Is Michael Vick the Devil?

I'm not quite certain that I understand, so maybe you can help me out.

Correct me if I'm wrong -- but it was my understanding that the point of incarceration was to remove a criminal from society, thus providing the opportunity for one to reflect on the crimes perpetrated (and as punishment for said actions).

Again, correct me if I'm wrong -- but this is what happened with Michael Vick. He committed an admittedly HEINOUS crime and served 2 years as punishment, in addition to the hundreds of millions in lost salary & endorsements. He had to file for bankruptcy protection as his liquid assets were quickly wiped out. He missed valuable time with his young children, even missing the birth of his youngest daughter. He must live daily with the fact that he allowed something unconscionable to happen on his watch, nearly losing everything that he had in the process. So why was this not enough?

The man hasn't played in the NFL in 3 years but there are some who feel that this is not punishment enough. When the Eagles announced yesterday that they'd signed him, the reaction was so mixed... some immediately sold their season tix online, while some were frothing at the mouth just thinking about the offensive nightmare the Birds could become.

There are some that will never give him a chance to prove that he's learned from his mistakes and that he can become an example for others. The man isn't even 30 years old -- he has PLENTY of time to make things right. Speaking of making things right, I'm further confused by the fact that Donte Stallworth did not generate a fraction of the outrage expressed toward Michael Vick. Let's look at the "tale of the tape" shall we?

Michael Vick
Crime: Financing a vicious dogfighting ring, conducted at a residence that he owned.

Punishment: Two year jail sentence & concurrent NFL suspension, expected to extend into October. Not allowed to own dogs anymore.

Public Reaction: Extreme outrage, to the extent that some would have him killed in the same manner as the dogs.

Donte Stallworth
Crime: Got high & drunk while out partying one night. Drove his luxury car down a busy street and plowed into a motorist, killing him.

Punishment: Thirty day jail sentence & 1 year NFL suspension. Never allowed to drive again. Also made settlement with family as part of his plea.

Public Reaction: Has there been any? This got nowhere near the airtime & scrutiny that Vick got the day the Eagles signed him, let alone since the incident first happened.

And don't even get me started on Rick Pitino...

Sure, the public reacted to Stallworth -- but can anyone in their right mind say that it even compares to Vick? Vick's actions led to the deaths of scores of dogs, while Stallworth got high/drunk and killed a human being. Unless we're giving Stallworth a pass for being inebriated, I just don't get it. Human beings will always come before dogs on my hierarchy, no matter how you slice it. Who would you rather your daughter bring home: a dogfighter or a serial rapist? Again, I'm not saying that it's okay, but I feel like it needs to be put into perspective a bit. Dogfighting is cruel, but deer hunting for sport is even worse in my opinion. Killing those innocent animals just to put a new head on your wall? I guess killing is perfectly moral when you have a license for it.

I'm not saying that Vick is an angel -- I know he screwed up BIG TIME and committed a DEPLORABLE act... but much like a man who has cheated on his wife, he is asking for a second chance. He has paid his debt to society and is looking to become a productive member again. I just ask that we give the man a chance to make good on his promise. Now if he pulls an Adam "Pacman" Jones and relapses by even so much LOOKING at a dog twice, we can revisit this topic... At that point, I can assure you that my post would be short & sweet:

THROW THE FUCKING BOOK AT HIM.

January 20, 2009

Today marks a moment that will forever be enshrined in the history books.

There are few people -- American or otherwise -- who will forget what has happened today. We have witnessed the beginning of a tremendous shift in the political landscape. We will be able to tell our children that we saw the first man of color elected as the President of the United States. Some of us were even able to take our children to Washington to personally view this momentous event.

As a native of Washington, DC, I have to say that I've never before been as proud to see throngs of "out-of-towners" flooding the city. There is nothing more incredible than seeing people of all colors come together to celebrate the arrival of one Barack Obama to his new home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

President Obama: I wish you all the luck in the world. You have many difficult tasks ahead of you. You will bear the burden of restoring our nations' financial health, repairing a broken healthcare system, reforming immigration & safely returning our troops home. Should you fail, you'll be blamed (by those who oppose you) as if you created this disastrous scenario. Those who support you know that you seek only to reverse & undo the damage that has been done over the last 8 years.

We know that you seek to show the world that America can, has and will change. We know that you will call on us to do our part in making America an even stronger global powerhouse than it has ever been. We know that you seek to erase the boundaries of color that continue to divide the people of our nation. We know that you have our best interests in mind and that you seek to equip our children with the tools necessary to continue the fight to well into the future.

Good luck, sir... and may the force be with you.

The Aftermath

It was extremely quiet in the office today. So quiet that people could probably hear my thoughts... and why is that? Because many people are admittedly angry that McCain lost. It's actually a bit incredulous.

