Hey guys, I don't really post in WEPR that much because I don't consider myself intelligent enough to debate against others, but I was reading articles on ESPN, like I usually do, and I found a news article that I found particularly interesting and out of the ordinary, since most ESPN articles are recaps of games that happened recently. The article basically described Fox News' Tucker Carlson's point of view on the controversy surrounding NFL quarterback Michael Vick, who, as most of you may know, was sentenced to jail about 3 years ago and was released last year. I know that it's kind of old news, but I want to know your guys' opinions on Tucker Carlson's statement. Do you agree? Disagree? And please explain your thoughts.
What did he do? Dogfighting? Well execution is a little harsh, don't you think? I am unsure of what he did, but if it was bad enough to get an execution he would have gotten more than three years.
When we think of execution, we think of serial murders, terrorism in succession, heavy kidnap/**** charges, plotting against the country in allegiance, and otherwise other miscellaneous exaggerated mayhem. Dogfighting? Come on. Sure, that's something that can turn your insides out, but it's not serious or heavy enough to get an execution.
What did he do? Dogfighting? Well execution is a little harsh, don't you think?
Thanks for linking it, I should've known to highlight a text and make that as a link... But anyway, he did participate in dogfighting, but it was extremely cruel treatments to the dogs, as in he had nooses for the dogs that he would kill. Also, I feel stupid for not giving a back story, so for those who didn't follow the story closely would have a say in it:
If you didn't know before, now you know that he was arrested for cruel treatment of dogs, and when he entered prison, he was immediately looked down upon and he was considered a "low-life" or "scumbag" and people were saying he should never be released from prison. When he was released from prison, there was still some controversy surrounding Vick. Shortly after his release, he was offered a contract to be a backup (in case the starting player gets injured, he comes in and plays) for the Philadelphia Eagles (Football team located in Philadelphia, PA). He hardly played on the field but he was receiving help from people with good character off of the field (which is another way of saying he was having people help him rebuild character). Things started getting better for him. This NFL season, he openly stated that he realized that he seriously messed up (talking about his dogfighting activities) and now, he's starting to come to various schools around the country to talk about the importance of having good character, meaning he's almost completely turned his life around. And that's the back story in a nutshell.
When we think of execution, we think of serial murders, terrorism in succession, heavy kidnap/**** charges, plotting against the country in allegiance, and otherwise other miscellaneous exaggerated mayhem. Dogfighting? Come on. Sure, that's something that can turn your insides out, but it's not serious or heavy enough to get an execution.
Once again, I'm very sorry for double posting, but Freakenstein, I swear I said the exact same thing. People are making the Vick controversy seem a lot worse than it really is. People are making him seem like a serial killer. Obviously killing dogs is wrong but execution is going too far. He also served his time, unlike most celebrities who are released early for no reason, and when he got out of prison he realized what he did was wrong. Obviously if he didn't care about what he did, he wouldn't have another chance, or support from President Obama himself.
Freakenstein, I swear I said the exact same thing.
You did? I don't--oh, you mean when you read it (lol).
Then there's the part about him actually (willingly) going around spreading good speeches about building character and openly stating that he committed some bad acts. Dogfighting, the heaviest parts of it albeit, is a serious felony, but not serious enough to retaliate with lethal injection. He did his time, his act was totally reformed, and now he is taking his reform and spreading it to others.
Now, I'm not one that enjoys hearing so much drama about a celebrity (doing drugs, being apathetic, committed murders, drinking excessively, etc.), but this event is a *good* story, being that he truly accepts the consequences of his actions and is willing to redeem himself.
There are a handful of celebrity beanbag toys in my hand that shrug off their released-early crimes to just continue it again.
"But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did [it] in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the president of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs?"
I agree, 'executed' is a bit harsh, but that's not the main point.
I think it's absolutely ridiculous that Obama thanked the Eagles for taking Vick in. Vick did not deserve the sympathy. If Obama honestly felt bad that Vick was having difficulties, then Obama should get his priorities straight! There are many people who's lives are ruined because they committed a victimless crime. Vick murdered dogs. Dog fights are absolutely horrible. Vick did serve his time, but he's a millionaire football player.
If Vick was having a hard time getting a job in general and someone hired him to do a regular job, then I wouldn't be so offended.
When he was released from prison, there was still some controversy surrounding Vick. Shortly after his release, he was offered a contract to be a backup (in case the starting player gets injured, he comes in and plays) for the Philadelphia Eagles (Football team located in Philadelphia, PA). He hardly played on the field but he was receiving help from people with good character off of the field (which is another way of saying he was having people help him rebuild character). Things started getting better for him. This NFL season, he openly stated that he realized that he seriously messed up (talking about his dogfighting activities) and now, he's starting to come to various schools around the country to talk about the importance of having good character, meaning he's almost completely turned his life around.
Touching story, that doesn't change the fact he was involved with dog fighting.
His change of heart does not make up for what he has done nor does his attempt to turn his life around deserve any praise.
I don't play on people being 'reformed.' He isn't reformed. I'm fairly sure he would probably do it again, but he is also smart; he won't do it again because he knows he will be arrested.
I detest the Eagles for giving a convicted felon a multimillion dollar contract, especially what he did. Never mind the felon part, it takes a sick person to torture and kill defenseless animals. In the methods that he did, that's where I find fault. Hangings, electrocutions, all variety of nasty things. I wouldn't find it so disgusting if he had just flat out shot them, quick and easy. The process was several fold more vicious than the outcome.
