The folks at Bad Rap speak out about Michael Vick ' s release from prison and future plans

I haven't said much about Michael Vick's release from prison -- and until today, neither did a group of people far better equipped than I to have an opinion about it. Bad Rap as an organization still has issued no statement on his release, his future with the NFL, or the announcement by HSUS that it would be working with Vick on some kind of anti-dogfighting campaign.



But the indviduals at Bad Rap have, and their comments were both personal and thoughtful. Some were from volunteers who worked to rehab the Vick dogs who were given into Bad Rap's care. Others were from the new owners of the dogs themselves. There was this from Tim Racer:

For those who believe Vick has paid his dues, I would have to differ. He has not and will not spend a single day behind bars for animal cruelty as his federal charges were for racketeering. And as for remorse, Vick pled NOT GUILTY to animal cruelty charges at his state trial – and it was dropped in a plea deal. How can this man be remorseful for his crimes if he does not even believe he was cruel to animals?

But it was the genuinely horrifying words of Donna Reynolds that simply made my eyes bleed with anger and sadness, and showed me one simple fact: I don't think there's any chance in hell I'll ever forgive him, I hope he never touches a football again, and if anyone thinks you can "redeem" this, they're completely ignorant about human nature and reality of what "lack of empathy" means.



I'll link you over, but be warned: it's graphic and disturbing and I wish I'd never read it. I'll certainly never get it out of my head. But a part of me doesn't wish I hadn't read it, because I wouldn't want to see the day come when I gave this guy a pass for what he did.



Bad Rap: Op-Eds on the Vick News

Comments

[EmilyS]

Beyond horrifying. It absolutely needed to be revealed, especially to counter the creepy apologist-excuse for him just the other day at ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4179327



oh, yeah the "dogmen" really really loved their dogs.



Vick and HSUS will make a fine pair of dog murderers.

[Kim]

Oh, dear doG...



I did pause before continuing to the link... I knew your warning was a significant one and not to be taken lightly. But I would be foolish to think I could sleep well tonight, tomorrow, or even the next night after reading those details.



At the same time, I think they should be read by *everyone.* Everyone should know what this "man" did to these defenseless animals for his own sick, twisted pleasure. They should know every dirty detail necessary to illustrate that this is a sick, sick, sick individual (in the clinical sense of the word) who needs far more than just incarceration before he should be allowed to re-enter society as a whole, let alone the million dollar role model gig of an NFL star.



Thank you, Bad Rap (and as always, Christie and PetConnection for ensuring that their readers are the most informed pet owners in North America... even if sometimes it hurts).

[Gina Spadafori]

Bizarre conversation today with one of those people who think "Vick has served his time" and then went on to defend life detention without charges or conviction for those at Gitmo. WTF?



Let's be honest: Sports fans want him out to entertain them. I say, fine. Take him to the practices and games by police escort and back to prison after. His NFL salary should more than cover the cost. Anything left over can fund an anti-dogfighting campaign.



He should get the same to entertain NFL fans that his dogs got for entertaining him: Nothing. And be grateful no one wants to click jumper cables onto to him and toss him in a tank for losing.



This whole thing is a sick joke.

[YesBiscuit!]

The fact that the HSUS is bringing him on board the All Felon Review Dogfighting Campaign pretty much says it all for me.

[Susan Fox]

The connection between the injury, abuse and killing of animals and subsequent similar treatment of humans is well established. The warning signs are there. No one can say they didn't know. He gives thugs a bad name.



Someone needs to forward that post to Roland Martin at CNN, who thinks everything is hunky dory now that Vick has "paid his debt to society" and therefore ought to be allowed to play again.



http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/20/martin.vick/index.html?iref=newssearch



Do the journalists, ahem, among us know how to do that since he doesn't seem to allow comments to his commentary.

[Colorado Transplant]

If you are a prominent sport's figure you can



l. Beat your wife or girlfriend



2. Be cruel to animals



3. Take body enhancing drugs



4. Be forgiven



5. Go back and make money for the team



I have seen it happen time and time again. It doesn't surprise me any more. I just expect it to happen. However, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Enough said!

