Athletes and Movie Stars

Michael Vick cannot leave Philadelphia. Post a shooting at his birthday party last month, while on probation for his "dog sporting", he appears to have lied about the timing of his departure from the party and the subsequent timing of the shooting (he claimed a much wider gap in the timing). Prior to his travel ban, Vick had to have all his travel plans approved. He missed attendance this weekend at his own golf tournament in Atlanta and a youth football camp in Raleigh, NC. He stayed in Philly.


Do we really care. The prosecutors say he was not involved in the shooting but that he was involved in a confrontation earlier at the party. This is a guy who kept dogs and had them fight each other to the death, burying the losers in a field on his property. Upon his release from prison he pledged his "reformed" nature and humbly begged forgiveness for past behavior. He vowed "to change", to earn his redemption, and to be a role model. Yup. Heard it all before. Anyone who believed anything he said, is either a wonderful Christian who truly does believe in redemption or a completely naive fool. How many times do we need to grant these athletes and Hollywood types a free pass for behavior that would put most "common" people on a permanent list of "pariahs". What makes these guys more exempt than the father of 3 or the 25 year old office worker who does something stupid (even if a repetition as opposed to a one-off). They can throw a ball or kiss some hot leading lady? Why do we continue to pay the GDP of a small country to these athletes and actors who take "selfish" to new heights and morals to new lows. Are we really that dumb, or just caught up in the fairytale belief that these people care about us and maybe, just maybe, their luck and life may rub off on us some how. The American dream was always about hard work to achieve a better life. Not a lottery win or a gambling run at a casino. We were never entitled to anything other than better ourselves through effort. When did everyone get the right to have a flat screen tv, two new cars in the driveway and a swimming pool in the backyard?

Vick should have spent as much time as he could at home watching tv after 7pm (or reading a book, assuming he can read something other than a playbook). He should have been devoting every spare minute to animal rights causes and children. He should have been doing everything he could to truly act for, as opposed to giving lip service to, his chance at redemption. He should not have been at some club at 2am with a "posse" of what I am sure was all model, church going, citizens. But, what do we expect, we hold these guys and more to a higher standard. Maybe we can get Michael a cell with Charlie Sheen. They might have a lot to talk about.