Michael Vick's Welcome Home Party Postponed—What's Next? Death? Taxes?

Seriously, some bunch of knuckleheads are going to throw a party for Michael Vick. Rumor has it there was going to be a parade of injured dogs—just kidding.

But seriously, we aren't calling the Southern Christian Leadership Conference "knuckleheads" in a general way, just "knuckleheaded" about this. Like them, we support the notion that Vick deserves a second chance and has a right to work. After all, a number of NFL players have done worse to actual people (including themselves!), and they are given a chance to reform and earn a living.

However, this rally, while intended to be a show of support reinforcing those concepts, will ultimately only bring on additional unwanted publicity. Remember, P.E.T.A.'s headquarters are in Norfolk, Va., about 20 minutes from Newport News. We call that "asking for trouble."

Monday, the organizers of the gig in Newport News said the hometown celebration was “postponed” due to a conflict. The “Michael Vick Community Celebration” scheduled for Saturday will be held later because the job-hunting former NFL quarterback has an event that day in Atlanta with the Humane Society of the United States.

Vick has been conditionally reinstated in the NFL after completing a 23-month federal sentence for running a dogfighting ring. The Newport News celebration was to be his first announced public event since his freedom.

Andrew Shannon, president of the Peninsula chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said organizers were committed to celebrating Vick’s return to the community and would not be swayed by negative public opinion.

After the event was publicized late Friday, Shannon said he received calls early Saturday from supporters and “from people who love animals” who were critical of the celebration.

“We want to say as an organization we’re not intimidated and we won’t waver in our support of Michael Vick,” Shannon said. “We believe in forgiveness and we believe in redemption so we believe that Mr. Vick should be able to move forward with his life and make a livelihood.”

Twenty-six NFL teams have said they’re not interested in signing the 29-year-old, with the remaining six declining to comment or not ruling him out.