I’ve been watching the unfolding drama of Michael Vick’s scheduled appearance on the Oprah Show. Media and bloggers have gone back and forth on whether this is a good thing or another opportunity for Vick to be in the spot light. As an animal advocate and former prosecutor, I have been conflicted between the continuous public platform that he has received versus the need for us to have someone ask the tough questions and hold him accountable for truthful answers. Continuing to give Vick the spot light is having the unintended consequence of glorifying his NFL career for some people. But on the other hand, those of us that love and protect animals want answers. I attended Michael Vick’s sentencing and observed his evasive answers to the judge and his minimizing behavior. But will he really be honest?
So the question becomes whether we can forgive (but not forget) what Vick did to his dogs, move on and stop giving him the spot light? Or whether we still need answers from a respected interviewer who will hold him accountable to provide answers and keep the blight of dog fighting in the public eye? Should Michael Vick disappear into the NFL world and stop being glorified on the public stage, or should he continue to publicly atone for his crimes? While we may never get the resolution that we want, one thing that we can all agree on is to keep the focus on the Vick dogs and that former fighting and bait dogs deserve the opportunity to be rehabilitated. Share your thoughts.