With Michael Vick recently returning home from putting his time in, albeit under house arrest, it's hard not to wonder whether he will be able to return to the NFL. No one doubts that he has, or had, star quarterback talent, but the problem arises with which team would be willing to take a chance on bad public relations by signing this guy.
Personally, if I were owner of a pro team, I wouldn't have any problem signing him to a contract.
The way I look at is, if Vick had power and influence, not just money, he would have been able to get away with his crimes and also have support behind him. It is unfortunate that someone with his ability has to allow it to be squandered.
It also doesn't help that people treat animals better than people. Don't believe me? Than why is it not OK for Vick to torture and even in some cases kill dogs, but it is OK for Dick Cheney, et al, to torture and kill people? And I don't just mean in the legal sense. No one in their right mind can say that Cheney has taken as much heat as Vick did when the dog-fighting ring was uncovered. It is a sad, sad day when American dogs are favored over foreign people.
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Presidents and vice presidents lead by example, whether they want it to be that way or not, and when they endorse violence against fellow human beings, other Americans are going to start following suit, and Vick is just one of those people caught in the crossfire.
So unless we can start treating people with the respect they deserve at every level of government and society, people like Mike Vick will always get my sympathy.
STEVE LOCHNER
Vineland
