Football quarterback Michael Vick is busy these days learning a new offence and a new role as back-up QB for the Philadelphia Eagles. A couple of years ago he was a starter with the Atlanta Falcons, a very talented player with one of the biggest contracts in the game.
Then Vick was arrested for his involvement in a dog-fighting ring. These fights are terrible under any circumstances but there was evidence that some animals kept at Vick's mansion were tortured, used as practice targets in the training of other dogs and killed. It was a despicable crime for which Vick was convicted, and sent to jail. He was also kicked out of the NFL and lost everything. Good. He wasn't allowed to escape prosecution because he was a high profile athlete.
Now he has served his prison time and been reinstated. The Eagles have taken a chance on him in a secondary role. Vick claims to have discovered a sustaining relationship with God and appeared contrite, although rather scripted, during a recent interview on Sixty Minutes.
Many media commentators and bloggers are less than impressed by his repentance and have expressed a high level of cynicism. I have no idea whether Vick is truly contrite and has begun a new life with God in it. While we all have to use good judgement, God has not appointed me to judge whether second chances should be granted. He has served his sentence and stated his intentions. Now it is up to him to show the world that he deserves a "do over."
I, too saw that interview. I was very sceptical at first, however...he talked about growing up in the ghettos and dog fighting being just part of the entertainment. Policemen would drive by and just nod. He grew up thinking it wasn't a crime. Where were the role models?
ReplyDeleteThose that are outraged by what he did probably watched Ted Kennedy's funeral this past weekend. It was a beautiful tribute to a not perfect man. As his son said "he believed in redemption". So should we.