Posted on 08/16/2009 4:22:48 PM PDT by Federalist Patriot
Here is a video clip from tonight's interview to air on CBS News 60 Minutes with NFL Quarterback Michael Vick, who has signed to play with the Philadelphia Eagles after leaving prison a few weeks ago.
James Brown interviewed Vick and asked him "What About the Dogs?" He was asking why he beat, shot, and electrocuted dogs in a dog-fighting operation that landed the former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback in prison. Vick responded "It was wrong, J.B., it was wrong." . . . . (Watch Video)
(Excerpt) Read more at freedomslighthouse.com ...
If he had not been caught, Vick would still be torturing and killing dogs.
He’s a liar, a thug and a great credit to his race.
If he had not been caught, Vick would still be torturing and killing dogs.
Exactly right.
A person doesn't change a lifetime of attitudes and associations overnight but give the guy a chance. He did his time. Perhaps these very expensive and painful lessons have put him on a better path of life. Not saying a good path but a better path than he had been on.
Of course it was wrong.
The trouble is, Vick also described it as a mistake. No, a mistake is when you send an e-mail to the wrong recipient. Vick made a conscious decision to purchase the property, then to start up the Bad Newz Kennels, then to bankroll it with the money he made from his ridiculously inflated NFL contracts (his rookie contract was worth $62 million, his extension was worth $100 million), then to begin a dogfighting ring, then to train the dogs to fight, then to gamble on those fights, then to torture and kill the losing dogs.
None of that is accidental. It is deliberate. It is the result of conscious, informed choices.
Personally, I think Vick is unrepentant, and he probably thinks the only “mistake” he made was getting caught. I also note that two years in prison have done nothing to wipe that “I’m better than you” look off his face. The prisoners probably treated him like a king.
You been a bad chile
You done wrong
When de dogs chases you a**
Try singing dis song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He82NBjJqf8
My gosh..he paid his sentence to society. And he did it without complaining. What about mercy and forgiveness? I was listening to the story today of a pastor who know only forgave the man who murdered his father (28 years later), but spoke out for his release from prison and then took him in to his home.
I am a dog lover, but ENOUGH OF THIS. What message does this send? No matter what you do in your life, you can never be forgiven. I like what he said, hopefully he will help more dogs than he hurt. What would be enough for you God fearing people?
I was wondering when I would run into God.
He is without value.
Just wondering.....
When will the focus be more on the large number of blacks being killed in the inner cities....by other blacks....than on dogs?
A great loss to the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary Flag Football Team, the “Fighting Cons”.
Well, he’s got Tony Dungy to mentor him. That man is a true Christian who eschews the victim mentality. Vick will need an example of a true strong Black Man around him.
What has his race got to do with it? Bigot.
Grow up in a world where you young black men are more likely to die in a drive by shooting than go to college or be killed in Iraq and you have a very different view of life. If you have become immune to the sting of seeing your friends and family killed for no reason other than belonging to the wrong gang, or flashing the wrong gang signal, you most likely don't think a second thought about dogs being tortured and killed.
I am not condoning what he did, just saying that he, and Joe Namtath and Barney Frank and those who live that rarefied atmosphere of stardom or high-level politics, live in a world so different from mainstream, working Americans that it's really difficult to know what he knew or didn't know about what was going on.
He was caught and took the punishment that was meted out without complaint. He completed his sentence and has voiced what sounds like, at least to me, regret for what he did. Only God can know the true content of his heart. Short of that I think we need to understand that our opinion of him, what he did, the punishment he received, the attitude he's had since being released and his ability to earn a living doing the thing he's really good at is just that our opinion. And you know what they say about opinions!
Please don't think I am apologizing for him or attempting to justify his actions. I am trying to treat him as I would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
I ran into him in a bar last month.
The reason answer: he liked it.
[James Brown] was asking why he beat, shot, and electrocuted dogs....Vick responded "It was wrong, J.B., it was wrong."
The real answer: he liked it.
Thank you for that well reasoned response. I agree 100%. I just don’t know what some here would like him to do.
Keep looking. My opinion of what his attitude is not judgment, it is merely a description.
I'm not sitting in judgement about this decision that was made - but I can't get the revulsion & the picture out of my head.
No, your opinion is a judgment about what is in his heart. And only he and God know that.
There is a catchy slogan in Philly - Hold your beagle, cos Vick is an Eagle.
Many Eagle fans are upset with Vick being on the team. But should the Eagles win the Eastern Division, all will be forgiven.
The only person here staring down their nose at someone is you, not me.
I’m examining the facts in evidence. Could Vick be remorseful of what he did and fully cognizant of why it’s wrong? Sure. But I haven’t seen it. Vick’s boss, Roger Goodell, apparently has. Great. He’s privy to information I’m not. Same with Tony Dungy, he’s privy to facts I’m not.
I have no ability to control what happens to Vick, nor do I want such ability. But I do have the ability as a thinking human being to examine known information and arrive at a conclusion. That is not judgment, that is reasoning.
No, it’s a judgment..sugarcoat it all you want. Says more about you than about him.
Sorry, but that doesn’t fly.
Let’s put things in proper perspective. How about a better rebuttal:
What about the fetuses’ JB, what about the fetuses?
