that get paid millions of dollars to throw a ball. It doesnt matter if you fight dogs, beat your girlfriend, get a DWI or any other illegal activity, just as long as you are a winning player and make the team money.

I am done with the NFL and their pathetic "code of conduct." Vick should be cleaning floors for life.

Hi, Luigi, you crazy thing!, Hello, Padre Hairston!

Actually, Luigi, I DO need proof. Until you offer proof, all you've got is opinion, and we all know that "opinion" and "fact" have two different definitions in every dictionary I've ever looked in.

Actually your aim re. 9-11 wasn't even close. The sharp note you detected in my earlier response was simple incredulity. Watch where you swing that wide brush - you could even end up tarring yourself.

As for you, Padre, you don't have a real grasp of what a difficult, gut-wrenching decision it is to get an abortion. I've never met anyone who underwent an abortion who didn't do plenty of heart-searching and a goodly dose of grieving. There are probably some out there, but I for one have never met one.

So - guys - you force me to point out that it's easy to rush to judgment on a situation you KNOW you will never have to face in this lifetime.

Now please tell me what a difficult decision which should only be between a woman, her doctor and her Maker has to do with what Michael Vick did, apparently for fun?

I eagerly await your answer.

(Me, I want to forgive, but if we follow your logic to its shaky conclusion, you don't seem to think that he's done anything so bad that it needs forgiveness, and you don't seem inclined to forgive anyone else either. Sheesh!)

Thanks,

Jane

Hi, Jane. Thanks again. Z

...Sure, he killed dogs and it was awful...but he spent two years in a federal prison and paid his legal debt. He says he's remorseful, and why wouldn't he be. You animal ... would have cared less if he had killed a person. There are people in the NFL RIGHT NOW that have killed human beings and you don't give a ... about that. Get off of Mike Vick. He did some horrible things. Forgive him for it and let him live his life. You are all annoying.

I had to edit for coarse and insulting language. Z

If you listen to his answers, Michael Vick is still clueless as to what he actually did. He sees it as a lapse of leadership. He sees it as having bad models in his younger life. At no time does he own the fact that he tortured and brutalized living, defenseless, trusting beings. Clearly, his only goal is to regain fame and fortune as a guy who runs fast and throws a ball. Wow. Will I watch the Eagles play this season...not on your life. Will I purchase any products of NFL advertisers on Eagles games. Nope.

Vick interview provokes howls of protest.

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/michael-vick-signed-to-nfl-amid-howling-controversy/

Come on you all sounds like the holier than thow crowd. We all have things we are not proud of and only the almighty can judge us for our mistakes. Please let this thing alone it is done and over with. I believe the guy has learned his lesson far be it for us to continue to punish him.

It is so easy for so many to be critical of James Brown's interview and what he could or should have asked Vick! What about the lies that the Bush Administration got away with telling! the media failed miserably to ask the proper question about Iraq and men and women have needlessly died;based on lies that were not properly questioned !

Idiots !

Amazing that a man that HUNG dogs and shcoked them and DROWNED them can just step back in and start playing ball again. Id like to see VICK put in a cage, tied down, with about 50 dogs that have RABIES,Even that would be too good for him,, God will get even with him,, maybe he will get hurt and be a crippled the rest of his life and have to be on life supports.

Pennsylvania has one of the worst dog laws in the country of America. It is also one of the top list of the “Puppy Mills” and now it can add one of the most known animal cruelty players of football to that list. If Vick had taken the same amount of human lives as he did these dogs - this would not be an issue. Anyone aware of what a mass murder is. It is an act of murdering a large number of people, either at the same time or at a relatively short period. It is committed by individuals or organizations. The act that Vick was found guilty for sounds very much like mass murder -doesn't it? The only difference from what Vick did was that he did this to dogs. Anyone with any amount of compassion, anyone who is able to place themselves in the shoes of another living being knows it is utterly wrong and unforgivable. Those who shrug it off as being “just a dog” has no understand of dog ownership nor will they ever. It is preaching to the deaf.

