Why I have opened the window!

Amerykah has turned a corner and we should all turn with it. I have thoughts ideas and suggestions but I also have patience and desire for us to be whole and one. I have been speaking a lot lately of the human condition and the generations of Black Americans. i will entertain any and all conversation as long as we can be respectful and grown up. Let the healing begin......

Monday, July 20, 2009

A tale of two Michaels



Michael (Bow wow) Vick was released from home confinement today as his 23 month sentence came to an end. Vick received 23 months for participating in a dog fighting ring. He hopes to restart his NFL career but if he can it will not be with his former team the Atlanta Falcons who released Vick from his contract in June.


Being a dog lover myself I have to say he broke the law, dogs suffered he should be punished. However as we all know (even those there are some who refuse to admit this) we have a dual legal system. Because while Michael Vick was dog fighting and will be paying for that for awhile, I saw a “Subway” commercial today with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Yes that Michael Phelps who was caught on camera smoking weed. That Michael Phelps who already had 1 DUI arrest. That Michael Phelps who clearly has broken the law a couple times and got on TV apologized and it has not seemed to slow down his career.

Sports figures, Entertainers, the rich and powerful break the law just as much as the average Joe and for the record I don’t think one mistake should kill a career. So I wish Mr. Vick all the best of luck re-igniting his career and having the staying power that Phelps has had.

1 comment:

RepubLady24 said...

You draw an interesting comparison to the two athletes however, 60% of the American population today smokes weed. 60% of the American population does not fight and abuse dogs.
Your view reminds me of the blow up over the recent incident with the Harvard professor and the police officer, may I suggest to you that perhaps it is not because of skin color but rather the actions of a person that causes a certain situation and then anyone who is not white can claim "racist" I grantee that the police officer in that case would have treated anyone in the situation he found the same black or white period. As far as Michael Phelps I do not think his career would be going so well if he abused animals also.
I am going to leave you with one thought Perhaps that if minorities did not claim race as being a reason for certain types of treatment unfairness in career,unfairness by police in their view because of their race and tooka step back and said wow wait I was wrong and I bet anyone who did this or was in my situation would get the same treatment then more people when a real incident of racism occurred would really have sympathy for the issue. The football player in Texas last year that was pulled over by an officer while a family member passed away in the E.R that was racist of the police officer I apologize for not remembering the players name but he played for the Texans. Yet it got little media attention compared to what the recent issue with the police and the Harvard professor got which I am sorry any police officer who received a call of a burglary from a neighbor sees two men shoving a door open is going to think burglary white or black men or women, and when the professor got upset it just raised more concerns for the officer, not to mention with the door being jammed could mean someone did break in and that is how the door did get jammed in the first place asking the man to step outside is not really outrageous when one puts some thought into it anyone could be inside the home, the officer and the professors life could have been in danger while they were arguing on the inside if someone had broken into the home. Derek I encourage you to take a step back from certain situations and really consider all sides. Not everything is cut and dry.