February 25th / 27th, 2011
"Vick's Transformation is a Sham"
A few weeks ago I promised myself that I wouldn't write another column
about Michael Vick. My rantings about animal abusers, it seemed, were a waste
of time because most people just don't care about the unspeakable things
the NFL star did which briefly landed him in prison. "He served his time",
they say, "he speaks to school groups. He's reformed". But as an animal
lover, it is hard to put the images of those burned, hanged and tortured dogs
out of my mind, especially when Vick or someone in his entourage does
something to refuel my outrage.
Back in December, Vick told NBC news "I would love to get another dog".
That brought on a ground swell of support for QB7, including kind words from
President Obama, and the hypocritical President of the National Humane
Society who coincidentally accepted a large cash gift from the Philadelphia
Eagles just before he heaped praise on Mr. Vick. It seemed that everyone was
buying into Vick's reformation, but I was certain that this despicable man
hadn't changed his spots, and that his lectures to young people were nothing
but a PR scam. Now there's proof to back up my allegations.
Earlier this month, Vick received the key to the city of Dallas by Mayor
Pro Tem Dwayne Caraway. The gesture was not only offensive to animal
lovers, but also to Cowboys fans who weren't too keen on honoring a rival player.
But for one man, radio reporter Richard Hunter, the ceremony presented the
chance of a lifetime. Hunter and his wife had adopted one of the dogs who
survived Vick's torture camp. The couple named the dog Mel, and Richard
wanted to ask Mel's previous owner a few questions. Hunter had heard Vick say
during a televised interview that he "still thinks about the dogs", so
naturally the reporter assumed the reformed dog fighter would want to see a
photo of a now healthy Mel. Hunter was wrong. It seems that Vick is only
contrite when standing in front of a judge, a school group, or a network TV
camera. Fortunately for us, and unbeknownst to Michael, Hunter captured the
pair's backstage encounter on a cell phone camera.
As Vick and his posse headed for the exit, Hunter said, "Mike, I adopted
one of your dogs. Can I talk with you?" There was no response from Vick,
just a blank stare. Undaunted, Hunter repeated his statement, and again, no
reply from the man who publicly announced that he still thinks about his
dogs. Then, Hunter began to ask his question for a third time when one of
Vick's associates restrained the reporter, saying, "get the fuck out of my
face!". Despite being manhandled, Hunter persisted, "But Michael, you said you
still care about the dogs, now's your chance to talk". Vick's goon then
spoke for his boss, "Hey, we don't care about the dogs". Hunter tried one last
time to elicit a response by showing Vick a photo of Mel the rescue dog.
But it was like talking to a wall. Vick stared at the photo, said nothing,
then walked away.
If this telling scene sounds eerily familiar, it is. Appearing on a
television program last year, the quarterback was asked what the Michael Vick of
2010 would have said to the Michael Vick of 2006. Said Michael, "The Vick
of 2006 wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. It would be like talking
to the wall. The old Mike would have probably walked away".
So now we know that the Mike of 2011 is the same as the Mike of 2006, only
worse. Now he has everyone fooled into believing he's the victim, and has
become a faux role model for kids in the process. The problem is that
those kids, like most adult fans, never get to see what Vick actually did to
his dogs. Out of sight, out of mind.
vc
And so, once again I call on the NFL and educators alike to show photos of
the tortured pets every time Vick's image appears on television, or in a
school gym. Perhaps the hero worship would end when kids of all ages are
confronted with the actual crimes Michael Vick committed. Maybe if they saw
those horrific images juxtaposed with the man standing in front of them, they
would do what Mike does. Just walk away.
|
