(Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

This past week, Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was released from federal custody.

However, he is still being held captive by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

ESPN has reported that Goodell and Vick met for several hours on Wednesday to discuss possible reinstatement. Rumor has it that Vick may be back as soon as next week, but with an additional penalty of a four game suspension.

I may be in the minority here, but hasn't Mr. Vick already paid an enormous penalty for his participation in dog fighting? He served two years in the federal penal system with most of that time actually spent in prison.

How is it that a man can be vilified for fighting and killing dogs and imprisoned for two years, yet a man that kills another man while driving under the influence (Donte Stallworth) gets a 30 day jail sentence and his license revoked?

Is the life of a dog more valuable than that of a human? I think not. Since when do civil liberties extend to animals?

Forget PETA. Maybe we need PETOP? People for the Ethical Treatment of Other People!

I still can't believe that some people think justice was served by incarcerating Michael Vick. I find it even harder to believe that some people think he got off easy.

Vick's career has been derailed. He lost his primary source of income (football), his secondary source of income (endorsements) and has two years of his life that he can never get back. Vick has paid his debt to society and should be allowed to resume his football career without further penalty.

I am amazed at some of the comments regarding Vick posted on the internet. People have said things like, "Michael Vick is evil" and "The man has a flawed character like a child abuser or sex offender, the kind that needs to be taken off the street and away from decent society."

I respond to these comments by saying, "Are you kidding me?"

Take a man off the street forever because he killed some dogs? Why don't we take all racists off the street as well? It can be argued that racists are evil. It is certainly not Godly to attack people for looking different or having different religious beliefs. Oh, but racism is not a crime, is it?

But discrimination is. The NFL is discriminating against Michael Vick by not allowing him to return to work. It's as if he checked the "yes" box on a job application that asks if you have ever been convicted of a crime.

Does everybody that commits a crime deserve a second chance? No. Does the punishment always fit the crime? No. Michael Vick and Donte Stallworth have both been unfairly punished for their actions, Vick too harshly and Stallworth not harsh enough.

The court of public opinion will deliberate for months whether Michael Vick should be allowed to resume his NFL football career. Apparently, Roger Goodell will deliberate for another week.

It's time to free Michael Vick now and let him get on with his life.

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