NAACP to March for Vick

Michael Vick makes his debut as a Philadelphia Eagle tonight at Lincoln Financial Field, but apparently his one-year, $1.6 million contract with a second-year team option for $5.2 million wasn’t enough. The NAACP has felt an overwhelming need to march in support of the three-time NFL Pro Bowl, two-time Virginia Penal All-Star. Apparently he hasn’t gotten enough chances.

President of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, J. Whyatt Mondesire, informed the Associated Press that his chapter and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia were going to march tonight. According to ESPN.com, Mondesire said, "We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society, and deserves a second chance, and the animal-rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life." After spending two years in prison only to be released to the option of having one of the most privileged, high-paying jobs in the world wasn’t what this African American Civil Rights group was looking for. They’re holding out for a moral victory.

In short, it just seems as though the rest of the world is confused. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was one of the most, if not the most just cause in the last century. True utopian equality may never be achievable, but the United States has made it a priority over the last 50 years, and rightfully so. Will there be discrimination even with the current social and political legislature in place? Absolutely, but there will be unfairness towards all races in these relatively infrequent occurrences, including Caucasian males. But these scenarios happen due to bigoted individuals that could stare freedom in the face and laugh at it, never having changed for the better. So what are groups like the NAACP and other minority rights organizations to do once their main cause has been achieved? I guess they support convicted felon soon-to-be-millionaire pro-athletes get more.

Whether or not he’s being treated fairly by animal rights groups is irrelevant. He’s a high profile public figure who lives in a world of different rules. He’s done his time, yes, but does that simply mean all is forgiven? Truthfully, no. There is still a long way that Vick has to go to redeem himself in the court of public opinion. It’s not just the dog fighting, but the marijuana charges before he was sentenced. It’s the life-long career of making bad decisions. It’s even, unfortunately, the legal problems of his younger brother. Vick has paid his debt to society through his prison time, but he still has to take responsibilities for his actions. That’s what it appears the animal rights groups are trying to do, however overzealous they may be.

So the question remains for the rest of the country, how many chances should Michael Vick get before a march of support is no longer necessary? This Jail Bird turned Eagle should feel like the luckiest guy in the world. By all accounts, the NFL was within their rights to ban him from the NFL for life. But he’s not only got another chance, but is once again in the front pages with pretty good PR, playing for a potential major playoff contender, and has an opportunity to make more money in two years than many honest, hard-working, non-felony-committing Americans make in a lifetime. So what is this march about again?

"We believe Michael Vick has served his time, paid his debt to society, and deserves a second chance, and the animal-rights groups want to hold him hostage for the rest of his life."

Second chances, that’s right. Oh wait, couldn’t this be considered a third chance? Or maybe a fourth? Potentially a fifth for several separate questionable endeavors? Or does several years of calculated bad mistakes (when done over a long period of time are no longer “mistakes” but personality traits) all bundle up into one chance? Animal rights groups would probably cry that every animal he abused was each it’s own individual chance for redemption that he failed. And I might be willing to agree with them.

One thing is for certain, this NAACP pro-Vick march not only feels unnecessary, but could easily become a turn off to trying to give Michael Vick more of anything. He got what he deserved, now he’s getting what he doesn’t. So why march? I’m all for giving him the opportunity to play in the NFL, I’m in agreement with the NAACP on that. If Roger Goodell hadn’t given him the opportunity, I might have rallied for him because even though he doesn’t deserve a second, third, fourth chance, it shows mercy and compassion on the side of the NFL and gives the American public an opportunity to forgive. Even if he didn’t get the chance, the NAACP shouldn’t have anything to do with it because it has NOTHING to do with the fact that he’s African American. It’s because of his actions, not his color.

Hopefully, this won’t blow up in anyone’s face and make the NAACP look like the National Association for the Advancement of Dog Fighting. Regardless, this will probably be enough for the ready-at-the-drop-of-a-hat Animal Rights groups to shout “PHILISTINES!” from the rooftops (even though the dog of one of Vick’s most fervent critics recently died after being left in a hot car). For the record, PETA has not scheduled a pro-Vick march at this time.