The Michael Vick Double Standard

[Enrique]

http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-vick

(...)

Perhaps President Obama is setting a precedent by thanking Lurie for giving Michael Vick a second chance at being a productive citizen. With so many Americans in the correction system for victimless crimes, there is a need for reform to delineate between dangerous criminals and those who harm no one. There should not be a double-standard for star athletes, entertainers, or politicians who are hired as soon as their debt to society has been paid and regular citizens who still can contribute to society but have no fame or special skills.

The man who was caught with a prostitute should have the same opportunity as the man who killed dogs because they didn’t perform, but that is not the case. There is no equity in the system as it stands, and the way it works now the person who is not famous is most likely going to end up back in prison because they have no prospects for employment or the chance to contribute to society.

Americans love their athletes, and Michael Vick is a talented football player, but he is no better than the man convicted of recreational drug use. However, Vick got his second chance as he should have because he paid his debt to society according to the law. If Vick had been a clerk at Wal-Mart, he would not be given a second chance and the likelihood of him ending up back in prison because of a lack of a job would be all but certain. His crime, although atrocious, certainly did not warrant calls for execution, but if he were not a famous athlete, he may as well have been executed because the rest of his life would have been spent in prison.

(...)

[cottonseed]

1. I've got a pimple on my butt that can conjure up a more lucid article.

[Enrique]

2. i posted it because I thought it was a good article

what didn't you like about it?

[Sheepshank]

3. It appears you like every article that bashes Obama

nothing new going on here.

[frylock]

4. the truth of it

knr

[joshcryer]

5. Andy Reid is who lobbied for Michael Vick. Both of Andy Reid's sons were in jail.

The narrative begins with Andy Reid, not with Laurie. Anyone who attempts to start the narrative with Laurie has ulterior motives.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20100718_Andy_Reid_s_ordeals_and_triumphs.html

[WiffenPoof]

9. That Is An Excellent Point...

about Reid's sons. We tend to forget that in the narrative.

-PLA

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. Great point! Goes to show that redemption is possible. I'm sure that Andy

can relate.

Again, yet another opportunity to bash the president.

Delighted to unrecommend.

[joshcryer]

6. BTW, I do agree with the article on one point, and I don't see how Obama could disagree.

Michael Vick would absolutely not gotten a second chance if he worked for Wal-Mart. Which is why it was good of Obama to point out that Michael Vick had a second chance and deserved a second chance because so many prisoners deserve a second chance. But this concept is lost on far too many "progressives."

[ProSense]

7. Deep!

Another installment in searching for President Obama's "Katrina" or "Waterloo."

If Michael Vick weren't a prominent professional football player, this story wouldn't exist, and most people wouldn't give a damn about anyone in prison. So there is that.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. That's a good point. The people yelling and screaming are behaving

as is they give a shit about those locked up in prison. It's Vick! It's Obama! And that's the problem.

[Skittles]

17. no

actually, it was the dogs that was "the problem"

[mtnsnake]

13. What you are saying only solidifies the point that the OP is making

If Michael Vick weren't a prominent professional football player, this story wouldn't exist

That makes it even worse to think that Obama only cared because Vick was such a high profile professional athlete.

[JonLP24]

19. It is pretty much the

main reason why we are talking about him so much lately. An entire off-season goes by and he is rarely mentioned. When Philadelphia signed him this place blew up with threads but the topic died when he was riding the bench. Now that he is playing really well (at one point leading the league in yards per pass attempt which is interesting because before this season, his career yards per carry was better than his yards per pass attempt) we're suddenly talking about him. If he was still riding the bench very few would be talking about him.

[Karenina]

25. It's that "I WANT HIM TO FAIL" thang.

;-)

[xchrom]

8. Recommend

[CakeGrrl]

10. The President doesn't have anything to do with any double standard.

He made a comment to an organization who had already hired Vick. PAST TENSE.

If people actually think, the message the the President is trying to send is to those employers who hire average Americans: Here's an example of an employer who took a chance on an ex-convict and it's paying off for that employer.

If the article is trying to blame a double standard on the President, it fails.

Blame the justice system; blame the narrow-minded attitudes of the employers who won't give these other convicted individuals a chance.

[Skittles]

18. LOL

they took a chance on a dog-torturer, knowing he could play football and make them money. PLEASE.

[CakeGrrl]

23. Like it or not, that's their prerogative.

There's no use pissing and moaning about something they had the right to do. People here are just angry because they can't stand that anything took a positive turn for Vick in any way, shape or form.

Go take up the REAL issue with the other employers who won't hire people convicted of lesser offenses.

[emilyg]

27. Exactly.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. The Michael Vick Double Standard: Ben Roethlisberger

Never mind Ray Lewis...

:eyes:

[JVS]

15. Convicted of crimes vs. not even charged

[superduperfarleft]

24. Who?

Never heard of them...

[Tx4obama]

16. Info regarding The Second Chance Act - link below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x581497

[boppers]

20. If the man was torturing and killing prostitutes, I could see the point....

"The man who was caught with a prostitute should have the same opportunity as the man who killed dogs because they didn’t perform, but that is not the case."

Uhm, analogy FAIL. Torturing and killing living beings, and negotiating sex with them for money, is not the same thing.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. How Is It The President's Fault

How is it the president's fault that those with a unique talent can more easily shake the stigma of a felony than those without a unique talent?

[CakeGrrl]

28. It ISN'T - but that doesn't stop people from trying to tie it to him.

:crazy:

[Horned Owl]

22. Celebrity double standard

Just another example of the double standard. Celebrities and the rich often receive a second chance (and we praise their "redemption"), yet we eagerly eat our own. I would have preferred to have seen President Obama select another example for praise, but he doesn't (and probably shouldn't) listen to my preferences. The larger issue is how we are so quick to forgive the celebrity class and the wealthy class, while never hesitating to condemn and vilify the transgressors who live down the street.

[emilyg]

26. +1 Welcome to DU.