The bar is high for Vick

So I’m sitting here watching the press conference formally announcing Michael Vick’s signing with the Eagles. I’m a bit torn on this – on one hand I want to maintain some degree of open mindedness that he can redeem himself on some level. On the other hand, what he did to animals is quite simply beyond the pale. He not only established and financed “Bad Newz Kennels,” but he even physically killed dogs himself (by hanging, choking, and electrocution).

I am in an interesting position here – when I was a middle school teacher in Mississippi, I taught in a poor, mostly black area. I knew kids – good kids – who were raised in a culture that thought dog fighting was acceptable. I would try to tell them how horrible it was, and they would tell me “but the dogs want to fight!” Even though Vick grew up in the mid-Atlantic (as opposed to the deep South), the culture of dog fighting is, in many ways, quite similar. I like to think this gives me a little perspective on this whole situation.

I want to be clear: I am NOT excusing Vick’s behavior. I am not even trying to explain it (as I can’t pretend to know all the pressures affecting his behavior). What I am saying is that his actions should not be viewed in complete isolation.

I do believe Vick can redeem himself. But the bar is high for him

What will he do to help animals? He is saying in the press conference right now that he will try to “help as much as I hurt” (I’m paraphrasing). How? Will he simply donate money to SPCA and other animal welfare organizations? Or will he step up and do more?

One thing Vick could do is go to areas where dog fighting is prevalent, go into the schools, and talk to the kids about how cruel and evil dog fighting is. He could try to greatly reduce dog fighting by trying to undermine its support among an entire generation of youths. Like it or not, Vick is looked up to by a lot of young kids, especially in the black community. He is in a unique position to act as a huge positive force for change.

Could Michael Vick eliminate dog fighting? No. Could he put forth a great amount of effort to try to counteract some of the evil he has done? Yes. Could this effort have a positive effect? Yeah, I think so.

The big question is “will he?” I honestly hope so, and I hope his effort will be genuine. I hope he is humble in the process, and that in a few years he will not act like his debt is paid, and he doesn’t have to do anything anymore. I hope he will not toot his own horn, insisting on animal shelters paid for with his donations be named after him, eventually leveraging his horrible past into cynical self aggrandizement.

I’m hopeful. And I’m keeping an open mind. But I’m not optimistic.