Michael Vick was released from prison Thursday. Now it's time to release the dumbest argument surrounding this whole Man-Kills-Dog saga."You have no right to judge another person!"
What that really means is "You have no right to judge if your judgment is different than mine."
The hypocrisy behind this thinking has escaped people since the Garden of Eden opened, though at least Adam and Eve didn't call up their local talk-radio show and scream that God had no right to judge them.
Ever since then anyone less than The Almighty has been told they have no business even forming an opinion about somebody.
If you've heard it once, you've heard it 2.4 million times with Vick. If he listened to the radio during his 28-hour drive home from prison, even Vick might have figured out how the argument is self-defeating.
Actually, it's preposterous.
You've probably heard of this thing called the judicial system. It's symbolized by a blindfolded Lady Justice holding balanced scales in one hand and a sword in the other.
Sure, she gets a little dizzy sometimes and an O.J. gets off. But society could not function if its members did not pass judgment on one another.
In Vick's case, the media and fans could not pass criminal judgment and send him to Leavenworth. That did not mean we couldn't decide for ourselves whether he's a scumbag or a victim of society.
How could we not?
Were we supposed to hear about an NFL superstar killing dogs and say, "I am not allowed to form or express an opinion."
Even if you think the dogs dug their own graves in Vick's backyard in order to frame the poor guy, you had a right to make that judgment.
Oops, there's that word again.
One thing is true in every case like this. When the best argument is "You have no right pass judgment," there really is no argument.
That hasn't stopped Vick's defenders from arguing that nobody should judge the young man. By definition that would include:
U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson. Where did he get off looking at the evidence and sentencing Vick to 23 months in jail?
Defense attorney Billy Martin. He judged Vick of only being naive in letting his loser friends run the dog-fighting operation. How was Michael supposed to notice the pit bull hanging on the clothesline?
Sen. Robert Byrd. The old coot from West Virginia got up on the Senate floor and bellowed of dog-fighting, "Barbaric! Barbaric! Barbaric! Let that word resound from hill to hill and mountain to mountain, from valley to valley across this broad land!"
Course, he's probably just a Mountaineers fan who hates Virginia Tech.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Never mind that the league's personnel policy says Goodell can discipline any player whose conduct is "detrimental" to the NFL. What's so detrimental about one of the league's biggest stars laughing as family pets are chewed up by fighting dogs?
Latest Michael Vick Images
Michael Vick arrives at federal court for a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va., Friday, May 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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Michael Vick leaves federal court after a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va., Friday, May 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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Michael Vick leaves federal court after a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va., Friday, May 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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Michael Vick arrives at federal court surrounded by the media for a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va., Friday, May 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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Michael Vick leaves federal court surrounded by a security team after a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va., Friday, May 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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Michael Vick arrives at federal court for a meeting with his parole officer in Norfolk, Va., Friday, May 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick is driven by his fiancee Kijafa Frink in a Range Rover bound for Norfolk, Va. where Vick is due in Federal Court, Friday, May 22, 2009, in Hampton, Va. A member of Vick's support team said Vick was headed to a scheduled 10 a.m. appointment with the parole officer. (AP Photo/Jason Hirschfeld)
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Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick, right, steps out onto the deck with a federal agent while testing out his electronic monitor worn on his ankle, Thursday, May 21, 2009 in Hampton, Va. Vick arrived at his Virginia home in a car with blackout curtains Thursday morning after being released from federal prison to begin home confinement and try to resume his pro football career. (AP Photo/Jason Hirschfeld)
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** RECROPPED VERSION ** Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick, right, steps out onto the deck with a federal agent while testing out his electronic monitor worn on his ankle, Thursday, May 21, 2009 in Hampton, Va. Vick arrived at his Virginia home in a car with blackout curtains Thursday morning after being released from federal prison to begin home confinement and try to resume his pro football career. (AP Photo/Jason Hirschfeld)
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Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick, right, steps out onto the deck with a federal agent while testing out his electronic monitor worn on his ankle, Thursday, May 21, 2009 in Hampton, Va. Vick arrived at his Virginia home in a car with blackout curtains Thursday morning after being released from federal prison to begin home confinement and try to resume his pro football career. (AP Photo/Jason Hirschfeld)
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NFL owners. Who cares if their product depends on public acceptance? A media circus and protesters at training camp could sell thousands of tickets.