After joining the NFL, he should have dumped these hanger-ons and losers who wanted him to "keep it real." That's the problem with black athletes in professional sports. A lot of them made it based on their own hard work and merits (and of course, their strong single-mothers) yet still can't get away from that inner-city mentality.
Not excusing Vick for his crimes, but I know if I was a star quarterback playing professional football and making millions, you think I'd be engaging in dog-fighting or other crap out of fear that my friends would call me a sell-out or an Uncle Tom? Hell no I'd be straighter than a fricking arrow.
dead on K. this TCBE savage dog torturer and killer was caught and I will bet that is the only reason he was stopped from any additional murdering of animals.
Don’t trust Vick with my dog, or Obama with my country.
Careful, you might be sanctimoniously accused of judging Vick AND Obama!
God speaks again.
It’s obvious that there is an underground dogfighting scene that pervaded the NFL and probably all of professional sports. Rich black rednecks with a macho drug-dealer attitude and time on their hands. The other players are going pretty easy on him probably because they were in on it themselves or at least had buddies who were.
He also went from the highest paid quarterback in football to bankrupt. He spent two of what should have been the most productive years of his career in prison. His “friends” sold him out so fast he didn't know what hit him. He lost millions in endorsements. He is picketed and booed and reviled all day, every day.
Friday he sat on live television and spoke to the media. He didn't read a prepared statement like before. He answered every question. He has kept quiet except for speaking to youth groups. He went from ten years and 100 million dollar to one year and 1.6 million, most of which goes straight to creditors.
He will never get back what he lost. But he still has a chance to get back something. And maybe, just maybe, he can do some good. I don't know what's in the man's heart. But so far he has done everything right.
Let him play. Leave him alone. If he blows it all again his detractors can smugly gloat “I told you so.” If he stays on the straight and narrow give him a little credit for overcoming a rotten childhood, a coddled youth as a star athlete and horrible fall from grace. Maybe he has grown up. Lots of others don't.
I'm withholding judgment until I see whether his long term actions match the words carefully supplied to him by his agent. As an Eagles fan, I think he's more than welcome to pursue his interests anywhere other than here. But the fact that he's wearing my team's jersey disgusts me.
ping
He speaks to us all if we only listen. But in this instance, you’re merely being sanctimonious.
Good evening.
I think he should be treated just as he treated the dogs.
In a perfect world, Vick loves dogs, All Muslims love America, and Obama loves white people.
NAH!
I must disagree...
Vick chose his course, if he was just joe six pack...he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to make as big a splash that caused this whiplash that sent him to prison.
Being an NFL icon, he raised the level of the offense to phenomenal heights!
He is lucky for one reason, the NFL...and unlucky also because of the NFL.
Either way his course in life will be up to him...hopefully, he will change his ways and become Michael Vick the player that young children can look up too.
He should have taken the initiative to stop it? He makes it sound like he was a bystander rather than inflicting harm with his own two hands.
Also, Sanctimony can work two ways for those of you passing “judgment” on everyone who doesn’t buy this story he’s peddling. You are guilty of the same things you are accusing others of. Don’t like our position? Level insults or condecend or twist scripture to suit your purposes.
In the end Vick consciously with premediation set up a business that resulted in dogs being brutalized by his hand as well as those he associated with; and the other dogs themselves who understood nothing other than they had to destroy the other if they wanted to survive. It takes a very sick conscience to do this and serving time behind bars doesn’t reform a character. IF he’s changed, it may be evident YEARS down the line. But IF he changed it wasn’t due to a prison sentence and I won’t be amending my disbelief of his reformation on the basis of less than two years in prison.
Michael Vick for Pet Czar! He has been rehabilitated! Micael Vick, now the great lover of animals, big and small.
Vick and Obama, spreading the love!
Vick loves dogs like Obama loves Americans.
Now I just can't fight the urge to go into my closet and don my Cleveland Browns Dog Pound garb. Just in time for the season to begin. :)
Michael Vick “WHO LET THE DOGS OUT” JERSEY. Astute business people will design one with.....
lots of Pits killing each other and taking bites out of Vick..Soon to be the MOST REVILED NFL PLAYER EVER!
Many human are willing to cut lots of slack for sport figures who gun down or run down humans.NOT SO WITH ANIMALS BEING KILLED..Sad statement on society.
I’m an Eagles fan too and keeping him in the spotlight will keep the pressure on the issue if you are really intent on stopping dog fights from happening.
I see forgiveness is not in your vocabulary.
I hope that PETA never gives him a moment of peace. I hate “people” who torment and torture animals. He had no mercy on the pathetic dogs. I feel so sorry for animals and kids that are around these thug minorities. It is as easy for them to kill and torture innocent animals and people. Vick must be what the devil looks like and being near him must be like being in Hell, especially if you are little dog.
The thing i ask though is...what are you supposed to say or feel like in those situations when your caught doing something wrong...you do learn its wrong because of the punishment but frankly we can’t expect people to actually be repentant of the act they did...what would be the best response in a situation like that?
Response: I thought I heard him talk about donations of meat to the poor. I may have heard wrong.
More than a puff piece. It was a prime time infomercial for Vick and the Eagles.
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