As an animal lover and Pitbull owner, I am outraged.
Re-signed him – Boycott NIKE
From Wiki: Vick further admitted that he knew his colleagues killed several dogs who did not perform well. He admitted to being involved in the destruction of 6–8 dogs, by hanging or drowning. 
In March 2005, Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from him in the autumn of 2002 and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease.[46] Elliot further alleged that Vick had visited clinics under the alias “Ron Mexico” to get treatments and thus knew of his condition. On April 24, 2006, Vick’s attorney, Lawrence Woodward, revealed that the lawsuit had been settled out of court under undisclosed terms.[47] Many fans bought custom jerseys from NFL.com with Vick’s number 7 and the name “MEXICO” on the back. The NFL has since banned customizing jerseys with the name Mexico
I have to say that when I think about my own attitudes I am always on the side of second chances except when it comes to celebrities. I’m always for the average Joe or Jane being able to reenter society and try to make something good of him or herself. But whenever a celebrity is “rehabilitated” and welcome back into public life I share the outrage. I think it may have to do with the privilege that was afforded and then betrayed.
But I’m not really sure that my attitude is rational.
So, personally, I really don’t know how to feel about Michael Vick. What he did was awful and deserving of the punishment. I tend to think that he should have gotten himself an anonymous job and lived a quiet penitent anonymous life. But on the other hand having served his time I don’t really know that he should be denied the benefits that come from his talents.
I don’t think the issue is Michael Vick acceptance of $$$$.
The issue is how Nike and corporate $$$ machine tries to control your thinking and blind you to ugly realities by white washing them.
Michael Vick promoted dog fighting for many years, knowing his friends and the illegal industry routinely killed many dogs who wouldn’t win fights. The laws didn’t stop him for years.
In a society that bans animal cruelty, Vick stood up against laws protecting animals. In nations that have laws against exploiting workers and child labor, Nike stands up against laws protecting workers and children.
Nike and Vick make $$$.
Anyone know Nike profits? Know the CEO’s salary?
See Maestro8’s quote in my sig below.
How’s Vick’s record on animal cruelty/animal rights education since he finished serving his time?
Please note that you made certain to use the past tense version of those verbs, Billy. After all, that’s important; That’s what he DID, not what he DOES. I think it’s important to give the guy a second chance.
Good point. A lot of people have trouble getting past the dog killer of 5 years ago, and not the guy he is today.
Not to mention how many people are still hung up on that kid who got nailed to a tree cause his dad was trying to make a point about love.
That was like 2000 years ago, let it go already?
If we’re talking shelf-life here*
*with apologies to Bill Hicks
Yes, but how soon you forget. SANDAL re-signed him only a few years later
the guy he is today supports child labor and unfair labor practices, and won’t speak out against these practices. Do you? Does your nation? Because it’s against the law in the USA.
We’re all good with that, as long as it’s happening to people of another color, race, nation, ethnicity:(:(
I’d also like him go beyond what was required of him to speak out against dog fighting.
But so do you. Otherwise you would work someplace else, right?
You forgot the :D, because you cannot be serious.
Try saying that to an 8 year old producing Nike sneakers in a sweat shop:
“Hey kid: You support child labor and unfair labor practices.
Otherwise you would work someplace else, right?” --John Foss to an 8-year-old sweatshop worker, 2011.
Then again, he does have a point. If you want universal change, you need to be willing to put the good of the whole (not taking that job) over what may be best for you (taking the job).
Of course, taken to its logical extreme this kind of thinking means that if you want to be morally pure, you must be an escapist who lives in the woods and has nothing to do with modern society.
So really you have to draw a line somewhere. Billy draws the line so that he can work at an evil mega corp without being culpable for their wrongdoings (a valid place to draw the line, I think).
I draw the line where a dog may still wag it’s tail.
(Still working within the )
The kid in the sweatshop is the child labor. The Walmart employee is way down the pipe, and has a ton more choices than that kid does. Choosing the Walmart job, to some degree, says you’re okay with the products the store sells. Usually other options, such as unhealthy fast food, cleaning up after other people, or growing food are usually available for those willing to take a stand.
Maybe he did his time
- Child factory labor at Nike. Yawn. Give me some $ and a free pair and I will wear it in a TV ad also.
2 Herpes. Really ? So 80’s. Been there and done that to. You get a few blisters on your dick that don’t hurt and go away in a week. Embarrassing ? ,… yeah, but for 99 % of the 40 % of the population that has contacted herpes already, it just goes away and never comes back. Do you really want to be a part of the population that almost never get’s laid ? Even when you are a football star?
3 Animal cruelty. In my neighborhood, we used to encourage the dogs, or other kids, to fight. This was the 1960’s, and fights were great entertainment. Still, in our fights, no dogs or kids were seriously hurt. Vick went to prison for his kind of fights, and perhaps that was justice. Now, if he can still play football, I do not see why he or his fans should be denied the opportunity to watch.
Why am I not surprised.
Wow. That’s… an interesting view. To each their own, I guess.
John,
It’s easy for someone with marketable skills to say that.
You John are not affected, you John are not one of the 10% of Americans put out of work by the “feed the rich” (see my sig) policies of George W. Bush. Bush did so much damage, the nation is still reeling from his idiocy and struggling to stay afloat years later.
To say I endorse WalMart just because I work there is to say every American endorses it when the USA bombs a million innocent women and children, basing it’s actions on WMD data we knew was false.
Billy
consider Nike’s values, anti-children, anti-labor, anti-dog, pro-STD-spreading.
OMG!!
You gave someone herpes!!
You should be banned from NAUCC and UNICON
You missed the title and spirit of this thread.
No one here is complaining that a herpes-spreading dog mass-murderer is playing football.
We’re complaining about a world in which a herpes-spreading dog mass-murderer serves as a positive corporate endorsement and role model.
But then, consider Nike’s values: anti-nonAmerican-children, anti-labor, anti-dog, pro-STD-spreading.