Michael Vick Is In The NY Times About Dogfighting…Again

Sometimes, It Really Is JUST About Race

I had a conversation with a friend the other day. He said that we (meaning Black people) had to “let go”. He said that in order for us to expect white people to change we had to change first. Change what? What bigots hate about us most is something we’re born with. Skin. Change for WHAT? This is the way we were intended to look. What are we letting go? If the things that prejudiced, racist bigots did to make us “angry” in the first place are still happening why are we “letting go” of that? It happens everyday. It happens to Black women, Black men, light skinned Black women, light skinned Black men, dark skinned Black women, dark skinned Black men, mixed race people of color, Afro-Latinos, South Americans that don’t appear to be “white”, etc.

I often hear that “race is a social construct”. That’s a fact. But, it was constructed SO long ago that saying that it is a social construct doesn’t change the fact that on the whole, race matters. Why? Because it does. If you say race doesn’t matter to YOU that’s awesome and I can appreciate that. Race doesn’t matter to me, either. But it doesn’t change the fact that I get overlooked professionally because I’m Black AND a woman. It doesn’t change the fact that people turn their noses up at me because I’m Black. It doesn’t change the fact that I’ve had people spit nasty insults at me BECAUSE I am Black. That was the ONLY reason. I’m Black. That made me a target. If that’s not race mattering then I don’t know what color the sky is.

There’s a common rebuttal from non-Black people. It goes something like this: “Why does everything have to be about race with you people?” Everything isn’t about race. But sometimes, it just is. I have an excellent example. This morning I was reading The New York Times and saw this article about Michael Vick. In this article the author, Juliet Macur, says:

If the Eagles cut him loose this off-season, teams considering giving him a third chance in the N.F.L. should be required to look past his strong left arm, his nimble feet and his potentially cost-effective upside.

They should remember this: Vick was the mastermind behind his dogfighting operation. He bankrolled it, gave it a home base, encouraged it.

In 2007, Vick was charged and convicted of (Federal) Felony conspiracy in interstate commerce/aid of unlawful animal fighting venture and (State) Felony dogfighting. He agreed to a plea bargain. Plea bargains are used in lieu of a jury trial. Usually, the defendant will be offered a shorter/more lenient sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. So no matter what was said in court you’ll never really know what Michael Vick did or didn’t do or what parts he did or didn’t play. Either way, he has more than paid his debt to society. As someone who loves dogs more than people I know that what he did was despicable but he has repaid society.

Macur wrote 1051 words in her article. 71 of those words were about the infractions of other people (other really meaning two) in the NFL. She mentioned Riley Cooper’s racist tirade and Sean Payton’s bounty program. Seriously, Juliet? You couldn’t find anyone else to shine a very tiny light on? Dogs are definitely important, I don’t dispute that. But to write an entire article on a man’s past that he MORE than paid for and then call for teams to think twice about signing him in the future is plain trashy. Yes, trashy. He paid his debt. He’s also done more than what was asked of him. So, why point out Vick, Juliet? Is it because you love dogs SO MUCH? I can’t see that being the reason since you wrote this article a few years ago about dogs hunting…..dogs. And you seemed pretty damned pleased.

Do you realize you look prejudiced? You said if another team gave him a “third chance” like players only get one contract per career. Girl, bye. If you were a halfway decent journalist you’d know that racial tension has been bit high in the United States lately. You’d also know that Black NFL players are arrested 10 times more than white NFL players.

For many black players in the NFL, it’s a familiar scene. Of 687 NFL player arrests since January 2000, Askew’s was one of 294 that came in a traffic stop, according to a USA TODAY Sports investigation. In a league in which 66% of the players are black and 31% are white, black players were arrested nearly 10 times as often as white players (260 to 28), accounting for 88% of those NFL traffic-stop arrests. — USA Today 11/2013

Trying to make an example out of Michael Vick for something he did several years ago is just plain wrong. He repaid society for a debt. At some point you have to let that man live his life and The New York Times ought to be ashamed for even posting that ignorant trash. Shut up, girl. Just shut up.

(Anybody else see the irony in her last name? No? Okay, that was petty. I’m leaving…)

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