NFL players. Most who have offered their opinion say Vick deserves a second chance. Now that's a judgment Vick's defenders have no problem with.
NFL fans. Quite a few would still like to see Vick dipped in gravy and lowered into a den of Dobermans. That's a judgment Vick's defenders say nobody has a right to make.
NFL fans II. Quite a few argue Vick killed only dogs, not humans. He's paid his debt to society. They know his remorse is genuine because he's been under house arrest for almost two days now and hasn't once tried to sneak away to smoke a joint.
And besides, the guy can really play.
What's more, if you peruse Internet comments and radio call-ins, you'll find that anyone opposed to Vick is unforgiving, thinks they are God, is a PETA kook or a racist.
That sounds like a lot judgment passing to me. It's a good thing we have no right to do that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
5-22-2009 @ 12:44PM
horatiowrd said...
1st!!
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5-22-2009 @ 12:51PM
Havok said...
Love it, love it, love it!!!
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5-22-2009 @ 12:55PM
robert said...
He has already been judged, and that judge threw his sorry a$$ in prison where he belonged!
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5-22-2009 @ 1:10PM
ondaroof02 said...
yo
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5-22-2009 @ 2:05PM
thejunekid said...
He served the time the judge sentenced him for, if he is still fit to play, why shouldnt he? the judicial courts already found him guilty, he didnt get away with anything. if you think the sentence should have been harsher, thats one thing, but its over and done with and he should play.
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5-22-2009 @ 2:10PM
Puck said...
Jeez...I wish people would get this passionate about discussing the torture twins Bush/Cheney and the constant drone of the Drones dropping bombs to clear the way for the pipeline(s) through Afghanistan.
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5-22-2009 @ 2:16PM
Hobo Poet said...
Vick is garbage! If this idiot plays in the NFL ever again, I will completely disavow the league and everything it represents!!
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5-24-2009 @ 6:24PM
madvibes2k3 said...
YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR THE DUMMY!!!! ITS FUNNY HOW YOU PEOPLE HATE ON THIS MAN AND DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY HE REALLY WENT TO JAIL!! IT WAS BECAUSE OF UNPAID TAXES, NOT THE DEATH OF DOGS , WHY,BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH PROOF!!!! STOP HATEING AND GET WITH THE PROGRAM, A BLACK MANFIGHTS DOGS THAT WERE BRED IN ENGLAND IN THE 1800'S TO DO JUST THAT!!!!!!!!! DUMMY!
5-22-2009 @ 2:17PM
gregolo7 said...
Vick was Judged by the Courts and Public opinion.
He was found guilty.. He paid the price assesed to his crimes. Now he should be left alone with a clean slate to pursue his life's paths and continue to seek rehabilitative measures. I wish him good luck.. If we as a society can forgive and embrace our past enemies who killed millions of Americans.. German. Japan are 2 that comes to mind we can forgive Vick.. or at least give that deserved second chance to conform to societies norms.. I wish him good luck and God's ever present speed as he continues his journey
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5-22-2009 @ 2:18PM
Danny said...
Dogs are a man's best friend. What Vick did is unforgivable. He should be banned from the NFL for life. Any team that picks up that scumbag, their fans should boycott their gmaes. I don't care what service works he does for animals, we know its not really in his heart but a con job. Maybe we should put him in a bit with 10 killer dogs and let them rip him apart.
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5-22-2009 @ 2:26PM
bkind7x said...
If you get into the business of helping better society (which is run by people not dogs) then the animals will be better taken care of. People are more powerful and of higher intelligence than dogs if they are taught and want to learn and have an atmosphere with which they can learn in. This article does not create that type of atmosphere - is that a judgement?? Yes, a judgement and a fact. Mr. Vick has already been judged and paid off his debt. The idea is to pave a path that helps not only the dog world, but the people world who are surrounded by gangs .... to see there is a better way to live - and if you accommodate this path of hope for Mr. Vick there are many eyes watching who will choose life - rather than ganghood and your risk of getting robbed or killed by growing gang populations will be diminished rather than increased in the way you are suggesting that we promote. So, is that a judgement ?? no, that is factual analysis of what your philosophy will do (grow the streets) versus my philosophy of paving a path of hope for Vick that will open many paths of hope for people who want to work and live rather than bully for a living.