I don't care if he grew up around it or not...he knew it was against the law and he knew he was making a decision that he could be arrested for and he CHOSE to make that decision...I'm not saying he deserved to be in jail any longer but I don't buy his story about crying over his actions in prison and I don't believe he is truly remorseful...maybe remorseful that he got caught...he would still be doing it if he wasn't...he acts like seeing fighting dogs at a young age influenced him but then he acts like growing up in an area like the one he grew up in didn't affect him and he wants you to think that he's not a THUG...he is...just like all his homies...he is saying what people want to hear so he can improve his image and get endorsement money again

A lot of people on here just dont get. Not understanding why so much is put on a dogs life versus a human being. Well the person that said those who abuse aniamls will go to hell, I hope is right. I hope they do. Animals unlike humans are dependent upon humans for survival. Taking an innocent animal and abuse it to the point of what Michael Vick did is horrific. Those were living creatures that were tortured to death.
what kind of person does that? What sadistic thoughts go through an persons mind when torturing an innocent animal. Forget the fact that he went to prison, all of those defending him on this site apparenty do not have a problem with aninal torture. Those who dont see that have a common sense problem. If Vick did not go to prison, is society saying its ok to torture an innocent animal that is unable to defend itself.

Okay Luigi I read about Peter Singer he is a nut and now I agree with Jane even more. What he proposes doesn't support any logic. It is basically condoning the torture and killing of anything that in his opinion has no ability to feel pain, emotion etc. Still can't make the stretch from abortion to animal cruelty, but what Peter SInger proposes is perposterous and illegal in my opinion. You would have to do better than that argument. There is no logic in murder, it's wrong!

Michael Vick paid his debt to society and now gets rewarded with a million dollar contract (and $5.6 million next year) by the Philadelphia Eagles - my favorite team no more. I'm sorry, that is a joke, just like his powder puff interview on Sunday's 60 Minutes. The man killed, maimed and tortured innocent animals. If this were you or me, we'd have had much more time in jail and be lucky to ever find a decent job again. Let Vick have to go to work at McDonalds or Walmart for a few years and see what real work is all about. Let him do his charity work for the Humane Society. Let him do that for the next five years, and then - maybe - his debt to society will have been paid. Two years in jail was a slap on the wrist as far as I'm concerned for what he did to those dogs. I hope the Eagles lose every game that he is a part of that team.

Jupiter,
Read the article again. The "biggest pulled punch" was not showing images of "mangled corpes" on primetime television.

And Z, quit pretending you don't comprehend the obvious pairing of the political make-up of animal rights activists and pro-choice advocates. You and I may not agree with the comparison, but you know why it's made. Some are shocked that folks seem to care more about dogs than human fetuses; just as you are shocked that folks want to watch dogs fight. Again, you and I may not agree, but you know what they're getting at.

"Now please tell me what a difficult decision which should only be between a woman, her doctor and her Maker has to do with what Michael Vick did, apparently for fun?"

The connection is not between what Vick did and abortion, but between Vick's most vocal detractors and a distorted view of creation that falsely elevates dogs beyond unborn children in relative dignity and worth.

Ending human life via abortion isn't a personal choice no matter what the law of the U.S. allows; it's among the most grievous of crimes against humanity and the Creator. Vick's crimes are terrible in their own right, but they pale in comparison to abortion.

Vick had no right to kill a dog, but an individual has even less "right" so to speak to kill a nascent human being. To protest the former as though it is among the most heinous of acts, while dismissing the latter as a "personal choice" is exactly what I'm talking about. These two viewpoints tend to go hand in hand and it is horribly twisted. You are a case in point, Jane. You want living proof? There you go.

Michael Vick is considered among the most unforgivable of men, but an abortionist is seen as some kind of public servant. Is this a rare combination of sentiments? Hardly. Forget surveys and statistics; you cannot tell me that this doesn't decribe people you know personally, in fact, it probably describes you.

As for the broader animal rights community, read Peter Singer and tell me there's no connection between the animal rights and the abortion movements. If you won't take a person like Singer's word for it, (he is as close to the author of the animal rights "bible" and a spokesperson for the cause as you can get) then nothing I can say will matter. Singer plainly argues the case for the connection. Why do you keep demanding "proof?" It's not like the point is hidden behind nuance. All you need to do is listen to what the animal rights nuts are plainly saying, e.g. Singer. If your husband said, "I don't like cheesecake," would you hound him for proof?

I'm starting to think you just might. : )

John Nguyen (posted Aug. 16, '09/ 10:18PM)

How, pray tell, you can just assume that Michael Vick grew up as a young child in a milieu of constant exposure to dog-fighting is quite a leap of judgment from his admission in his "60 Minutes" interview that in ONE instance he witnessed some cop(s) ignore a dog-fight, in progress, in his neighborhood, who, inexplicably, failed to intervene.

