I don’t follow any sports whatever but I do follow crime stories. Thus, I am aware of Michael Vick. I did not like what he did. Nevertheless, he paid the penalty and should be judged by his actions now. I teach my class that America is the land of the second chance. Apparently Chuck Gallagher shares my opinion. I hope others see the world the way I do in this respect. After all, a nation that imprisons such an enormous part of its population might need to find some mercy and compassion to make these people part of society once again.
James Pilant
via Motivational Speaker – Chuck Gallagher Business Ethics and Choices Expert
Pilant's Business Ethics Blog 
Hmm…
Second chances are not something to be given. They are something to be earned through redemption. OH! I forgot, Micheal Vick can throw a football! That is his moral redemption it seems.
That article truly disgusted me. A second chance? Where was the second chance for all of the animals that were horrifically killed and tortured at his hands? OH! Wait, I forgot… the christian mythology and model of morality says that those animals are “lesser creatures”. Their fates are inconsequential, right?
It is RIGHT that convicts like Vick should NOT be given a level playing field. America was never meant to be a “land of second chances” like you teach your class. It was meant to be the land of opportunity. Vick squandered his opportunity. He made his bed, but unlike the average man, there was the President to come up behind him and remake his bed for him so he wouldn’t have to lay in the one he made.
You and Mr. Gallagher are suppose to be teachers and scholars of Business ethics. Can you not see that the owner of the Eagles forgave Vick, not because he “deserved a second chance”, but because of the profit margin that would be generated by having him out on the field. There is nothing praiseworthy here. Its business.
Mr. Gallahger seems to be out of touch with reality. I bet he is a christian or subscribes to the anthropocentric christian model of morality. Only someone who subscribes to that model can callously and heartlessly overlook the victims of Vicks cruelty simply because they aren’t human. God says that they are lesser creatures, so its not as bad to destroy them. He talks about us, as a nation, being “full of hate and intolerance” that he failed to see the hate, intolerance, and cruelty of Micheal Vick himself. But its all ok, because Vick can throw a football.
Now, I don’t agree with Fox News much, but when they pointed out the FACT (again, let me emphasis, FACT) of what Micheal Vick had done, Mr. Gallagher just brushes it off as media extremism. OH NO!!! How dare the media actually call out someone for something THAT THEY ACTUALLY DID! We cant have THAT, now can we?
For lack of a better word, this whole thing is retarded.
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I’m sorry. I think I may have gotten a little too upset. I guess when you teach college, people think that all you’ve done. They also think since I’m an attorney I’ve seen big money, I haven’t. What I teach isn’t the result of just a textbook and what I talk about here isn’t just idle philosophy (although I wish I knew more of the theoretical side). I’ve been around a bit.
jp
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I worked in criminal justice in the U.S. Probation Office and as a juvenile probation worker. It works out to a total of about four years. I’ve seen killers, child molesters, the usual assault and battery cases, parents who beat up their children. I knew a guy once who had been in prison so long he couldn’t talk to you except the way he spoke to the guards, “Yes, Sir or No, Sir.”
I don’t think I’m naive. I love animals. I have a cat I fed with an eye dropper after its mother abandoned it. I did that until it was weaned, about 4 weeks.
I don’t like what he did. I hate it. I don’t think much of him. But he paid a price for his crimes and until he gets in trouble again, he deserves the chance.
I don’t forgive people because they proclaim their Christianity or anything else. I ask forgiveness for them because it’s the only way this society can function. We have the highest prison population in the world and if they can’t get jobs and build families and do all those other things, this place dissolves into chaos.
It was unkind of you to suggest that I am some mealy mouthed Christian forgiveness freak. I’ve testified in open court against criminals. I have put juveniles in lockup and released them when I knew the next step was adult certification.
I’ve got students who have done illegal things. Several have told me that I was the first person that ever said they should have a second chance.
Vick is getting favorable treatment. I am aware of that. Next crime I want him to burn but he deserves his chance. That’s how justice works.
You ever sit in a court room where they were deciding whether or not to execute the guy sitting at the table a few yards away? Have you got out of bed in very early hours to get a kid away from his parents and then take him to a doctor’s office, strip him to his underwear so you could count the bruises?
I’ve not an ivory tower scholar.
James Pilant
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The ‘second chance’ is implied the moment the person is released from the jail, otherwise the person would not have been released. The objective of the release first of all is the person gives a second chance to those who are earlier affected, the dogs in case of Vick, to be free of the menace from the person concerned. Carlson’s hyperbole ought to have been considered by the judge in such cases and the prison term given would have been taken care of appropriately. Carlson should have expressed compassion for the person released and at the same time his love of dogs reinstated by the ‘second chance’ for the dogs.
Prison sentences are awarded depending on the crime. Primary of the system of justice is to correct the person that prison is meant for. In the event of the person released perpetrates the same crime, naturally the person goes back to the prison for reformation for a longer term. Such instances give the government the opportunity to take preventive measures that do not affect the others in the same manner.
US system of justice seems to be good but prison policies of reforming the inmates need deep rethinking as well Government’s Preventive Measures.
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A lot of American criminal law is driven by individual cases, that is, legislation enacted in the heat of the moment. The whole system costs too much money, imprisons too many people and isn’t that much of a deterrent.
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I asked my wife to read the article and my comment. She said she can understand how it could seem like I was attacking you personally. For that, I really apologize. That was definitely not intended. My criticism of Mr. Gallahger, however, was intended.
“…But he paid a price for his crimes and until he gets in trouble again, he deserves the chance.”
I think part of the problem is that there are many out there, myself included, that felt that his “punishment” (if you want to call it that) was insufficient. I also don’t think he deserves anything more than what he has earned or is granted to him by law. He still has his life, he has been given back his liberty, and by extension, he is free to pursue happiness. That doesn’t mean that he deserves to be welcomed back into society with open arms.
I think its funny how fickle society is.
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Andrew, I should not have taken your criticism of my post so personally. I’ll watch that in the future. You are a fine commentator and as I have said before I would be pleased if you would like to write some things for my blog.
James Pilant
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Many of those who have spoken loudly against Vick in response to Obama’s comments about a ‘second chance’ are really expressing their hatred of Obama. Such is the case with Tucker Carlson.
In any case, this is a country of laws and the people can change the laws through their elected representatives. If a person considers sentencing for a crime to be too short, he or she can encourage others to join in voting for representatives with the same opinion.
Otherwise, when a person finishes a prison term, he or she is once again free to pursue his or her career.
Using a high profile case to express one’s hatred for Obama, as Carlson did, is … well, hateful.
Using the case as an excuse to throw a tantrum is a waste.
Gary Bender
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Gary, You have a good point. Of course, Mr. Vick is a hard man to defend. There are so many cases in the U.S. where bad cases have resulted in silly or over reaching laws. Publicity driven justice is dangerous to the health of the system. I worry that this could become one of them should Vick reoffend.
The rest of your remarks are quite accurate and I hope you continue to visit my blog. jp
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You could not be more factual!!!
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What an all around great piece!
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