The man should never have been given a second chance for what he did. You don't give normal people second chances like that, do you? This double standard needs to end, and it needs to end now. The league needs to permanently ban all convicted felons, regardless of the crime. They especially need to ban people involved in such crimes as this, against animals or other human beings.
Touching story, that doesn't change the fact he was involved with dog fighting.
It was supposed to be the back story, so those who didn't follow the story would know what happened.
I know that I was going off on a bit of a tangent, and I obviously know that what he did was a horrible, horrible thing, but I should've focused on my main argument: People are blowing this out of proportion. I really don't want to repeat myself again because that leads to locked threads (from my experience in other sections of the forums), but people are seeing him as a serial killer, and that's ignorant on their part.
I think it's absolutely ridiculous that Obama thanked the Eagles for taking Vick in
I don't think it's ridiculous that he thanked the Eagles for that, but it's ridiculous that he spends his time praising these sports franchises, when he should be spending more time being focused on our country as a whole, but that's for a different thread.
Obviously I'm defending Vick, because I believe in second chances for people who realized that they did wrong (if he murdered people I would probably side with Carlson, no matter what), but after a night of thinking about this, I decided that if he were to get another chance in the NFL, he should've been paid the minimum (which is $400,000 I think), with none of it guaranteed, and have him receive bonuses for the good he's done off the field.
Execution is more than a little extreme. Mind you it's Fox News so it's not really much of a new source as it is a biased rambling of fear mongerers.
However, here's how I look at the situation: Vick was convicted and did his time. Vick lost millions of dollars, and several assets due to this. Vick is a terrible person outside of football.
However, he is still a player, and the league didn't ban him, therefore someone is going to pick him up regardless. The team won't care so much for what he's done outside of football so long as he's served his time (which he did). Let me stress this once more SOMEONE would have picked him up. Why? Vick is one of the greatest quaterbacks in the NFL. A team doesn't care about his image so long as he makes efforts to appear reformed. They care about what he does on the field.
Execution is more than a little extreme. Mind you it's Fox News so it's not really much of a new source as it is a biased rambling of fear mongerers.
Again, the point was missed. Execution was extreme, but the point of the rant was the fact that Vick should not be forgiven so easily.
y know that what he did was a horrible, horrible thing, but I should've focused on my main argument: People are blowing this out of proportion. I really don't want to repeat myself again because that leads to locked threads (from my experience in other sections of the forums), but people are seeing him as a serial killer, and that's ignorant on their part.
You take in as many dogs as you can and you make them as mean as possible. You have two different kinds of dogs. You have dogs that are taught to kill, and you have training dogs. You use the training dogs as punching bags and they are often shredded apart by the main dogs. If they don't die, they are locked up until the next day when they must fight other dogs. Many dogs who fail to perform well are often killed.
Micheal Vick is a millionaire football player. He was caught abusing animals. Yes, he did his time, but does that mean he should continue living as if nothing happened? No, he should still suffer consequences for his action. Of course, if someone wants to hire them, then that's okay. I think it's absolute BS he's going back into football to make millions of dollars again, but what can I say?
But why am I frustrated with Obama for thanking the Eagles for taking Vick in? Vick served his time and this is a second chance, why hate Obama?
It's a moral issue. I am absolutely insulted that Obama backs up ******* ****faced mother ****er celebrities who abuse animals. Should Obama have made it impossible for Vick to get his career back? No. Obama should have kept his nose out of it.
There are so many ex-cons who's lives are ruined. Many of these ex-cons were busted for victimless crimes. Those are the people who deserves a second chance.
Lastly, Vick is playing football again. It's not like Vick had a problem finding a job in general, like most people do. Vick had a problem going back into the career of being a multimillionaire celebrity. If NOBODY wanted to hire Vick, and some regular company took him in, then Obama should praise the company. Obama shouldn't praise the Eagles. If you commit a crime, what you do may stick with you for the rest of your life. Vick is a pampered nobody, a peasant in my eyes.
Really I find that all punishments for celebrities and professional athletes go this way: Famous person is caught doing something illegal, gets the equivalent of a slap on the wrist, then goes back to doing whatever they did before minus illegal action. Makes me mad but sadly I cant do much about it.
I believe that Vick's sentence was much too short. I believe he got about 1 and a half years because he decided to plead guitly instead of letting the trial go on. If I remember correctly, if he had not plead guilty, he could have served up to 5 years for each dog killed, equeling a grand total of about 40 years. As I said, Vick's punishment should have been more severe.
I think that life may be excessive, but as I said, had he pleaded not guilty but had been found guitly by the jury, he could have gotten up to 40 years. That is basically any productive years of his life.
I say that murder can only be solved by killing the man who performed the murder. Not only should Vick die, he should die at the hands of five really hungry dogs, so he knows the fear that the animals he killed. Also, all the people that participated, or knew about the ring and didn't contact authorities, should suffer a similar fate. If you saw humans who had been starved clawing at eachother to get to some meat that only the last man surviving gets, wouldn't you contact autorities and have everyone arrested? If you caught them doing that, then they would probably be put in jail for accessories to murder, at the lightest form of punishment.
Dog fighting, **** fighting, and any fight of a deadly nature should be shut down, and the people partaking in it should be killed. No questions asked.
