Michael Vick's return to the NFL  

Completely agreed. His debt to society has been paid.

Dante Stallworth got drunk, got behind the wheel, killed someone, spent 30 days in jail, and then went back to playing.

Now, I find what Vick did to be nauseating. He tortured dogs for amusement and money; even in dog fighting circles his actions were extreme. And I think he should donate 10% of his contract to the HSUS and work to help educate and end dog fighting. I think he could be a powerful force in helping to end the practice.

I know the culture he's from; dog fighting is normal. Doesn't make it right, but many of the people who do it honestly believe there's nothing wrong with it. The Maid of Honor at my wedding was married to a dog fighter. She didn't participate to my knowledge, but her husband raised fighting dogs.

I'm not entirely sure Vick should be permanently banned from playing, especially considering that his crime didn't involve football. I want to be fair; I think he's a low life scum bag who should have his balls hooked up to a car battery, but I don't think it's fair to continue to punish him after he's done his time. especially if he can use his money and influence to help end dog fighting. Because I think it's more important to work to end dog fighting than it is to beat up Michael Vick, ya know?

Dante Stallworth got drunk, got behind the wheel, killed someone, spent 30 days in jail, and then went back to playing.

And that, in my opinion, is too light of a sentence.

Agreed. What I find an interesting commentary on our culture is the fact that everyone's making a huge deal out of Vick's return to the NFL after 2 years in jail and yet no one's freaking out that Stallworth got a slap on the wrist.

DANA!!! You have GOT to read this...


http://www.ridiculopathy....

lmao!!

I am happy that Michael Vick is returning to NFL. Tax payers are paying too much money housing people in jail. Longterm jail sentences should only be for rapists and murderers that cannot be rehabilitated. At least now he'll be working and will be paying some taxes. What he did was wrong but if he can now become a productive member of society then that is the way to go. Punishment rather than rehabilitation only hurts the working class.

He seems contrite, but time will tell. If he uses his money and influence to help end dog fighting, then in my eyes he will be fully redeemed. But he can't just pretend what happened didn't happen; he has to continue to show he has truly repented.

It is just another example of how the sports world dominates and does not care about rules and regulations. If you play well, you get excused for just about any damn thing. I also think it sets a horrible example for young athletes from every race, and sport. No one is held accountable. The ultimate punishment would have been to shun him from the NFL like the skating world did to Tonya Harding when she clubbed Nancy Kerrigan.

Maybe Vick should be tied to a tree and have angry NFL fans and PETA activists go at him with baseball bats and hockey sticks. If he lives, he can play. I would be ok with that.

but that's the thing; Kerrigan's offense was skating related and so of course she shouldn't be allowed to continue competing.

Sorry, I just realized I typed Kerrigan when I meant to type Harding.

Vick shouldn't be allowed to play, regardless if he was fighting footballs or pit bulls. He broke the law. He deserves punishment.

I absolutely agree. But according to the law, he HAS been punished. Maybe the answer lies in making the penalties harsher...he should have done more time.

I can certainly respect that view point. But as I said above, Dante Stallworth got drunk, got behind the wheel and killed a man and got a 30 day sentence and no one is calling for his banning from the NFL. It's troubling to me that we are more outraged over Michael Vick than we are over Stallworth.

As far as I'm concerned, it's no accident when you kill someone while drinking and driving. It's like pointing a loaded gun at me and then saying it was an accident when you pull the trigger. And even if it were and "accident" 30 days for taking a life is about as far from justice as you can get.

What is it with these football players? Donte Stallworth paid off the victim's family and you can bet that was a hefty sum. Perhaps if Vicks had been able to paid off a like amount for Pit Bull care he may only have got 30 days as well. There seems to be a different set of rules for star athletes as in both these guy's cases. Any ordinary person would have been thrown to the wolves

I completely agree. And it's not just football players; it's politicians and celebrities too. Famous people get treated differently in the justice system.

But we have to be careful that we don't swing too far in the other direction and treat people WORSE because they're famous.

That is very true but these people (celebrities and sports idol) are made an example of in the hopes of deterring young people from following in their footsteps.

But I'm not sure it's moral or ethical to make an example of someone just because they're famous any more than it's moral or ethical to give someone a pass because they're famous.

Someone's social status shouldn't play a role is dispensing justice if justice is indeed blind.

Agreed. I say, give him a chance to help end dog fighting--I'm more concerned about that than I am punishing Vick. Don't get me wrong; I think he's scum, but he's scum that could possible help put an end to a horrible and sick practice in this country.

I share your feelings--the anger, disgust and outrage. My personal feelings are that he's a POS who hasn't suffered nearly enough. But, the just part of my nature questions if it's moral to deny him the right to make a living in his chosen profession when his crime had nothing to do with that profession.

However, the message that if you're rich or famous enough you can get a free pass on your behavior isn't something we can ignore either.

You make an excellent point about him not having to start at the bottom. You are right indeed that most people would have to start over after doing time. That part does seem unfair, doesn't it?

Are you kidding me? I didn't realize Canada's justice system was so ridiculous. Wow.