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5-22-2009 @ 2:46PM
bkind7x said...
There is a difference between making a judgement call and harrassing and literally trying to torture and even destroy someone's rehibilitation effort's. To do those things over and over again is destructive behavior. Everyone knows what Vick was involved in - he paid the price. Since he paid the price - we can only assume that he will also now be a better citizen. You want to write a failure story and could care less about society or animals - I want to produce a vision of a success story because I want the possibility of a better society where people learn how to treat one another better as well as pets. Is that my judgement - YES - is it true - YES - did you need to see that - YES - why cause maybe you don't realize what you are doing, because you cannot see through your blind hatred - just like Michael Vick needed someone from the outside to show him what he was doing wrong - you have also needed to see what you are doing wrong - perhaps not your intention - but now it has been brought to your attention - let's see if you silently accept the correction as well as Mr. Vick accepted his correction - or will you lash out another hateful article about Mr. Vick with which if Mr. Vick ever even said one out of the hundreds of hateful words you have said - he would have never even made it out of jail, and more people would have agreed with you; but Mr. Vick behavior has been quite excellent to boot.
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5-26-2009 @ 9:32AM
kelsonbryant said...
I don't know if his image can ever really recover from this, but what's done is done. Truth be told there are worse offenders out there when it comes to animal cruelty. He has served the time prescribed for the crime committed so now it's time to let it go. I'm sure the pit bulls of the world appreciate you guys for your passionate outcries of injustice but there's honestly no more you can do to get this man to show any further remorse for his actions. As a man, as a person, he's been at the lowest point of our society he could be for what he did. What else do you expect the man to say? I honestly never cared whether he was sincere or not, because the truth is NO ONE BUT HIM will ever know, and we all here have played the necessary cards at times to get where we need to be or get back where we want to be. Please people just douse the flames and put the pitchforks down because now you're looking just as ugly as he once did.
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5-22-2009 @ 3:25PM
mordess said...
Playing in the NFL is a priviledge, not a right. And what access Vick had to that priviledge, he blew away with his wanton self-absorbing acts of inhumanity. Yes, Michael Vick, go rehabilitate yourself -- perhaps by flipping hamburgers, sweeping hospital floors, etc ... but don't for on eminute think that he has a "right" to play now that he's out of prison.
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5-22-2009 @ 3:29PM
sam said...
vick was judged by the courts but he was not judge by the dead dog's family. Let those dog's still alive tear vick a new ass...
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5-22-2009 @ 3:33PM
bkind7x said...
Everyone can always use a redemption story ! Debt paid, out of debt ! Play ball. Can't wait to see Vick on the field !!
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5-22-2009 @ 3:43PM
Murph said...
i had a lot to say here about this subject.but after reading Bkind7x i think i will just let his words sink in a while.. think i'll go play ball in the yard with my dog
Murph
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5-22-2009 @ 4:31PM
bkind7x said...
(to mordess) Actually, playing football as good as Vick is an earned right not a privilege. It would be a privilege to have Mr. Vick on my team because he is so good, Mr. Vick earned the right to be such a good player by practicing. If Mr. Vick goes to a team and outcompetes the number 2 quarterback for the number 1 spot, then he earned the right to be the number 1 quarterback and that team is priviledged to have a quarterback who can fill the number 1 spot over the number 2 earned spot. If the NFL decides that it is a privilege that Vick does not deserve - well, then the NFL just took away from the fans the privilege of seeing the best and most competetive player's on the field during this time of history. If I were to be put on an NFL team in the number 1 quarterback spot THAT would be a privilege cause I can guarantee that the number 2 quarterback is a better player than myself.
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5-22-2009 @ 4:31PM
uub140 said...
They're only dogs. And, Mike is a peerless football player. Kill the damn dogs and let Mike be Mike.
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5-22-2009 @ 5:10PM
Jordan said...
Uhh I'm pretty sure the overwhelming outcry isn't "You can't judge him!!!" it's "He's paid his debt to society, let him live his life now" Which is the truth, he's paid his debt to society, more than any one of us has ever been punished and it's time we let him get his life back together.
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