(That basically this was the early 'trigger-event' that set him off on his road to condoning, promoting, and participating in the systematic, for-profit abuse and killing of dogs as an adult.)

From this seemingly cavalier, unresponsive attitude on the part of law-enforcement, the young Vick jumped to the (erroneous) assumption that it must be perfectly cool to allow this brutal and barbaric action to continue unchecked.

John, your unfounded assumption that this single incident of seeing a dog-fight ignored by passing cops was merely one of a whole litany of other animal abuse episodes Vick had experienced in his formative years, is a huge extrapolation on your part.

This solitary incident, as recounted by Vick in his interview w/ James Brown, does not suggest a sustained pattern of exposure to systematic animal abuse--- your convenient cop-out excuse in defense of Vick's later propensity for animal (read dogs) torture and slaughter, as an adult.

Basically, you are pulling out the old Nature (inborn) vs Nurture (external environment factors) 'card', as if VICK, is the real 'victim' (of circumstance) in this whole ugly scenario, NOT his maimed, tortured, and deceased dog-fight ring canine casualties. But I, for one, don't buy into this specious argument, one bit.

I do concede that the positive nurturing factor must have been sorely absent during Mr. Vick's early years, thru no fault of his own, otherwise he likely would have avoided this sad and ugly chapter in his adult life we witness today.

John, you used the phrase, ".... will numb the DARKER aspects of dog-fighting" in your explication of how a young child might process witnessing these vicious acts, as compared to "rape, or murder".

If, as you cited there are "darker aspects" of this barbaric 'sport', then the logical corollary of this characterization is that , in your view, there must be some 'lighter', redeeming, positive aspects entailed in organized dog-fighting, which for me is a implausible stretch---the entire sleazy enterprise, in my mind, stinks to high-heaven.

You seem to to make a clear differentiation, not in so many words, between how animals (helpless dogs in Mr. Vick's case) experience extreme pain, deprivation, or trauma perpetrated by cruel individuals, as opposed to how we homo sapiens process like-treatment; somehow implying that these innocent and defenseless creatures don't feel the same degree of anguish, fear, and suffering that we more evolved, sensitive humans do.

And therefore, we can all turn a virtual blind and blaise eye to the barbaric, brutal actions of Mr. Vick and his 'accomplices' , where canines merely exist to be used, abused and ultimately discarded at the whim and pleasure of these cowardly thugs.

Just as you, Mr. Nguyen, are "a little confused about America's obsession w/ dogs", having, I assume, been born and early-on raised in Vietnam, I too am perplexed at how several of your fellow South-East Asian nations, Korea for one, regard dog meat as a choice, delectable food item, especially in the more rural regions of the country.

This is a practice that frankly shocks and repulses most Americans, especially pet owners, which can be lamely explained away by dog-eating apologists as merely a cultural anomaly, practiced by backward peasant folk, not the more 'civilized, educated, urbane Korean citizen, per se. Hmmm ... I'm not so sure, when we see that dogs are systematically raised, and bred for human consumption.

Your outlandish argument comparing a young child's innate abhorent reaction to witnessing a "rape, or murder", to that same child's exposure to violent dog-fighting, (if this is somehow an intrinsically less heinous criminal act), is an indefensible and specious one.

Even a young kid, especially a young kid, senses intuitively, when an animal is in distress, hurting , or wounded, and has instant empathy and compassion for that suffering creature, and usually wants to help.

John, your admitted confusion "about America's obsession w/ dogs" has very little to do w/ where you happened to be born, but much more about your seeming lack of empathy and felt-compassion for "all creatures great and small", which I truly believe is planted in our fetal hearts and minds in-utero, and is either nurtured as we humans mature, or is slowly leached out of us by negative peer pressure, anti-social behavioral reenforcement, or more pointedly, thru undue, and repeated exposure to animal abuse and negative role-modeling.

As w/ the issue of racism, children are not born to be hateful, or bigoted, but are taught by either their hateful parents, extended family, or domineering peer group to feel and express hate.

Most young children, by the same token, don't leave the womb as born animal abusers, or sadistic torturers; this too is learned, mimicked negative behavior.

I hope, Mr. Nuguyen, I have erased some of your "confusion" re/ our passion for dogs, but somehow like so many Michael Vick apologists who defend his criminal actions and are so quick to give him that "2nd chance", I just don't think you still quite get it.

If you continue to devalue dogs (and cats?) as somehow disposable, inconsequential, unfeeling 'things', and fail to accept, or recognize the immense contribution these intelligent, loving, and affectionate creatures have made to mankind over the centuries as loyal friends, companions, guide and working animals, then there is nothing much more I can say.

