Michael Vick: Let it forever be known he’s a twisted dog killer
August 20, 2007 by William K. Wolfrum
Michael Vick’s career as an NFL quarterback is over. Vick has accepted a plea deal and will plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, according to ESPN:
“Vick agrees to plead guilty in dogfighting case”
Michael Vick’s lawyer said Monday the NFL star will plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, putting the Atlanta Falcons quarterback’s career in jeopardy and leaving him subject to a prison term.
The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although federal sentencing guidelines most likely would call for less.
Prosecutors, who were seeking a prison term of 12 to 18 months, have yet to formally agree to the plea, a source told ESPN’s Kelly Naqi.
“After consulting with his family over the weekend, Michael Vick asked that I announce today that he has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding the charges pending against him,” lead defense attorney Billy Martin said in a statement.
“Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made. Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter.”
Vick is charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.
The career of one of the most physically gifted players in NFL history is done because of his sick mind. Michael Vick is officially untouchable now. No team or company will ever want to be associated with him again. And rightfully so. Because come next Monday when he stands before a judge, he will officially admit the he is unfit to live in a civilized world. He had it all, but he couldn’t control his sick impulse to murder and torture dogs.
–WKW
Vick is going to prison for killing dogs. Good. But Ray-Ray Lewis, who watched from ten feet away as two of his friends repeatedly knifed some poor schmuck barber–and then conspired to obstruct the investigation into the killing–walked away a free man. He never even saw the inside of a courthouse; he delivered his testimonies via phone from his lawyers’ office.
Are we more inclined to excuse athletes in a violent sport for commiting violence against other persons than we are violence against animals? Sure sounds like it…
[...] Of the many issues to come out of the Michael Vick dog-fighting case, one of the most interesting has to be the sudden enlightenment many have experienced when it comes to professional athletes. Suddenly it has struck sportswriters that perhaps there’s something wrong with a society where the public wants to hang an athlete who is a dog abuser, but will pay little or no attention to the athlete who commits domestic abuse. [...]
If there is anything good about the Michael Vick story, it is that there is an emerging increased awareness about animal cruelty and animal fighting. However…
I think it is a sad commentary that we, as a culture, are using the Vick story to compare “What’s worse?” “What’s worse”, we ask, “carelessly fathering illegitimate children, or dogfighting?”. “Dogfighting or gambling?” “Dogfighting or rape?” “Dogfighting or racism?” “Dogfighting or hateful nationalism?” “Dogfighting or (fill in the blank)….?” The comparisons to dogfighting have been endless.
Dogfighting is one more piece of evidence our country is in need of a spiritual transformation (please note I said spiritual and not necessarily religious). Animals are sentient beings – they feel pain, and they suffer, just like we do. They are not more important, or less important than human beings, but like human beings, they are important, too.
Every major faith teaches its followers to be responsible stewards of animals and the Earth. Please help us get the word out that caring for animals, just like caring for people, is an important part of just being a decent person and citizen. If we make this a priority, there will be no more dogfighting horror stories, and no more pointless comparisons of evils. Let us all rise, together, to be better people than we are today, shall we?
Chaplain Nancy Cronk
Founder, http://www.AnimalChaplains.com
[...] When the Michael Vick / dog fighting / NFL story was in full bloom, sports writers quickly jumped on a concept – why would a story about injuring dogs create such a sensation, while the ongoing problem of domestic abuse among NFL players barely cause a ripple? [...]