Stop Flogging Michael Vick

"We are confronted with a new challenge now that Vick has served nearly two years of time in a federal penitentiary and seen his personal assets liquidated. He’s served his sentence, and now he’s made a person to The HSUS to involve him in anti-dogfighting and anti-cruelty efforts. Will we continue to flog Michael Vick indefinitely, or will we take advantage of his expressed desire to do better, to be an agent of change for animals?" –Wayne Parcell, CEO, Humane Society

If The Humane Society's chief executive officer can forgive Michael Vick, so should the rest of us.

Then again, who are we to do the forgiving? Are we not sinners ourselves?

"We at The HSUS are about change, even the hard cases," Parcell stated on his Humane Society Web site. "Sitting with Michael at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, I saw a man who, if he had the resolve, could do powerful and persuasive outreach to at-risk youth and steer them away from dogfighting.

"He told me he saw dogfighting when we he was a boy, and from there, he came to accept the activity and to get involved. Nobody was there to step in and pull him out of that morass, and he obviously didn’t have the strength to get away from it himself."

Let me be clear:

1. I love animals.
2. I have owned dogs as pets, adopting two from the pound.
3. I currently have four cats.
4. My love for animals costs me plenty as I feed nearly 20 doves, four pigeons, and all kinds of songbirds, in addition to four squirrels.
5. I have never participated in or watched dogfighting.
6. Cruelty to animals is forbidden in my chosen religion.

That is probably overstating my animal-loving credentials. However, it is necessary to state my "animal-friendliness" when writing about Vick.

If I don't, I will end up writing all kinds of comments after publication stating such information in defense of myself as heartless zealots take aim and condemn me. While they will do that anyway, at least I got my credentials out of the way.

Still, my name may be scorned on all kinds of blogs and discussion boards. My character, sanity, and morality may be questioned.

Yet I still state publicly that I would welcome Vick to my only favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers.

Admittedly, due to a number of NFL-related issues, perhaps he should sit out a portion of the season. However, he should have the opportunity to play and prove himself on and off the field.

As far as society is concerned, he served his time.

Yet he wants to help.

You can demean him all you want.

You can question his motives.

You can say terrible things about him.

But before you do, take a good look in the mirror.

Consider the climate in which he grew up.

Consider the fact that the brutal and cruel criminal activity that is oxymoronically called a "sport" by some in media was an accepted part of Vick's life.

As wrong as it is, dogfighting was encouraged by those around him. He was introduced to it a young, formative age.

Of course, we all have a conscience, and—for reasons maybe Vick is just beginning to understand himself—his short-circuited.

And then there is, yes, the race card, which is something I do not usually pull out.

Before I am accused of being some bleeding-heart liberal, just know this: I'm very conservative morally and I do not engage in politics.

Additionally, based upon my religious beliefs, I only see one human race that is diverse in terms of languages, cultures, religions, and colors—which we refer to as races.

However, I know that many Americans do not see the world through what some consider my rose-colored prism. It is a sad fact that some Americans remain racist.

Some are dog-lovers, judging by the trash they have said and written for several years.

And please, do not equate dogs to humans.

These dog-lovers should take some of that love and apply to it humans.

As Parcell says:

"Ex-dogfighters and ex-gang members are some of our ambassadors in our community-based programs, and they reach kids who are drawn into the world of dogfighting and show them there are alternatives, such as training and agility classes for pit bulls.

"Street fighting in urban centers is the one growth area for dogfighting, and maybe Vick can get us closer to our goal of eradicating dogfighting in every dark corner where it festers."

Vick's atrocious behavior and the manifest cruelty he and others were responsible for inflicting upon dogs is not unforgivable.

Just maybe a sinner can become a sort of saint.

Imagine that.