Michael Vick’s Second Chance
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There has been a loud outcry in the wake of President Obama’s recent comments about star Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick’s post-prison second chance, with protesters falling primarily into one of two camps. They’re either shouting, “He’s only getting a second chance because he can play football!” Or they’re bellowing, “He doesn’t deserve a second chance because he’s a dog killer!”
The first argument might be true, but it just proves how difficult life can be for convicted felons trying to re-enter society. The second argument suggests that after prison, a convicted felon’s “debt to society” should accrue like interest on a credit card that’s never paid off.
Critics fail to realize — or don’t care — that the issue is larger than Vick, whose extraordinary athleticism virtually guaranteed him another shot at success after jail. The real conversations that Obama’s comments should spark have nothing to do with former quarterbacks and everything to do with former prisoners.
