On the Vick saga

Halls of Justice Painted Green
Money Talking
Power Wolves Beset Your Door
Hear Them Stalking
Soon You'll Please Their Appetite
They Devour
Hammer of Justice Crushes You
Overpower

The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can't Believe the Things You Say
I Can't Believe
I Can't Believe the Price You Pay
Nothing Can Save You

Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real

Metallica - ...And Justice for All

Pacman Jones got in a brawl at a strip club -probably not the best of ideas, but he'll be forgiven. Tank Johnson had enough guns in his house to storm the Vatican - we forgave him, and didn't even raise a fuss when he was allowed to play in the Superbowl. Iverson kicked his naked wife out of his house - and we forgave him (everyone's wanted to just kick their woman out of the house some time or the other, right? Right?). Jamaal Lewis served time in prison for helping to set-up a cocaine sale - and he was forgiven. Then we get to Ray Lewis - the man was implicated in someone's stabbing. The dude died for crying out loud! - yet we forgave him. But lastly is Mr. Michael Vick. He made the mistake of messing with dogs - and he will NEVER be forgiven.
America's an affluent countr, so we have the luxury of doling on our pets, specifically our cats and dogs. They become our companions and part of our family. Shit, the last time I cried was when my dog died. Our pets need us to live, so they are always there. You don't have to deal with rivalries or jealousy or greed or any of the other petty things that make human-to-human relationships so damn difficult. With the amount people work in this country, often human to animal relationships are the only ones we have time for, sadly enough. So when someone hurts our beloved animals, well it raises the ire of the nation.
With the amount of murders and other tragedies in this country, it seems like we're almost desensitized to these things. You don't see a People for the Ethical Treatment of People. Animals are seen as small and defenseless, and so they will always be a sympathetic figure. As much as I love animals, PETA just seems insane to me sometimes. Seriously, get a fucking job! But anytime there is even the slightest hint of animal cruelty, there is PETA, ready to fight on behalf of the tiny creatures that can't speak for themselves.
So whether Vick was personally involved with the dog fights or not, he's fucked. I mean, let's suppose he wasn't directly involved, I find it hard to believe that he had no clue what was happening on his property. He didn't notice the charge for twenty dog kennels on his credit card bill? Even if we give Vick the benefit of the doubt, the man is fucked. His reputation has been sullied beyond repair. Athletes, especially African-American athletes, are placed under a degree of scrutiny not felt by any other public figures. Politicians, musicians and actors always seem to be able to get away with what athletes are crucified for. Athletes are seen as being pampered and coddled and overpaid for playing a child's game. Their salaries are directly based on our, the fans, attendance of their events, and all we ask in return is that they be model citizens. It seems rather hypocritical that while selling drugs will give a rapper "legitimacy," it would serve only to vilify an athlete, but life is intrinsically not fair. While the majority of athletes are not only modern citizens, but go above and beyond that, giving much back to their communities, it is the few that take part in less honorable behaviors that always seem to garner national attention, which is truly a shame.
I've never been the biggest Vick fan, always felt he's been highly overrated and I just never bought the hype, but I kinda have to feel for the man. He's been named guilty by the general public before he's even been given a fair trial. Is some of this his own doing? Undoubtedly. Dog fighting charges don't just come out of nowhere. But the man is being publicly hung (not to mention the fact that the ugly racial divide in this country is once again rearing its head). A black athlete involved in dog fighting? Sorry Mike, but you're fucked. Your endorsements, your appeal, your overall celebrity... say goodbye to it. It's done, over. Good luck Vick, you're gonna need it. Next time maybe just kick a baby. No one likes them.