[SusanS]

Remember also that Vick killed dogs by hanging them to death, and by throwing them off the roof to be smashed and broken. The HSUS ninnies do not understand that there is such a thing as genuine evil in this world, and that Vick is truly evil. Vick must be laughing now about how easy it was to fool the HSUS idiots into thinking he was just a simple homeboy who liked to watch the dogs fight because he misunderstood and thought the dogs liked it. And now the HSUS has helped him complete step 1 on his path to making millions playing football again. I wonder if Vick paid them a bundle (a "donation," of course) to forget what he did and help him out.

[SusanS]

There's a stop-Vick petition you can sign:



http://www.isaronline.org/petition_form.html



Whereas, Michael Vick pleaded guilty to participating in a dog-fighting ring which caused the abuse and death of canine companion animals, and



Whereas, Michael Vick was sentenced to federal prison, and



Whereas, Michael Vick is now a convicted felon, and



Whereas, no matter how much celebrity Michael Vick may have acquired as a professional football player, he is now well known as a criminal and immoral abuser of dogs, and



Whereas, because of his criminal conduct and immoral behavior Michael Vick should be shunned by decent people and no reputable individual, company or other organization should in any manner benefit him, and



Whereas, any individual, company or other organization that does in any manner benefit Michael Vick will be boycotted by the signers of this Petition,



Now, therefore, we the undersigned hereby petition every individual, company and organization throughout the world not to benefit Michael Vick in any manner whatsoever.

[SusanS]

The only ones who have any right to forgive Vick are the dogs he hurt and killed. And the dead ones obviously don't have that option anymore. If you were beaten half to death and your neighbor announced that he forgave your assailant for nearly killing you, how would you respond? Only the one who was harmed has the right to forgive.

[straybaby]

CT, seems to me we have a bit of a problem with our criminal justice system. As long as these actions are "alleged", they are innocent of the charges. Anyone who beats wife/girlfriend/partner, abuses animals etc, should be tried in a court of law and locked up if guilty. What we need after that is for the leagues to start looking at these individuals after they have done their time and make some smart decisions. Some very well may be fit to come back, but they should have to earn their status back. I think the stripping of endorsements is also key, because those usually bring in more than salaries. Those would need to be earned also.



I'm sure there's some neanderthal sports fans that want Vick back, but I have a feeling, they aren't the majority. Has Vick even been punished by the league yet? A 2 yr suspension would put him out of play, a one yr one might even. I personally don't think he should get either. I think he should be banned permanently.

[Jack Lani]

In the 20's and 30's the "in" group to join for governors, politicians on the take, societal matrons, doctors, lawyers, and the societal elits -- was the Klu Klux Klan. Although nearly a century's passed, human nature and behavior haven't changed a whit. The same unstable personality type of hating folk find their identity in HSUS and related groups. What these self anointed would be gods sitting injudgment share is no true love of animals . The glue that cements them together is that, instead, of basest sheer "mob mentality" hatred of their fellow human beings. Michael Vick was tried and served his sentence. Whatever further is said of him is "old news" replayed in an endless loop for its mob mentality crazifying propagandizing purposes. Further attention to or comments about Vick say nothing about Vick as an individual. They do, however reflect absense of any character whatsoever in those who'd make their livelong avocation Vick's perpetual persecution. How much better off we'd be as a society if we went after real animal terrorists such as groups like HSUS whose verbalized agenda is to permanently exterminate all pets and all domestic animals off the face of the earth! This is a good lesson in not underestimating the presence and massive volume of outight human stupidity. It's clearly illustrated by thse who consider Vick a millionth as dangerous to the continued existance of domestic animals as is HSUS.

[Anne T]

The misanthrope in me is imagining him getting his jollies watching those dogs die in his death pool. How absolutely horrific, and I agree this needs to be made public and what better way than the Internet? Sick Vick is too mild a monniker for this thing that masquerades as a human being.

For what it's worth, this weekend I will be passing on the BadRap link on several forums and to my FB contacts. The more the word gets out there, the more I fervently hope this blows up in Wayne Pacelle's face. Vick? He's beyond Redemption!

