To The Angry Philadelphia Eagles Fans a Few Things To Consider

Dear outraged fan,

As an animal lover, I understand your anguish over the signing of Michael Vick. It is often difficult when we are confronted with someone who engaged in acts we find appalling and disgusting.

Growing up in North Philly, I've seen my share of evil things and it can be easy to say; that's just the way it is.

Man's inhumanity to man, to children and to animals is not something I ever want to become desensitized to so I do my best to pursue peace whenever possible and whenever impossible. 

I also prefer to be well-informed before I make any type of decision regarding an individual and because of that I offer the following to you:

First, there is no evidence that Michael Vick himself did anything to those dogs himself. There is also no evidence he ever placed a bet on any dog fights, nor derived any pleasure from it.

It seems popular to say that Michael Vick is a sadist who loved torturing and killing dogs, yet if you read the court reports on his case you'll see that all he did was buy a house.

A house for truly sadistic individuals he thought were his friends and he gave them some of his money to live off of.

Yes they used that money to operate a dog-fighting ring and they killed those dogs whenever they didn't need them anymore. When his "friends" tried to pin those injustices all on him in the beginning, he confessed his knowledge of the dog-fighting and it was his testimony that put them behind bars and they're still in a jail cell as we speak.

So yes he does bear the weight of what they did with his money, although he didn't share in their activities. We can speculate all we want as to whether he did, but that's all it would be is speculation.

For simply knowing about the dog-fighting and not reporting it Vick was sentenced to two years in prison and served 20 months, plus another three on house arrest, the longest sentence ever served by anyone convicted of that crime.

He didn't seek an appeal or try to tie the case up red tape and minutia as so many other celebrities do. Nor did he claim innocence to the charges he was faced with, in some people's eyes that may mean nothing, but the facts are the facts.

Secondarily Humane Society of the United States president Wayne Pacelle met with Vick in federal prison in the spring about how the quarterback could help.

"He has an opportunity to make some amends for his past behavior," Pacelle said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "We think he should seize it with gusto. I don't think the public is going to be pleased if he just gets back into football and puts aside the anti-dog fighting activities."

That someone privy to more inhumane animal treatment than any of us would want to be would speak about Vick could make amends for his behavior is substantial.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals president Ed Sayres praised Commissioner Roger Goodell's ruling.

"While his decision to reinstate Mr. Vick undoubtedly will be met with cheers by some and derision by others, it is clear that the commissioner has been particularly thoughtful and has weighed every factor in his deliberations," Sayres said in a statement. "The ASPCA can only offer him our gratitude for the gravity to which he has lent the issue of animal cruelty.

"Opportunities for redemption are rare—but that is exactly the opportunity that awaits Mr. Vick. We hope that he rises to the occasion and proves worthy of the rare second chance commissioner Goodell has granted him."

This is exactly what Vick has in front of him: an opportunity for redemption. Some may think it unfair that he gets to make millions (actually after taxes, fees and money he still owes it's closer to thousands) while in pursuit of this redemption, but that's a separate issue isn't it?

Football is all Vick knows how to do well, and even that is debatable. Convicted felons are allowed to pursue employment after serving their time and no one but the perspective employer can say what job their allowed to have. In fact before his signing with the Eagles

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