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"Let He who is without sin, cast the first stone

Posted by: Melyssa S. Ford 9/2/2009 | 11,092 Views

COMMENTS

Hey Global Grinders...

First, I want to thank you for reading my blog. Whether we agree or disagree, this is a forum for us to discuss events that are happening in our world currently. The topic of my blog is something that I struggled with because it is such a touchy subject. But I write from the perspective of looking at a situation from all possible angles. There are very few issues that are clear cut in black and white, there are many shades of gray. This blog is meant to be read with a completely open heart and an open mind.

Contrite: look up the definition of that word and currently it will probably feature a picture of Michael Vick. We don't live in a society where the law follows the adage "An Eye for an Eye" anymore... We've developed a system of laws where, depending upon a myriad of factors, fancy footwork from lawyers and legal loopholes, you can either find Johnny Law's foot up your ass or off scott free or in between; spending an insignificant amount of time for a crime society deems to be unthinkable and heinous.

Michael Vick found himself in a conundrum by being in all three positions: the 2001 #1 draft pick, one of the most anticipated careers and the highest paid QB (black or otherwise) in NFL history. He was exhilarating to watch on the field, even as a kid playing with the VA "Hokies" and was revered by anyone who watched the sport as more than just a gifted athlete; he defined the position in which he played (a debatable but justifiable argument)
And then, with the revelation he owned and operated a dog fighting operation his house of cards came crashing down. It takes a long time to build that house of cards and as impressive as his was, this one false move and it was obliterated. Indefinite NFL suspension, loss of lucrative endorsements, impending bankruptcy, being sold out by his "homies", ostracism from his community, the NFL organization and inundated with death threats ... Charged, tried, convicted in both criminal court and the court of moral judgment, Vick was to face his darkest hours completely alone. And he did.

Since his release, back under the microscope of public scrutiny, he slowly tries to rebuild, hoping against hope to be given the chance to play the sport he loved, the sport that took him away from the undesirable environment from which he grew, the sport he began to take for granted til it was taken away. That's one hell of a way to rediscover your priorities. "Let He who is without sin cast the first stone..." Not a single solitary one of us can sit there and not offer this individual the chance to repent, regroup and make an offering to the betterment of his community and to society at large. The greatest acts of attrition are usually borne from the greatest acts of tragedy. And if you feel that its FORCED ATTRITION who cares? Have you always done everything with the purest of intent?

I, for one, am a die hard animal lover who bawls every time a commercial about animal cruelty comes across my tv screen; but I also understand that our experiences of personal growth and maturity sometimes comes from getting a few kicks to the teeth. I can't even think about what those animals went through. It IS horrible; it IS perverse. But Vick is not even close to the first, last and only person to act carelessly towards our furry friends. Forgiveness lies in our hearts, or at least it should. For all of you demanding Vick's head on a platter, if it was your brother, nephew, son or cousin who did this, you'd probably be the first one saying "Its not in his character to be what he's being accused of! He's really a good person!" Or would you abandon them?

I will admit there is occasionally the case of forgiveness for the sake of convenience; when someone, most notably a celebrity stands accused of a crime you deem to be horrible but excuse them of it because their gift is in the form of an art you can appreciate... This is an assumption about intention being made by those who vehemently oppose Vick being given a second chance. But why shouldn't forgiveness be given to someone who seems so genuinely contrite and sincere? He hasn't once stood behind a representative and let them do the speaking and apologizing for him, other than in a court of law where his lawyers argued his case. And truth be told, Vick served the typical amount of jail time that one would face being convicted of animal cruelty. Not only did he do his time without complaint, he had to do so in the face of such media scrutiny that most of you judging would have crumbled at the sheer weight of that burden. If you have an issue with what he did, don't sit at your computer commenting on blogs; write and petition to your local law makers about stiffening fines and jail time for people who commit such acts. Gradual change only comes from a collective agreement.

This really has nothing to do with celebrity-ism... Honestly, if it wasn't Vick that drew the media's spotlight onto dog fighting and the issue of cruelty to animals, would it be such a hot bed topic?? How many of us would be so passionate about our position without such a strong point of reference to debate each other upon? And with so many examples of recidivism with athletes and other celebs, who get charged with repeated felonies and misdemeanors, who continue to have a self entitled attitude and a callous disregard for anyone but themselves, what we have here is one who previously had a spotless record who has made a pledge to make a serious difference. Why don't we just stand back and wait to see how he carries out this pledge instead of burning him to the stake?

Lots of Love,

Melyssa

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70 comments

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CHYNAH DOLL 9/17/2009 | reply
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Michael Vick was punished - and rightly so - and he served his time. He's serving a suspension handed out by the NFL. And he's working with PETA to educate the public about the evils of dogfighting.