ALEX

FOOTNOTE: I'm sorry, John, if my assumption that you were born and grew up in Vietnam is incorrect, as I recognized your surname, Nguyen (pronounced 'win') as Vietnamese in origin, yet theoretically you could have been born, and raised anywhere on this vast planet.

Good morning, Luigi!

There you go again. Not all animal lovers are nuts.

And I am sorry to disappoint you, but I've never had an abortion, never needed to. And you never needed to either, PLUS which you have never been in any danger of needing to (one of the points I was trying to allude to). The only person who is elevating anything is you. You are not offering me statistics. Does this mean that you couldn't find any?

I cannot not compare animal abuse and abortion because they are drastically, totally different. Just because Peter Singer has one belief does not mean all animal-rights believers share that belief. He can hardly have written the "bible" on the subject if I've never heard of him before you brought him up. (By the way, I am so well-read I scare some people!) A group of people which includes people who enjoy zoos and people who consider them a great evil is too broad and diverse a group to generalize about. Same thing for the pro-rights folk. You can be pro-choice and have no special feelings for animals.

Abortion is a separate argument. Abortion is a separate argument.
Abortion is a separate argument.

I cannot make myself any clearer.

Thanks, and have a great day!

Jane

Hi Jane,

I know this is between you and Luigi, but I read about Peter Singer. It is really eye-opening. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer

If you like to read you might want to try this. I can't agree with anything about this person, in fact it is scary. I have to say that I am pro-life or what ever they call it now, probably in the minority, but I believe all life is scared from the very beginning of conception and could not consider abortion an option, unless the mother's life was in danger. And, I do agree, I can't make the leap from killing animals to killing humans. This article made me more convinced of this fact.

Z, I meant all life is sacred, not scared ha. I guess they will get the point, however, all life is scary sometimes too!I don't know if you have time to fix that. I transpose letters all the time. If you do thanks in advance. - Sherry

Hi, Sherry T!

You sound like a nice person.

The more the merrier! Please, join in! I respect your point of view, and would be entirely pro-life if only there were more reasonable alternatives available to women. Unfortunately, sometimes the choices you're offered are none of 'em good, and abortion decisions deserve not to be entered into lightly. Before abortions became available and legal, women literally used to run huge, life-threatening risks to get abortions (and will do so again, if forced to). I know some people feel that all children have a right to be born, others make exceptions if the child is a threat to the mother's life or the product of rape or incest, and there seems to be a whole contingent (I have no idea how large) whose concern with a baby human being ends with the birth. Happy birthday, now welcome to a living hell of an existance.

I will look into Peter Singer and I expect that I am going to be very annoyed that anyone is comparing me with him.

I also personally feel that the punishments for gratuitous infliction of pain and damage on (relatively) defenseless animals is much too mild.

You hear of a group of youngsters who set a kitten or a puppy on fire and you wonder what they'll turn to next ....

Thanks,

Jane

Dearest Jane... : )

For someone so "well-read," you don't read so well.

I never said "all animal lovers are nuts." I'm an animal lover and I'm only half nuts. Nor did I imply that you've had an abortion; I simply commented on your opinion regarding the matter.

Follow me on this; it's not that complicated. I'm not comparing killing dogs to abortion, I'm pointing out the rank hypocrisy evident in the way some people behave in their reactions to each.

It is hypocritical and twisted to look at Michael Vick as an uber-villain while holding up abortionists as public servants.

You've done more to make my point than any statistical analysis ever could.

You may be well-read, but not on this topic. (Oh... and BTW, you don't scare me. : )) PETA is exactly the sort of orgnization to which I was was alluding. Peter Singer is no obscure figure in this movement as you imply. PETA's "position paper" relies heavily on his philosophy, quotes him directly, and promotes his magnum opus, "Animal Liberation." See for yourself:

http://www.peta.org/about/WhyAnimalRights.asp

As I said earlier, the PETA's of the world are largely too cunning to take a clear stand on the abortion issue, but it's not difficult to see they're true agenda. One can hardly look to Peter Singer's blatherings as "ground breaking" as PETA does, and then credibly assert a neutral position with respect to abortion.

In the end, Jane, you only see what you want to see, and clearly you don't want to see any connection between animal rights extremists - like PETA and Singer - and the flawed reasoning that allows one to consider the killing of unborn children as a matter of personal choice.

