Can the Angry Public Just Leave Michael Vick Alone?

Michael Vick just spoke to an incoming high school freshman class of 200 about the dangers of peer pressure. He spoke without notes (I applaud that) and urged them to make the right choices and avoid temptation to follow the wrong crowd.

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“I didn’t choose to go the right way, which led to 18 months in prison, which was the toughest time of my life,” he said. “Being away from my family, being away from my kids who I adore dearly, and being away from the game of football, doing something so foolish, and I wish I could take it all back.

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“I was influenced by so many people when I should have been a leader, not a follower.”

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He spoke about his rise to fame and fortune and how it all slipped away when he got sidetracked listening to the wrong friends. He continues on his plan to work with the Humane Society to educate against all organized animal fighting.

In his first road game, he was booed when he was on the field. Animal rights group have criticized the Eagles for signing him. This will most likely continue all season long.

Look guys….leave him alone. I don’t condone what he did. It’s unimaginable, disgusting, and horrific. He was incarcerated for 18 months. Filed for bankruptcy. Was released and now has been given a second chance. From all indications, he is a completely different Michael Vick than the one that went into jail.

He has said all the right things. He approached the Humane Society about educating people about the dangers of animal fighting. He’s done so well that Roger Goodell will allow him to play in week 3 instead of week 6. He doesn’t have any Pacman Jones type news off the field. He some alcohol in a hotel (gasp!) but that’s allowed.

You can’t compare killing dogs to humans even though we treat dogs like family. My family has dogs and I love them like family. The reason we cannot compare the two is that if he killed humans the way he did to dogs, he be sentenced to death or spend the rest of his life in jail.

Society frowns upon killing dogs yet hunting bear, deers, moose, lion, tigers, are all allowed and even a show of manliness. Why? Because dogs are cute? They give us unconditional love?

Living in America is about freedom and having second chances. When criminals go to jail, the point is punish them for the crime and try to rehabilitate them. They have a second chance to get it right if they are released. Most of the time, they don’t learn their lesson in there and come out to only do more crime. Vick has been different than that.

I applaud Vick for changing. He wants to be a better man. He understands how lucky he is to still be able to live his childhood dream. He may not be back to his level of play in Atlanta but he seems to sure be happy to be a free man.

Football season starts this Thursday. There’s going to be a thousand other things we should be focusing on instead of wasting time protesting outside and booing a man who’s learned his lesson.