The Atlanta Falcons will be without Vick this season (as if there were any doubt). He pled guilty today, and the statement of facts stipulates not only his complicity but his enabling of the dogfighting and the associated gambling and dog-killing. In response, the NFL suspended Vick indefinitely.
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jason | 25-Aug-07 at 11:17 am | Permalink
I find this rather frustrating. Not that I think that Vick is a saint or that he should get away with any of this. As a matter of fact, I’m simply surprised that it was this that finally got him into trouble considering some of his past tomfoolery (the numerous Va. Tech legal issues, the Ron Mexico scandal, the marijuana water bottle incident).
But it’s sort of wild that he, being a black, male athlete, is facing serious repercussions such as NFL bans, huge fines, jail time, etc. for this when rich, white, female train-wrecks like Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie (who are serial drunk drivers, cocaine and heroin abusers, and probation-term violators) merely get slaps on the wrists and things like 84 minutes in a jail cell.
Again, I’m not one to incite race issues often, but it’s just sad to know that statistically speaking, if Lindsay, Nicole, or Paris were not rich, white, and female, they’d be in federal lock-downs for years to come.
Cameron | 26-Aug-07 at 9:45 am | Permalink
Sadly, I think Jason’s right.
Jamie Cain | 26-Aug-07 at 12:19 pm | Permalink
You left out “pretty” in your description of Lohan and Co., though that prettiness has become a casualty of addiction.
I’ll be as surprised as anyone if he actually sees the inside of a prison. I could be wrong, but if I am, it will be a gross miscarriage of justice in the sense that you described, Jason.
On the other hand, our “justice” system has become a caricature of what it should be. Our pastor noted this morning that “justice” is meted out according to what we deserve, and that mercy is what we don’t deserve. God perfectly balances the two and calls us to aspire to His standard. I don’t think it’s stretching things to imagine that the Founders envisioned something similar.
I know some folks on the receiving end of such “justice.” Plenty of people without any violent charges get ridiculously high sentences for whatever reason, while vicious murderers walk free for pinning the guilt on someone else. It’s a sad state of affairs.
jason | 26-Aug-07 at 1:01 pm | Permalink
I agree, sad indeed.
And while I know that you said not to tell you, I feel that I have to thank you for your recommendation of Gino’s East. That pizza was an experience!