[Eucritta]

I'm struck by Martin's insistence (in the op-end linked by Susan Fox) that, because other footballers who've beaten their wives and children have been allowed back into the game, it's 'galling' -- and later, 'sanctimonious' -- that anyone should insist that Vick be banned for violence to dogs.



I really can't think of a better illustration of the moral bankruptcy of professional football.

[straybaby]

Gina, not all sports fans want him to entertain them. There is not one person in any of my fantasy sports leagues that wasn't horrified and disgusted by this man. The "game" has gotten along just fine without him and many of us wish like hell he would stay gone. I'm absolutely sick that he's out and going to try and get back into the sport of football. And that he hasn't paid for the horrific crimes he committed on his dogs. No way in hell I'm watching ANY football game he's involved in. And for anyone that says what about the wife beaters etc, I drop them from my teams and do NOT support their play. Many of us like sports, we also hate animal abusers/killers, wife beaters etc.



Excuse me while I go voice my opinion to the head of the NFL. And I encourage others to do so.



Oh, and O.M.G. what the hell is the HSUS thinking?!!!! This guy is a piece of sh!t and is willing to do anything to get to play again. Oh yeah . . . that's right . . . they are the HSUS.

[Gina Spadafori]

Did it ever occur to these Vick supporters that instead talking about how Sick Vick is being punished too much, the wife beaters and child-abusers should ALSO be banned for life?



Sorry, but the ability to play a child's game for money is not a right. How about zero tolerance for those who can't leave their aggression on the field?



Buh-bye ... there are lots of other college players who didn't make it who are happy to take your spot.

[straybaby]

I totally agree Gina. There was an interesting observation made by Jordan and Barkley on the Oprah show a year or 2 back. It was about how these kids get these huge contracts without ever having to prove themselves. They spoke about how they didn't hit the money until they had paid their dues in "action". And it wasn't just athletic action. A majority of sport players are basically good people and do good things on the side, and give back. The ones that don't, need to be booted. And the behaviors are not isolated to sports . . . .



I can't comment on getting paid to play a "child's game" since I work in the art field with popular children's characters ;)

[H. Houlahan]

From Donna's Bad Rap blog entry:



"I think I'll be looking for ways to pull that dog out for the rest of my life."



Oh God.



And now, so shall I.

[C.L.H.]

Asking Michael Vick to do a public service announcement on animal cruelty is like asking Charles Manson to do a public service announcement on bats@#t insanity. It just makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. I hope the HSUS figures that out. I believe in redemption and forgiveness. I also believe in consequences for our actions. Michael Vick hasn't paid his debt to those dogs.

[Colorado Transplant]

I signed the petition--it is the least that I can do--better than zero.



Why, oh why, do we have two forms of justice.



One for the rich, famous, or both.

One for ordinary citizens like me.



Vick, if you done bad, ya shouldn't become a hero to the young ones by being let back into the game and winning some games--just sayin'.

[Nicole W]

Does Michael Vick Deserve a second chance?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjostWvg9tU



Vicktory to the Underdog

http://strangleholdmerch.com/vicktory-to-the-underdog-p-191.html



"Vicktory To The Underdog" takes an in depth look at world renowned tattoo artist "Brandon Bond" and his dog rescue efforts - particularly rescuing the infamous Michael Vick fighting dogs.

Rather than focusing on the dog fighting problem, the movie sheds light on solutions leading to "Vicktory" for all the underdogs in the movie - tattoo people, pitbulls, parolees and all the other people in this world that society has turned their back on through ignorance and racism.

The movie also examines the life of Brandon Bond and his struggle with balancing fame, fortune and the Rock-N-Roll tattoo lifestyle with a more fulfilling life that focuses on the betterment of both animals and society as a whole.

Featuring celebrities like Debbie and Danny Trejo, Michael Berryman, Pixie Acia and Donal Logue, the movie takes you on an incredible journey you will never forget!



Proceeds for this film will be going to Villa Lobos Pitbull Rescue. http://www.vrcpitbull.com

[The OTHER Pat]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/nflpa-vick-met-with-union-leader-on-tuesday-98172.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab