Vick and Media Hysteria

The national media has certainly made a circus out of the latest events surrounding Michael Vick. However, I recently found an article that questions why this circus exists in the first place. Colin Benjamin of the Black Star News wrote an article published on August 28, 2007 entitled “Vick and Media Hysteria.” The Black Star News is a recognized New York investigative newspaper whose main audience is African Americans. However, this editorial also appeared online and was one of the results in a Google news search pertaining to Michael Vick. In the article, Benjamin detaches himself from the media circus and asks the reader, those people who have some knowledge of the Vick legal situation, two questions: “How can this nation preach “family values” while remaining quiet about the carnage in our streets? Is the message really that America cares more about dogs than people?”

As a reader I like the different devices that Benjamin uses throughout the article to effectively persuade those of us following the Vick story there are more important things in this world than the issues of a celebrity quarterback. To make his point, Benjamin uses the persuasive devices of critical thinking, logical examples, and emotional appeals to make us question why so much attention is being garnished on Michael Vick while other events deserve much more attention in the United States. Why does Vick deserve our attention?

Benjamin acknowledges what Vick had done was wrong. He also comments the actions of Michael Vick just highlight the all too common misdeeds of other celebrities. He writes that, “Indeed, Vick is a symbol of America’s selfish obsession with celebrity ‘success’ and excess that is defined by a lack of real civic responsibility, that’s devoted only to manufactured public relations.” This is a provocative statement that caused me to pause and think critically. Do all American celebrities exhibit such self-centered behavior? Surely, some celebrities are not like that. Take for example, Vick’s teammate Warrick Dunn and his foundation which supports the "Homes for the Holidays” program. Since 1997, "Homes for the Holidays" has assisted 69 single mothers and 181 children and dependents to achieve first-time homeownership.

Benjamin goes on to write: “For while Vick’s actions were idiotic, I must ask: why is it that this country can raise up its voice with vicious vitriol in this case but can’t seem to do so for things that threaten to destroy the nation?” Benjamin goes on to question why war protests against the Iraq war are not as fierce as the protests from animal rights protestors such as PETA and poses this question: “Isn’t the murder of a million Iraqis more inhumane than the killing of dogs?” I say “yes”. Benjamin also argues the outrage of dogfighting is hypocritical considering the millions of animals slaughtered by the food industry and arguing if Vick took up hunting instead of dog fighting, he would have never been in legal trouble. Then, Benjamin asks, “What kind of country is this?” As consumers of the news what should we as Americans do about the saturation of celebrity style over real world news substance?

While the actions of Michael Vick were wrong, Benjamin maintains there are much more pertinent issues the United States is facing:
- Two years after Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the city of New Orleans, murder rates there are climbing.
- Baltimore averages one murder a day, and in Newark, New Jersey the killings there were recently underscored by the execution of three college students.
- According to a John Hopkins-Lancet study Iraq deaths are now climbing close to one million.
These examples appealed to my emotions and made me question why we as a nation care about Michael Vick when more important matters are happening in our country, let alone in the world.

There is no doubt Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons is in a world of trouble. What he did was wrong, and he should have to face the consequences of his actions. However, as Benjamin points out, America should be focusing on other more important issues instead of the legal problems of a self-centered celebrity. Through his article Benjamin persuades us to stop and think. Is it Michael Vick or why is it so much attention is focused on Vick’s woes that more important issues have become muted? Do we as a nation need to look inward and ask ourselves this question: What kind of country is this?

Hey Mike, you are on the air!

As Michael Vick's legal troubles multiply, so does his audience. According to a poll conducted by Pew Research Center for People and the Press, twenty five percent of Americans followed the legal issues of Michael Vick very closely and eighteen percent said they followed the story about Vick’s legal woes more closely than any other story during the week of August 19 to 24, 2007. The media coverage on Vick was more closely watched than the coverage of the Iraq War or the 2008 Presidential Campaigns.

Football fans are curious if Michael Vick will play again in the National Football League. Parents, such as John Keilman of the Chicago Tribune, wonder how they will explain to their children what is happening to their favorite football player. Animal rights activists want the legal system to penalize Vick to the fullest. PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has places on their website including blog posts where fellow activists can make their outrage known about dog fighting to the National Football League. The black media claims the coverage of Vick’s current legal situation is unfair and racial. Casual observers of the news media are watching to find out what will happen to the once rising celebrity who was prominently featured in Nike commercials.

With the nation watching, how will Vick react?

"I got a lot of down time ... to think about my actions"

After pleading guilty to federal charges of dogfighting, Michael Vick apologizes and takes responsibility for his actions during a news conference today. Here is Vick's official statement courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution or you can just watch the following YouTube video:



"For most of my life, I've been a football player, not a public speaker, so, you know, I really don't know, you know, how to say what I really want to say.

You know, I understand it's — it's important or not important, you know, as far as what you say but how you say things. So, you know, I take this opportunity just to speak from the heart.

First, I want to apologize, you know, for all the things that — that I've done and that I have allowed to happen. I want to personally apologize to commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates, you know, for our — for our previous discussions that we had. And I was not honest and forthright in our discussions, and, you know, I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least.

I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts and, you know, what I did was, what I did was very immature so that means I need to grow up.

I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player.

I take full responsibility for my actions. For one second will I sit right here — not for one second will I sit right here and point the finger and try to blame anybody else for my actions or what I've done.

I'm totally responsible, and those things just didn't have to happen. I feel like we all make mistakes. It's just I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions. And you know, those things, you know, just can't happen.

Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it.

I'm upset with myself, and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God. And I think that's the right thing to do as of right now.

Like I said, for this — for this entire situation I never pointed the finger at anybody else, I accepted responsibility for my actions of what I did and now I have to pay the consequences for it. But in a sense, I think it will help, you know, me as a person. I got a lot to think about in the next year or so.

I offer my deepest apologies to everybody out in there in the world who was affected by this whole situation. And if I'm more disappointed with myself than anything it's because of all the young people, young kids that I've let down, who look at Michael Vick as a role model. And to have to go through this and put myself in this situation, you know, I hope that every young kid out there in the world watching this interview right now who's been following the case will use me as an example to using better judgment and making better decisions.

Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to.
So I got a lot of down time, a lot of time to think about my actions and what I've done and how to make Michael Vick a better person.

Thank you."

NFL Indefinitely Suspends Vick

After pleading guilty to federal charges of dogfighting, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Michael Vick indefinitely and will reevaluate the quarterback's status after the legal proceedings come to an end. Goodell has also allowed the Atlanta Falcons to make claims as to recover the $22 million signing bonus on Vick's contract.

The NFL has acted correctly by indefinitely suspending Michael Vick. Instead of being the NFL's main attraction, Vick has become the main distraction during the preseason and would have taken headlines away from the NFL season if not dealt with. To read the letter that Goodell sent Vick, click here.

Courtesy of ESPN.com "Vick suspended indefinitely by NFL."

Bargaining Vick

Michael Vick will plead guilty to the federal dogfighting charges during his plea hearing on August 27. By pleading guilty, Vick's immediate future will likely be behind bars and his future in the National Football League is dubious. Vick could be facing a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Commissioner Goodell has taken action by forbidding Vick to attend Falcon's training camp while the NFL conducts its own investigation. "We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons," the league said in a statement. The NFL added that it has asked the Falcons "to continue to refrain from taking action pending a decision by the commissioner."

With Michael Vick in the headlines, the future of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback gets bleaker and bleaker. With PETA and other activists protesting as well as racial fault line being stressed, more national attention is being paid to the events surrounding Vick. Will the elusive on the field Vick be able to avoid the public opinion linebacker rushing at him, wanting to sack his reputation? Only time will tell.

Courtesy of KMOX -"Michael Vick accepts plea bargain."