If Michael Vick is found guilty, when should, if ever, he be allowed to play football again?

Question

Should the league suspend him forever if he is found guilty? Why? Does being an athlete make your behavior any more restrictive than others. For instance, would you say the same thing about a house painter? A carpenter? An architect?

Answer 1

Dog Fighting is one of the most barbaric 'sports' in existence today. Although illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the people who fight Pits operate underground, making them very difficult to catch and successfully prosecute. The people involved in animal fighting operate in very closed circles, and the fights themselves are held in remote and secret locations.

What is Dog Fighting?
Dog fighting is seen as those involved as a 'sport'. It is in reality a vile 'contest' where two dogs (who have been bred, conditioned and trained to fight) are put into a pit to fight each other for the entertainment and gambling pleasure of the spectators. The fights usually last about an hour, but can last longer than two hours. The 'match' ends when one of the dogs either will not or cannot carry on.

Animal Cruelty
The injuries sustained by the dogs involved in fighting are severe and frequently fatal. These dogs are extremely powerful and are capable of doing serious damage to each other. The people who fight these dogs cannot take the dogs to a regular vet for fear of exposure to the law, so they generally 'medically treat' the dogs themselves, with little to no knowledge of veterinary medicine. As a result, these dogs frequently die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion and infection.

If a dog loses a match, the owner of the 'losing dog' frequently kills the dog... and not by humane methods. The dogs who lose matches are often left to die of their injuries, are shot or even electrocuted. The owners do this out of anger because the dog has embarrassed them by losing, or has cost them a lot of money, or to keep the fighting dog bloodlines 'pure' by removing that losing dog from the gene-pool.

Some owners also train their dogs for fights by using smaller animals as bait (cats, rabbits, small dogs). These animals are usually pets that have been stolen for this use, or acquired through the 'free to good home' ads.

The Pit Bull Problem

State Laws

Although dog fighting is illegal everywhere in the US, dog fighting laws differ by state in the ways that they impact the perpetrators. In states that do not ban keeping or selling fighting dogs, law enforcement must actually catch the offenders in the act of fighting the dogs to be able to successfully prosecute. It is extremely difficult to infiltrate animal fighting circles, though people who fight animals are easily identified by the condition of their dogs, the training equipment and drug paraphernalia they possess. The below information is accurate as of July 2005.

Dog fighting: Is a felony in 48 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.. it is still a misdemeanor in the states of Idaho and Wyoming. It is legal in American Samoa and considered a violation in Guam.

Possession of dogs for fighting: Is a felony in 42 states, Washington DC, and the Virgin Islands. It is a misdemeanor in the states of Indiana, New York, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. It is still legal in the states of Georgia, Idaho and Nevada, and in American Samoa, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Being a spectator at a dog fight: Is a felony in only 20 states and the Virgin Islands. It is a misdemeanor in the states of Alaska, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachussetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. It is also a misdemeanor in Washington DC and Puerto Rico. It is still legal in the states of Georgia and Hawaii, and in American Samoa and Guam.

Click here to view charts of comprehensive state dog fighting laws.

A Community Problem
Many people are either unaware or turn a blind eye to obvious signs of dog fighting in their community. They shouldn't. Dog Fighting is a community problem for many reasons, including:

Dog fighters are often involved in the sale and possession of drugs, as well as illegal weapons. The weapons are present due to the large amount of cash present for betting upon the matches.
Dog fighters and spectators have a history of violent and criminal behavior towards people.
Dog fighting is another entertainment activity for gangs.
It is not uncommon for dog fighters or spectators to involve their children in dog fighting. Research shows that young children who view this type of violence have a greater acceptance of aggressive attitudes and behavior. These children are taught to believe that it's ok to inflict the cruelties they observe and that dog fighting is an acceptable practice.
The dogs that are used for fighting have been selectively bred for animal aggression. Their presence in the community increases the risk of attacks on other animals and also people.
What can I do to help?
For more information, a copy of your state's statute, or for tips on how to make your state's law more effective, you can contact the HSUS Government Affairs Section at 202-452-1100 or email [e-mail]
If you live in a state where dog fighting is still only a misdemeanor, please write to your state legislators and urge them to make it a felony.
You are also encouraged to write letters to the media to increase public awareness of the dangers of dog fighting and to law enforcement officials to urge them to take the issue seriously. You can find a sample letter here. You can also display the HSUS dog fighting poster in your community.
If you suspect that dog fighting is going on in your neighborhood, alert your local law enforcement agency.
Source(s):
http://www.pitbullrescuesandiego.com/lea...

Answer 2

Everyone makes a great point about him having paid his debt to society (although he has a really long way to go to pay his debt to those dogs). What we forget is that as a professional football player he is automatically a role model in this country. Millions of young boys dream of a career just like his. Because of this, the responsibility of being a good role model is thrust upon these players, and Michael Vick is never going to be a good role model again. Should he be left alone? Yes. Should he be allowed to work in a place where he is in the public eye and receives accolades? No. Let him go get a job as a high school football coach-and he can teach the kids respect for animals at the same time. If he was a sex offender we wouldn't even be talking about this. And remember that people who abuse animals are more likely to become serial killers. He served his time, but I would wager he did not understand his sentence or learn anything.

Answer 3

My knee jerk reaction to this would be to say that he should be suspended for life. However, if the man is sentenced to jail and does his time, he should be allowed to work wherever he likes. However, the NFL owners also have the right not to hire him. And yes, being an athlete does make your behavior more restrictive then others. They are paid to play in front of an audience. If an owner were stupid enough to have him on his team, he very possibly would lose money as a direct result of what Vick has done. The same can't be said of the other jobs you mentioned. I personally would never want to see any game that he would play in, and if he were to be given the chance, I would be one of the many who would hope that he fails miserably.

Answer 4

While the dog-fighting charge is reprensible; whether he should play or not depends on the terms of his contract.

Unless the football team that he plays for has a written agreement with him that allows them to terminate the contract due to a felony conviction, he should be allowed to play and complete his contract or be paid out not to play for the duration of the remainder of his contract.

Will animal rights activisit boycott his games, most likely. Will he like receive any endorsement deal, most likely not.

Answer 5

I think he should be suspended forever because he is in the public eye and people look up to him!
With great power comes great responsibility. He obviously couldn't handle the responsibility of
A) The Law
B) Treating living things with kindness and respect

Because of this, I think the power should be taken away as well.

Answer 6

He should be suspended indefinitely. Your argument doesn't stand because a house painter or an architect, do not represent American sports, which is very popular, unlike house painters.

Answer 7

He's about to make a plee bargan for one year in prison or less. The DA offered one year. He won't play football again.

Answer 8

the guy before has the right idea, a house painter or an architect doesn't represent all of america's football leauge.

Answer 9

The NFL is an employer.

They do not automatically reject "applicants" or "employees" based on a felony criminal record.

While it may be our opinion that he should not play again, it is the NFL's choice to allow him to continue "work" with them.

It is your choice as an individual to not support him or his team if you feel strongly against it.

Answer 10

Yes, he should have the right to earn a living in his field. Dog fighting isn't the same as being a pedophile so he shouldn't have any more restrictions than the average felon.

Answer 11

if charles mansion had an arm, he'd still be in the nfl.....murder or no murder......Americans are more than happy to reward criminal behavior....just ask OJ