At this point, I'm not sure what else he can do to satisfy the public. The man has to make a living, and get on with his life.

And if the Philadelphia Eagles fans - who are NOTORIOUS for being hard on players, including their own - are capable of cheering him on, then certainly WE should have the capacity to forgive him.

9/15/2009 | reply
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you go girl....you are obviously not just a pretty face...but you have a brain...keep writing:)

love melyssa 9/7/2009 | reply
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Honestly i agree its just hyped up because he is a celeb. Most dog fighting incidents or abuse never make the press. Ok so he fought some dogs. Were not the only country that does it, not saying its right, but its not a big of a deal as everyone is making it out to be. Food for thought, by the way, three quarters of his dogs were killed because they couldn't be adjusted back to society. So is that the message? "don't kill your dogs or else we will"? at least with vick they would have lived a bit longer to fight another day. I am a dog owner and yes it is wrong but not as wrong as alot of other things in this world or the rights that get violated everyday. Peace and one love!

McCarty 9/6/2009 | reply
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The entry says:
"Contrite: look up the definition of that word and currently it will probably feature a picture of Michael Vick"
However, he only seems sorry that he got caught. Virtually everyone comments on his lack of remorse, the carefully prepared, by his lawyers, comments notwithstanding.
The entry says:
"We don't live in a society where the law follows the adage "An Eye for an Eye" anymore""
That certainly is true of Vick who got a term of 23 months for gambling despite causing great pain to hundreds of dogs during the 6 years of his dog fighting operation and the six years of "amateur" dog fighting before that.
The entry calls his transgression "one false move":
Twelve years for watching dogs bite each other to death (OUCH!!!) for fun is NOT one false move - it's thousands of sadistic moves.
The entry says:
"I, for one, am a die hard animal lover "
I'm sure you think so, but the opinions you express argue otherwise. To characterize torturing hundreds of animals unrelentingly for 12 years as "one false move" says that, to you, relatively speaking, cruelty is no big deal. Would you have made statements anywhere close to that if his victims were human?
The entry says:
"Honestly, if it wasn't Vick that drew the media's spotlight onto dog fighting and the issue of cruelty to animals, would it be such a hot bed topic??"
True, but that's not due to anything good in Vick.

The entry asks for forgiveness. Fine, but first one must see genuine repenting from Vick - not just PR words, but long term actions!

Nick 9/6/2009 | reply
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- Ultimately, who cares if everyone forgives him, its not likely anyways. He has to forgive himself b/c years from now some hot head is still gonna be hanging on this incident. Who are we to have to see repentance from Vick? You know they eat these animals in some places? Go and fight against that.
  
  flyrean 9/6/2009 | reply
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I dont really know much about football & how talented Vick is! So many people are judging him for the decisions he has made but in reality the ONLY person that is allowed to judge is GOD. Everyone else just have "opinions". At the end of the day how you feel really don't matter!

In my "opinion" he was wrong, he did everything that was required of him by law & the NFL so why shouldn't he be allowed to play again? Are you mad because he is still able to make millions? Are you mad because he is a celebrity? If he was some Joe Blow on the street would we even be talking about him?

There are so many MORE important issues to talk about. Better yet CHANGE...Like the CHILD MOLESTER who lives next door!!!!

If you don't like my "opinion" - dont read it! Its a free country....

mrscdyoungsr 9/6/2009 | reply
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With all the talk about Michael Vick, my first problem is the part he played in the dogfighting ring. From my understanding, the only thing that Vick provided was allowing his "friends" to use his house as the place for the fights to happen. Vick plead guilty because if he hadn't, his "friends" would have put all the blame on him which would have given him a longer sentence. I believe that Michael Vick is guilty of associating with the wrong people and guilty of foolish behavior for a celebrity or anyone else for that matter. I give Vick the benefit of the doubt after he has served his time, and I hope that he has learned his lesson and will never stray on the side of wrong again.

Brotherspeak 9/6/2009 | reply
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- Actually, the legal docs and Vick's own words, etc. show that Vick had a love of dog fighting and practiced it for 6 years before starting the professional ring. The professional dog fighting ring was financed 100% by Vick - he was the primary driving force for the full six years - it was his idea - it was his passion and entertainment - the others were associating with the wrong person, namely, Vick. Vick was the leader and a consistent active participant including personally brutally killing at least 8 "under performing" dogs. In total, there was 12 years of incredibly sadistic behavior by Vick himself - literally thousands of times where he personally did horrific things to animals.
  
  Nick 9/6/2009 | reply
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illwillblog.blogspot.com

Ill Will 9/4/2009 | reply
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Can a person forgive without forgetting?

