As a spectator I am watching the Michael Vick and dog fighting allegations unfold and like many feel that these charges are very disturbing. I am not a dog owner and still knowing of such underground activities and abuse to our canine earth dwelling counterparts is extremely saddening. I think most reasonable people have that same feeling. However, I have spent hours listening and watching journalist and reporter after reporter weigh in on this whole debacle and I am amazed to their call to arms of the NFL, Atlanta Falcons organization, and Michael Vick after the preliminary allegations have come out.
Maybe I am one of few that look at the circumstances from less of an emotional response and practice a much needed look at the whole picture before calling for the head of any one with out being provided the facts. I think of the Duke case and allegations wondering how the media has a short memory and learning nothing from a rush to judgment. The common argument to that sensible statement is that “We are not dealing with a rogue prosecutor, who is up for re-election that criminally prosecuted a group of young men without having any evidence.” I am not the smartest individual but when the media was running a muck of the due process that this country hangs its hat on in regards to the criminal process in the Duke case, we had no idea that there was a rogue prosecutor that forever changed the lives of the Duke players. However, media know it alls, over zealous activist rushed to judge and pushed the envelope that helped hang these boys before the facts were readily available. There are many similarities that are prevalent in this case considering the only facts we know are very limited. We know that Michael Vick owns a home that police officials found evidence of dog fighting during the execution of a search warrant. That’s all we know. We also heard commentary that was unsubstantiated on ESPN’s Outside The Lines from a robotic altered voice from an individual who claims he is an undercover agent for dog fighting rings. Michael Vick has said that he has not participated in this activity and will actively fight all charges.
Suddenly, we are strategically a week before training camp opens for the Falcon’s amidst Federal Indictments of Vick and three associates of federal conspiracy charges alleging they bought and sponsored dogs in a fighting venture and traveled across state lines to participate in illegal activity, including gambling. Within 24 hours of the charges there is an outcry from special interest groups, Congressmen and women, and especially sports reporters, columnists and contributors that beg for his automatic suspension from his job. The argument of these zealots come so premature with out even allowing him to have his first minute in court. They have not even allowed the man, who still contrary to what many rush to judgment forgets, to thrive on the fact that he is innocent until proven guilty. But wait the federal government brought the charges so they have to be concrete. I pose this rhetorical questions “Have the Federal Government ever gotten it wrong and prosecuted the wrong person?” MMH! I wonder.
This case has amazing similarities to the Duke case. The main connection is the political influence that seems to operate as The Black Hand pulling strings. You can’t tell me that special interest groups such as PETA, and other groups didn’t pull federal “purse strings” to put pressure levied against Vick. I don’t know if Vick is a Dog Fighter King Pin or not. What I do know is that earlier this year he said he denied the allegations and to my knowledge I have heard no reporting or facts that he has lied in the past. I don’t know of constant legal battles of a criminal nature during his tenure in the league. So why should I automatically throw him to the wolves with out hearing a thread of evidence or facts. I am not a legal scholar but I do know that attaching a conspiracy charge to the indictment is a tool that broadens the spectrum to allow circumstantial evidence to weigh heavier on a defendant in the event there is no smoking gun. I find it peculiar of the timing of the indictments and how quick to arms PETA rallied to apply pressure. If Nike feels it necessary to suspend his new shoe then from a business stand point I think that is there business prerogative. As far as his employer, and the league forcing him out because of unfounded charges at this point is premature and irresponsible. The precedent set by this will be irreversible. What happens when the next NFL player is charged with sexual assault? Because of the charges with out an arraignment or proof is this player automatically done. Why can’t he even have a day in court to here the charges brought against him? I think that this whole ordeal is politically driven lynching. Vick has the name recognition for these charges and it has allowed Senators to scream “Barbaric, Barbaric” in tears and other incoherent rants. It allows ambulance chasers like Al Sharp ton, and Russell Simmons to get out in front calling for his head, his career, and his lively hood. If they are wrong and he is not guilty, there is no case against him and this is a smoke screen to massacre the man because he was a bad landlord? No one apologizes or admits they were wrong and his life is forever changed. If being a bad homeowner is the new crime on humanity, I would like to see every inner city home owner that rents to neighborhood drug dealers put on the cross next to Vick for their irresponsibility and contributing in lieu of to the delinquency of our communities due to drug sales. Because at this point that’s about the equivalent of facts that we know that Michael Vick is guilty.
I hope that the NFL and Falcon’s looks to Duke University as a blueprint of how not to handle pressure from overzealous activist and interest group and they stick to some sort of integrity to the employee that earned the privilege to be the face of their league and organization. All I ask is that there is some sense of journalistically integrity to not past judgment until they know the resolution of the case.
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