You're right about one thing; you can't make yourself any clearer.

Hi Jane,

You sound like a nice person too! I respect your views too and enjoy reading your insightful posts. I completely respect your views. I know this issue has been a huge moral debate for a long time. I know where you are coming from women sometimes had few options and have often times opted for termination options that are harmful to themselves as well as their unborn child. I can completely respect you view on that. I had so many infertility issues sometimes I think I have a completely different view point from some people. I so wanted my two beautiful daughters. Also, my cousin adopted a beautiful daughter and I always see that as a wonderful option, although I realize it could not be an option for everyone. We can agree to disagree on some of these smaller points and respect each others opinions. I totally agree with you views point on the punishment for helpless animals. Thanks Jane. Have a wonderful day. I am looking forward to your future posts. Sherry T.

Hi, Luigi, caro mio (meo? only know a little Italian, sorry!)

Doing a quick scan back, I see you are right about one think. I do not see the phrase "all animal lovers are nuts." However, I CAN lay "bleeding heart wierdos" at your door. Tsk. Not nice.

I am pleased to see your innate sense of humor peeking through (well done!), and I think you have stopped shouting and are expressing yourself more clearly now. Your earliest comment seemed to lump all animal-lovers with pro-choicers, a faulty assumption. You did not make it clear (at least to me) that you only meant extremists.

Yes, I see your point now. Unless you believe that abortions are permissable to save the life of the mother, though, we are definitely going to have to agree to disagree. If you don't support preventive contraception, we are never going to be in agreement in this area. Sad to say, while it is the ideal, telling people to forego a sex life if you don't want/can't take care of children doesn't seem to work. Never has.

Yes, if an abortionist saves a woman's life by doing what he or she does, then that doctor is a public benefactor. This view is neither sick, twisted, hypocritical or evil. It is, however, realistic.

I am no fan of PETA. They go too far. This is probably why I am not familiar with Peter Singer! (My only other excuse is that everyone is ignorant about something!)

Please don't think for a moment that PETA represents a majority of animal lovers. Frankly, and I hope you believe me, I find it pretty hard to ascribe cunning to a group that supports equal rights for house flies (!!! God, I hoped that was a joke on PETA's part but I'm afraid it isn't!!!). I mean, c'mon!!!!! Really, now. Where's the cunning in that, for criyi?

If I only see what I want to see, what are you doing? Is there room on the moral high ground for both of us? I certainly hope so!

I still think that the pro/con on abortion has nothing to do with what Michael Vick did. Now you make me wonder which side of the abortion debate that Mr. Vick comes down on .....

Thanks for your opinion! (We do our best thinking when disagreement forces us to articulate our beliefs, after all!)

Above all, thank you for expressing yourself less abusively. I appreciate it!

One final thought: "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. And inside a dog it's too dark to read!"

Hope you have a great evening!

Jane

I think you should still be in jail and never come out.. you are a heartless excuse for a human being and you belong in jail forever.. I would just love to take you and your homies and do the same to yous.. each and everyone of yous... taping your mouth shut,drowning you,beating you to death,etc.. you dont belong on a football team.. you belong in a cell with a mean ass pitbull,so he can taste your blood.. and just let me say that i think that ALL sports players suck and DO NOT DESERVE THE MONEY THEY GET FOR RUNNING AROUND A FREAKING FIELD. the ones that SHOULD BE MAKING THAT KIND OF MONEY ARE THE POLICE,FIREMEN,AND PARAMEDICS.. NOW THEY DESERVE IT.. NOT YOUS!

I wish people will move on already. He completed the sentence handed down to him by the federal gov't and his football career had nothing to do with his outside endeavors. Friggin' get over it. If you want to be passionate about something, be passionate about those things that impact the human existence (poverty, injustice, crime, etc...). Let this man live his life. He paid his debt to society and his slate is clean. Who are all of you with the negative comments to continue to hold this thing over his head.

The unspoken issue is race, and support for Vick can be clearly drawn in black and white. Do you think the black community is supporting Vick soley because he is black? No. They're supporting him because they believe that white people care more about their dogs than the rights of black people.

Can you honestly blame them?