My brother is an outstanding citizen so I can't empathize, but I do have a few associates who are scoundrels within my familia. If I use them as the reference object then I must declare I am ambivalent. I do tolerate and excuse their behavior because I they are family [I consider this tolerance to be a form of forgiveness], but given their reputations I won't associate with them in regard to their criminality. That is to say I don't leave my car keys lying around my car thief cousins, nor do I loan money to those who lack the responsibility to repay, and I don't play basketball with my cousin who gets in a fight every time we've ever played together.

So in answer to my own question, I have not truly forgiven them. True forgiveness is unconditional. The fact that my forgiveness has strings attached indicates that I harbor some grudge against them.

Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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- I've said the above to say this Melyssa, even family isn't truly forgiven. I'm sure you've heard the expression--elegantly botched by GW--but it goes:
  
  Fool me once, shame on you.
  Fool me twice, shame on me.
  
  The maxim indicates that 'memory' is a defense mechanism. I'll admit I'm very defensive. {Borderline paranoia} I contain my emotions, perhaps overly so, but this 'wall' or 'shield' built from memories of past slights protects me from repeated suffering at cause of the same action of harm.
  
  This said, I wouldn't trust Mike Vick or my cousins who fight dogs for profit with dog-sitting my dog, SuperPuppy, for a weekend. Yet, of the myriad events that make a life dog sitting is a small portion. There are a multitude of things I'd entrust to Mike Vick.
  
  I can't damn him as a bad person. I have cousins who fight dogs and I never snitch. It could be argued I'm guilty by association and thus equally culpable. I've watched--though never a fight to the death.
  
  I always held Vick's excessive spitting on the playing field in higher disregard than his dog fighting. [It's a personal idiosyncrasy. I used to think it was disgusting too when boxers would spit on the ring surface and not in the buckets.]
  
  Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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- I'd think it would be more appropriate to say Vick and Vince young were the prototypes for a RE-definition of the quarterback position. It had always been argued that the speed of the NFL wouldn't allow a quarterback to be a dual threat to run or pass. Just as it has been argued that the NFL's speed completely eliminates the viability of the option or wishbone offense. The defenses react and read better, and the hits are more punishing, and therefore the problem was finding a man with the size to absorb the hits, the speed to make the linebackers respect the QB scramble and thus keeping them from dropping into pass coverage, and the touch (accuracy) to drop the ball to the receiver over and behind the linebackers.
  
  Vick was the prototype but lacked the size and touch.
  Vince Young was his successor but still lacked the touch.
  
  I hate to say it, but the quarterback who might emerge to become the actual REDEFINITION of the quarterback could be Tim Tebow. He has the touch the other two lack.
  
  Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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- Only God truly forgives because he is without peer, and thus without need of defense mechanisms--other than creation which protects his existence and identity.
  
  You can't fool God. He is beyond time. There isn't a once or twice, just being. In his being he understands and knows all possibilities.
  
  Yet if death allows us to become one with God then judgment is death. Death is a transition from relative time to absolute time, and thus as we leave this world God judges us to prevent our corruption from entering the pure land.
  
  Thus I'd argue, "God cries at the funerals of the damned, and rejoices at the ascension of the just."
  
  If thine hand sins against thee, then cut it off. [cast it to hell] [and as wardens to the garden, i.e. the gardeners, are we not God's hands, and our lives the pruning of wickedness from the unitary or collective soul?]
  
  Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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- Melyssa,
  
  I always thought Vick's conviction when juxtaposed against the case of R. Kelly was a sham. I've got problems with a legal system that treats possible pornography and statutory rape charges less severely than dog fighting.
  
  I think the courts swept the crimes of Bush/Cheney under the rug--the United States does not torture--because to acknowledge otherwise destroys the narrative of American exceptionalism. They'd rather live a lie than recognize the truth that proves the lie as false. Much the same R. Kelley after Space Jam and 'I believe I can Fly' had entered the American narrative as Jordan's theme music. To convict R. Kelly cast doubt upon the image and judgment of others, and the larger American/commercial/Calvinist image. Like you hinted, just as we forgive for convenience so to do we at times accept lies as truth for the same reason.
  
  Just as I think there is something wrong with a justice system that throws a man in jail for 3 years for shooting himself (Plaxico Burress) where by the other token Jason Williams who killed his limo driver was allowed to make a payment to the family of the victim and avoid jail.
  
  {Calvinism has corrupted the legal system whereby we largely don't have justice, but the justice you can afford.}
  
  Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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- In short. I don't judge Vick because his dog fighting doesn't hurt me. It hurts his soul.
  -----
  
  But back to QB's.
  
  Vick and Young set the stage for Tebow because they changed the playbook. In the past quarterbacks performed 3, 5, or 7 step drops and then threw the ball, i.e. the classic dropback QB. Rollouts and sprint passes were used as a last resort to change the location of the pocket such that the defense wouldn't know to find him 3 to 7 yards behind the center.
  