What's more incredulous is a bit of commentary by a CNN analyst. To paraphrase: African-Americans don't have anything to complain about anymore... really? I'm glad that I didn't catch it live, because the rageaholic in me would've reacted poorly in that heightened state of emotion. I think it's utterly preposterous to say such a thing. That guy obviously doesn't know what it feels like to think that you got turned down for a job or rejected by a girl because of the color of your skin. He doesn't know how it feels to know that the person that you're walking behind is scared to death because he/she thinks you might try something. He's never been pulled over for DWB... and although I cannot directly relate to this aspect (since my family just got here in the late 70s/early 80s), he doesn't know what it's like to hear stories from your grandparents about the beatings, water hoses, marches, segregated bathrooms and general refusal of the "man" to treat you as anything but the crud in the grooves of his insole.

And this was barely 40 years ago. It's still as fresh for the older generations as a crispy new $1 bill.

Obama will not change everything in 4-8 years... but his election is a sign of promise. It shows that America in general is willing to change. Blacks are only 12-13% of the population, but a man of biracial decent was still elected to the presidency of this nation -- which means a lot of people with blue & green eyes pushed that button next to his name. If you looked at the crowds during the speeches last night, you surely noticed the MARKED difference in the racial composition... about as different as a Tim McGraw concert from Lil Wayne's live performances.

I hope that the entire nation follows their lead and sets aside partisan conflict long enough to address some of our most pressing needs. Health care, economy, war in Iraq, immigration, housing/credit crises, etc. That should be the focus... not whether Barack is a Muslim (he's not, morons!), whether his ex-pastor is an idiot (he is -- we agree!) or any other insignificant topics. Like it or not, he's been tapped to serve next and he's standing in the on-deck circle. Let's get behind him and maybe -- just maybe -- we'll see the beginnings of a return to greatness.

Am I a Traitor?

I like Barack Obama. He comes off as very clean, chic, genial, eloquent, motivating, concerned -- and just seems like a cool cat, overall (which you'd be hard-pressed to believe after reading this religion-based smear-fest about him). In fact, he looks like that really cool uncle who bought you better birthday gifts than your parents ever did and let you stay up really late.

Did you notice a glaring omission in my observations? I didn't mention that I like him because he's black. Why not, you ask? It's simple -- because I don't give a flying fuck about that. Ever notice how so many women are jumping on Hillary Clinton's bandwagon because she's a woman and NOT because she's an excellent candidate with good ideas about how to turn our country around? Much like when the Jena 6 and Michael Vick were the topics-du-jour, I choose not blindly agree with the masses. So, I have a question for you: does this point of view make me a traitor? Am I in the wrong here? Short answer: No. Absolutely not.

Just because the man's melanin levels rival mine do not make him the best candidate for me. I'm not even saying that I won't vote for him. I'm just saying that I'd like to compare all of the candidates' ideals against mine and choose the person that best suits my own agenda. I want to vote for the candidate who I believe will be most capable of leading this country in the direction that I hope to see it go. I owe myself that much -- especially when considering how much taxes are borrowed from my paycheck by the government every other week.

So where in the Constitution does it say that I'm required to support any and every one that looks somewhat like I do? Which verse in the holy book of your choosing dictates that I "act black" and be "pro-black" at all times? Not that minorities of all kinds don't deserve opportunities to vie for positions of authority just like the majority, but I shouldn't feel obligated to support them for that reason alone. How many of you know someone that would run you down for being black and not voting for Obama, not supporting Vick, insisting that the Jena 6 did a few wrong things prior to that horrific ordeal and refusing to listen to hip-hop? If I shun Timberland or Nike boots as my choice of winter footwear, does it suggest that I may have fallen & bumped my head with concussive force? Do these things define me as an African-American?

One of the most beautiful things about being an American is having the freedom to choose. I can choose to own a gun (don't worry -- I don't want one). I can choose to vote. I can choose to boo anything or anybody -- even the little kids on Showtime at the Apollo. I can choose which brand of deodorant is pH balanced just for me. I don't live in a communist nation and people shouldn't treat me as such. I used to love Limp Bizkit and listened to their music often. Am I crazy for finding Superbad extremely funny? Is it wrong that I've dated a few white women in my lifetime? Is it wrong that I like John Mayer's voice? Should I have my "card" revoked now for conduct contrary to societal expectations?

I refuse to be characterized one way or another because of my skin color alone. Whether I'm listening to DMX or Coldplay, watching Seinfeld or Martin, The Great Debaters or No Country for Old Men -- none of this changes anything. I am who I am and I like what I like. To those who would try to put me in a box and chastise me for attempting to think or act outside of it, I say this: Kiss my entire ass. Just kiss it.

P.S.: Those Senate Auto Insurance commercials are just awful, aren't they?