by Linda Burleson

Created on: August 22, 2009   Last Updated: August 24, 2009

Dog fighting - who would have thought an NFL quarterback with exceptional athletic talent and a six figure salary would be involved in something so ugly and malilcious? The entire country was shocked day after day with the pictures on television of the dogs being severely abused and destroyed, until Michael's conviction and sentencing. Does this go on every day in places all over the world? It absolutely does. Is someone with the kind of celebrity that Michael Vick enjoys more accountable than others who participate in the same activity? If we adhere strictly to what the law says, the answer to that question should be no, but the reality is that the answer is yes. Many professional athletes have come forward in recent years to say that they should not have to be role models; nevertheless they are. They are looked up to and admired by many, from young children to adults. The media hyped the crime in such a way that a conviction was inevitible, as probably it should have been, but had the same media been responsible to follow through, perhaps they should have stayed on the story and cleaned up more of the dog fighting culture. We are given to understand that this is not uncommon where Michael grew up and many other places as well.

Psychology has told us that people who are cruel to animals will eventually be cruel to humans. We have seen in the background stories of many murderers and serial killers that they were cruel to animals when they were children. Perhaps this is the time to steer one to a path of kindness and the practice of the "Golden Rule". Obviously, no one did this with Mr. Vick. He stated in his defense that he had grown up with this kind of dog training and fighting. In listening to his on air apology, I heard a person who had been given a "pass" on things all of his life because of his ability on the gridiron. As the saying goes, we are all products of our environment. So is Michael Vick.

He expressed, what appeared to be, sincere remorse in his interview. He told how he planned to do public service with the Humane Society and with the youth who are experiencing the culture in which he got caught up. That is commendable. He could have just said, "I'm sorry and I won't do it again", but he has offered his celebrity to attempt to better the future of the community. He thanked many people for standing by him during his incarceration. Were these people wrong to do so? Were they just interested in Michael as a talented athlete?

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