Michael Jackson and Michael Vick. It's amazing how some people can't let shit go.

[OwnedByCats]

139. Nobody really knows if MJ was a child molester

Nobody will ever know, unless some video footage comes out, which is highly unlikely. He absolutely should have set some boundaries, it however doesn't make him a child molester. I don't know how anyone can know with complete conviction that he was. I have a lot of trouble doing that when I wasn't there.

Michael Vick, well seeing as how I don't think there is any question of his involvement, I have my reasons as to why I don't let go my bitterness over the whole thing. To make clear, I don't wish death or horrible disease on him but I haven't forgiven him because I don't forgive animal abuse. It's not a race thing, I don't care who does it. Makes no difference to me one iota. Not that it matters anyway. He doesn't need my forgiveness.

Here's the thing. Animal abuse hits me at my very core, in a devastating way. I have issues with animal abusers. It happens all around and I can't get away from it. I can't shut myself off from the world. I also can't help animals without knowing the abuse happens. I feel horrible about what the animals went through, how they were afraid, how they suffered, how they died. If I feel horrible for them, then it makes me miserable with a sadness I can't explain. It's how I'm wired. Some of it stems back to something that happened when I was 16. I always loved animals, always hated abuse of them. However, once I actually witnessed at only 16 years old an act of cruelty performed right in front of me and I couldn't stop it and save that animal, it traumatized me. It increased my hatred for it a million fold. I never wanted to kill a person ever in my life until that day. It's scary to actually feel, with no rationality at all, like you want to kill someone in a rage. If I had not been held back by several other people, I would have fought tooth and nail to do it in that moment. I probably wouldn't have succeeded as I had no real lethal weapon at hand, but it doesn't change the fact that it was scary to actually want to do it. Then I have to live through the guilt of not being able to stop it for the rest of my life no matter that I was powerless to do so. I still think if I had predicted what this person was setting out to do, I could have prevented it. Yes, I know - how was I to know? It doesn't stop the guilt for me though.

Michael Vick is just one of thousands who commit abuse to animals but we talk about him specifically because he's a well known celebrity. All abusers are scum. His conduct since leaving prison rubs me the wrong way too. It's not the talks at schools to tell kids not to get involved in dog fighting, it's not what he's done with the Humane Society, it's the fact that he has never reached out to those who helped his dogs. Never offered money to those who used their own to help his dogs, has not even asked how they are. Then he started complaining that he couldn't have pets in his home and his kids are missing out. Firstly, he should have thought about that before doing what he did. Secondly, that ban was temporary. All he had to do was wait 3 years for the ban to expire. Other people have been banned for life on much less forms of abuse, as they should. Then when it expired, he got two dogs, which made my stomach turn at the thought. Then we have the photo ops at Petsmart, him going for dog training. Was that really necessary? Why not hire a private dog trainer at his home, no pictures leaked to the press? Why did this need to come out? Well, I think we all know the reason for that.

I did not think he should serve a life sentence, but I did not feel he should have been allowed back in the NFL. How many other people can leave prison and land a job paying millions, or be able to slide back into their old one? Parolees struggle to live the straight life, but end up back in the system because they can't get anywhere, particularly if they are black. He seems to have landed perfectly on his feet after everything while others leaving prison on far less heinous crimes can't get anywhere.

It's mainly my issues that makes it impossible for me to forgive. If others want to forgive him, that's fine. I won't be mad about that. But others have got to understand - while they may be better people than me, I just can't do it.