  Now we have plays that at their beginning appear to QB sweeps or preparations to hand the ball off at the 6 whole when all of a sudden the QB instead of handing the ball to the running back instead drops back behind the tackle to throw. These style of plays, QB draws, and greater use of the sprint and rollout passes are what has set the stage for Tebow (or Vick and Young or any other with the skills to utilize this new toolset to delineate the new QB standard.)
  
  If its racist to say it I'll say it anyway, but it was the black athlete that brought about this change. It was the speed first that allowed the playbook to change. However, it was later discovered that the speed must be tempered with size to offset the hits the QB will take resultant to crossing the line of scrimmage and taking the ball down field.
  
  [Have a happy holiday. I'll be at the Montreux Jazz Festival for large parts of mine.]
  
  Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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- I don't like the number 6, and thus this is gratuitous just to be a 7th consecutive post but here goes:
  
  In summation:
  
  1. Yes Vick does deserve a second chance, and he's getting it.
  
  2. Vick opened the eyes of football coaches to challenge convention after the drop back passer had been so widely scrutinized that he became predictable. Thence he developed a new way to play the position, but his lack of throwing accuracy always prevented him from entering the ranks of elite quarterbacks.
  
  Exciting. Definitely. Yet, I bet you'd find many of Vick's highlights were broken plays--a fact that even his teammates didn't like.
  
  When you're star player's strength is improvisation then how what role does the rest of the team have?
  
  It was also the erratic nature of his play that caused Young to be benched. He led his team to an 8-8 record as a rookie, but 4 of those wins were 4th quarter comebacks from deficits of greater than 2 touchdowns. I'm sure the team appreciated those 8 wins, but by the same token as a landlord would you want a tenant who never paid until after being threatened with eviction?
  
  A tendency for comebacks is great, but recall Elway didn't win a Superbowl until he had a back who could control the chains (Terrel Davis could have been a 10,000 yard back if not for injury). Yes, Elway engineered some 4th quarter comebacks during his Superbowl tenure, but the teams true strength was that it didn't need Elway to work magic on every possession.
  
  Hence, Vince Young was erratic, and too unpredictable to depend upon as a starter. Had he shown signs that he could consistently enter the 4th quarter with a lead then he'd still be a starter til this day, but alas.
  
  Holla at ya later,
  God bless.
  
  Shemlock 9/3/2009 | reply
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he aint ray carruth nor marv albert. i wont go so far to say.animals are killed every day for sport or food. but i will say vick aint no poacher or predator preying on dogs.he got caught involved with dog fighting,faced the courts and did his time.we let the drug addicts back to work.the players who have been abusive to humans.everyone from domestic violence cases to shootings and beatings.lets let vick do what we know he never did wrong at..thats play football/ do his job. his profession is being an athlete. TIME SERVED--PLAY BALL

brooklyns batman 9/3/2009 | reply
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Who cares about Vick?

BallerAlert 9/3/2009 | reply
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WHO GIVES A f*ck ABOUT A DOG???

Like seriously. If people didn't take dogs out of there natural habitat along time ago do you think they would get alone or fight with each other? Them bitches would kill each other. so why not make some money off it? LOL

f*ck PETA and they bullsh*t. and f*ck Dogs too!!! they stank anyway!

LOL

EliteBeautie 9/3/2009 | reply
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He would have never had gotten caught up I would have taken the falll for him.

SimplytheBest 9/3/2009 | reply
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Melyssa, I agree with you. I remember quite vividly when Michael Vick was on trial. There was a more serious child molestation case going on @ the exact time of Michaels trial. There was a (white) male on trial for raping, beating and buriying (alive) a 9 year old girl. However, the media placed a significant amount of emphasis on Michael Vick as opposed to the child molester/murderer. I also found it quite interesting how other professional athletes were too afraid to come forward on his behalf. Then we have the infamous Mr. Madoff, who by the way, gets to stay in his Park Avenue penthouse, still own his beach house and the public has the audacity to scream "Madoff is deeply sorry". Wow what a Jewish dominated society we live in. Thanks, Forever19

Forever19 9/3/2009 | reply
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Melyssa, I have to let you know that I am truly thankful for this blog. I have had numerous conversations with my friends about Micheal Vicks situation, and I am very passionate that people should forgive him and give him a second chance. This man has taken responsibility for his actions and paid his time for the crime he committed. Honestly, we have all taken part in some sort of animal cruelty example being if you wear fur, leather, etc, or if you eat meat. You put it best by stating, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" we have all made mistakes and/or bad decisions.

Please people lets try to encourage Michael Vick and pray that he can recover from this situation as a better man that can make a positive contribution to the community and help better the live of other young people.

Djohn 9/3/2009 | reply
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