Originally Posted by soluna143' post='981368' date='Aug 18 2009, 07:45 PM

I wish all of you guys that are condemning Michael Vick to never play football again or feel that he is scum and should be wiped off the face of the Earth, take a step back and think things through. If one of your friends (an athlete) knowingly drank and drive and killed someone (or any other felony), are you saying you would be against him or her working again as an athlete? The fact is the guy went to prison, served his time, lost his fortune, and still got punished even after returning to his profession. It is ok to deplore what he did (I do as well), but allow the man a second chance (he had never had any other criminal offense).

Your second point about military being the real heroes I completely agree with. However, Michael Vick IS NOT A ROLE MODEL. Parents have to make the distinction to their children between role models and public figures. It is not Michael Vick's fault for deficiencies in parenting. As for pay scales, you have to admit there are not too many people that can do what these athletes can do. Its supply and demand man.

And finally, to all those who are claiming cruelty to animals is worst thing ever, have you seen how chickens are killed for food in this nation? Have you ever bought a puppy from those pet shops that get their puppies from puppy farms? have you every seen the living conditions of many livestock in this nation? It is a tad hypocritical to feel so righteous over this cause and not others.( for those that are active in animal rights groups, this does not pertain to you).

*off soapbox now* Rip away!

Originally Posted by Alpine White Girl' post='981460' date='Aug 18 2009, 07:09 PM

your first two paragraphs are spot on.

Originally Posted by soluna143' post='981469' date='Aug 18 2009, 09:16 PM

BTW Brett, over/under on 4 wins for the Chiefs this year? I think I might take the under .

Originally Posted by CWS530' post='980185' date='Aug 17 2009, 11:46 PM

I guess I'm a hypocrite Rog. I do make a distinction between the raising of animals by federal standards for health and hygiene to be killed quickly and processed into life-sustaining nutrition, as being different from the systematic and long-term torture, for purposes of profit and entertainment, of defenseless pack animals with the capacity to trust and show loyalty for their owners. Vick and his cronies laughed as they tortured and killed these dogs, used the weak ones for bait, and stole neighborhood pets belonging to small childeren to "feed" to their fighting dogs.

Why do I feel comfortable saying this? It's part of my culture, the very defense you tried to use, as Whoopie Goldberg so infamously did, to defend Michael Vick's actions. However, he was not a "poor, sheltered country boy livin' on the farm who don't know no better and needed the money." Not that such a scenerio would make it any less palatable.

Originally Posted by rogerj' post='981530' date='Aug 18 2009, 10:03 PM

Fair points Cal. I fear that I am being perceived as a Vick apologist, which I am not. I find his actions deplorable, but I also find his "bandwagon firing squad" full of complacency and hypocrisy. All passionate dog lovers know that abuse and abandonment is prevalent in their own community, so I fairly ask where all the concern and passion on this forum has been before Vick? Not to get too corny here, but consider this... you seem to justify animal killings that are controlled and regulated. To put one's self in the animal's environment, does it really matter if your brother, sister, father, mother, etc is killed for sport, or food..., or merely separated to be pets?

Originally Posted by CWS530' post='980166' date='Aug 17 2009, 11:25 PM

Is "hippocracy" some heretofore undersubscribed political system in which very large semi-aquatic mammals dominate governmental action?

Originally Posted by rogerj' post='981649' date='Aug 18 2009, 11:39 PM

Just caught this. Disclaimer: Roger is not responsible for claims, vocabulary, spelling, or vocabulary made while under the influence of Cisco.