The dude who said to put Vick and one of his pit bulls into a steel cage death-match for pay-per-view to benefit animal charities---that is the MOST AWESOME and SANE comment on here---I totally agree. For Vick to face what he himself created---an aggressive, vicious fighting dog, is the only true justice.
And WTF does 9-11, abortion, slavery, and unwed mothers have to do with dog fighting? YOU people are all crazy.
And you people who just wanna forgive & forget & move on, the “just get over it” tribe---I’ve heard that crap so much, always directed at victims and those who empathize with victims—why don’t you people “just get over” your obsessive celebrity ... and “get on with” your own lives.
It’s amazing what these comment boards reveal about our culture, and it scares the holy crap outta me. What’s even scarier is that there’s really no place to go to get away from the insanity--the best I can do is keep the TV turned off, but now I think I’m just gonna chuck it in the lake and be done with it.

Hi, I had to edit one term for language issues. Z

Hi, Joe - just time for a quick comment. I agree that as a group blacks have every right to be angry about a lot of things, and I cannot answer for everyone of my racial group - but can you believe me when I say that I, who watch very little television, had no idea that Mr. Vick is a person of color when the animal abuse story first broke? Ignorance on my part, I guess. I don't care that much about sports any more, but I do hate ugly behavior and I never assumed that Mr. Vick's race had anything to do with it.

I sincerely hope that we whites are not still earning such a blanket condemnation for being such bad neighbors in the past. The truth is, there is a whole group of white folk out there who love their animals more than they like any other human beings regardless of tint.

Peace!

Jane

First, I am not saying what Michael Vick did was correct. However, in this Country we have folks walking around free who have murdered, molested, hate-crime, theives, those who have sold out our Country for personal gain. Give me a break! Where are you folks when human life is at stake., example; Black life, Hispanic life, Asian life...You would care less.... You care more about animal rights than human rights... When I see you guys care more about human life; maybe I would be concerned about a dog. A animal does not have a soul.... An animal is not more important than a human being or human life. You people are confused and disillusioned... Get over it! This is why we are hated for the most part outside of this Country. Our priorities are messed up. You all should put this same amount of energy and disgust into Human Life! Let's look at the state of children in our Country that suffer every day; the homeless, the state of the middle class...Our Country is in a State of need right now...and I hate to keep telling you folks; dogs are not a priority. Foreclosure is...Education is...the Defense of our Country is...
our Economy...Our Country's position globally is...and I could go on..However, I guarantee you, it will just go right over your heads...It is my prayer that God will sustain Michael Vick; he will have learned from his bad judgement, etc... God will intervene and help him succeed right before your eyes. I love it when Man hates and wants folks to suffer and have no heart of forgiveness; God steps in on your behalf and right before Man allows you to excel. In this Country where a person can show up with a gun where our President is supposed to speak...Where was the outrage? God looks at a person's heart not the outward appearance. Folks how about a little forgiveness for this young man. Pray that he has learned from the error of his ways. At least he's trying and has stated he was wrong. What more do you want from him? Blood? What if that was your son, cousin, uncle, etc? How would you feel then? We have double standards in this Country. Folks let's try a little more forgiveness, especially when a person has served their time and attempts to make wrong right...

Hey Animal right lovers,

Not to burst your bubble but animals were not suppose to live in homes. Also I agree people care more about animals than human life. Murder rates in our largest cities are at about 2 a day or a little less, no outrage, just more rhetroic that does nothing.

Hi, Rodney Rodz -

Animals ARE supposed to live in homes. Dogs have been our companions before WE lived in homes, and you can thank the domestic cat that mice and rats don't eat everything we grow. (I would draw the line, however, at horses and pigs!)

Animals enhance human life. It is not good for man to live alone, and all that.

Caring for animals has been rehabilitative for incarcerated people. This has been known for a while now, and I recently heard of a wonderful program along these lines, where selected inmates are (even as I write this and later as you read this) engaged in an intensive training program for dogs meant to become companion/service animals for handicapped service men and women injured in Iran and Iraq.

Amazingly, finding a connection to a non-human is proving a bridge for inmates to make that same connection with their fellow human beings and turn them into better citizens, which is what the prison system should be all about.

Have a great day!

Thanks,

Jane

Thanks, jane. Connecting to and caring for animals is a healing experience. I could not agree more. Z

Thank you for 60 Minutes on this. When I saw the promos, I thought there was no way they could be so obviously softballing the questions. Then I watched the interview in its entirety and it was a complete fluff. Brown sounded more like a parent asking his child to apologize to the neighbor for accidentally stepping on their petunias. It was absurd. 60 Minutes should be ashamed. Thank you again for being brave enough to call them on what bordered on a Michael Vick infomercial selling his repackaged image.

It's time for a return to ethics - in journalism and in our society. It's long overdue.

Hi AJ