Good point. This may be why Geno starts.....so they can 'sneak' Vick to the bench w/o making ESPN highlights
This concept is what has killed multi-culturalism and cultural relativism. By extension, this argument accepts that if I grow up in a culture that requires me to attack you then YOU must accept that. OTOH, the only other options are to apply your own cultural values to others or find a middle ground. I'm not proposing outright cultural imperialism, but I think this "age of acceptance" has led to an 'anything goes' mentality that could be used to literally justify ANYTHING. For example, he also grew up in the Deep South, right? So why doesn't he accept segregation like his predecessors did? Maybe because it was wrong?! See the problem with this argument? It is a sort of fascism disguised as liberalism.
This is a much more compelling argument to me and explains a lot even if it excuses little or nothing. The effects of environment/culture is something that is only now being truly understood to any great extent. Still, a strong person is able to differentiate between most actions even if they are fallible. That he didn't understand the ramifications of his actions speaks to his weakness of character to me. I would argue that this isn't cultural. His environment supplied the temptation, his personality flaws allowed him to easily follow the path of least resistance into some awful acts. my problem is that our society has become so mercenary that almost no action is taboo enough to render someone persona non grata if they have a talent, skill, etc that is of some value. That bothers me and offends my own cultural values.
Who said anything about accepting it? I don't accept that that culture exists just as I don't accept that folks in the Deep South still probably prefer segregation. I'm just not naive enough to hope because it's wrong that it doesn't exist. Acceptance?!? Lol- who said that? HIS culture might have accepted it, I sure as hell haven't. I'm a dog owner. His culture needs to change itself, whether I accept it or not. See the problem with YOUR argument? _
Well, I grew up in Soutwestern Virgina, so a healthy chunk of my graduating class went straight to Blacksburg. I've seen more than one of them throw up a little at his bloody butchering of the language.
It's not about accepting it. It's about understanding how he could have gotten involved with the activities, and realizing that he has moved on from them and changed his life for the better. It's like when somebody is extremely poor and grows up in the inner city, they are much more likely get involved with a gang, rob somebody, or sell drugs to make that extra buck. It's not that they WANT to do it and enjoy hurting people, they are broke and it beats starving in an environment where it is dog eat dog. That doesn't mean somebody should accept being robbed, but if the guy who robs you eventually moves out of the inner city and gets his life together, holding that robbery against him forever is silly, especially if he does jail time for it and apologizes to you when he gets out. People are a product of their environment.
Which he did. And lost a 100M contract as a result and countless sponsorship dollars. I believe he paid his dues to society. I would however like to see him become more vocal about his wrongdoings. He seems relatively quiet about this and I haven't seen anything from him condemning the culture or speaking out on how to prevent this from continuing. I thought those were provisions to his early release. I'm lukewarm to him. I'll never be a big fan.
Beyond culture, I think the lack of a father figure is a huge factor in these young guy's lives. From being a teenager on, young men badly need a role model, father figure or mentor that they respect and even fear but more importantly can bounce off ideas and listen to advice from a guy who's been in their shoes. They all love their momma's and will do anything for them but they don't respect or fear them. Dogs don't either but that's a separate (yet related) story yet the topic is the same.
I liked Chad9 early, and thought you were being harsh. Then I read that father figure shit. What the fuck.
This I gotta hear. I'm clearing my slate for the afternoon, please expound upon this because you've got me hooked. _
this is a fascinating article: http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/20...ll_fighting_uphill_battle_for_redemption.html Its odd, the whole thing with Vick's legacy is odd. He's done a horrible inexcusable thing. whatever the factors are that lead him to do them is only relevant to stopping those factors from coming together in the future. For Vick, he did it and theres no excuses, and knowledge of what he's done from others is going to bring anger and disgust his way. But at the same time the one thing I can't agree with is the desire for him to never walk the earth again, that he should still be behind bars, that his being out is the greatest travesty in the world. there are those who suggest he should never be able to do ANYTHING. Vick can only continue to live and do it the best he can, he'll play football, he'll try to touch his community, he'll move on in general. the alternative is to give up one way or another and impact nothing, thats a real shitty alternative for him and probably even for the grand scheme. I nor anybody else can tell anybody else how to feel, we can only make an argument for others to reconsider themselves. With that I'm wondering if those that want to protest about Vicks playing football or being able to EXIST at all directing their anger in the wrong place? Be angry at what he did, not what he's doing, because all you're doing now is being mad at a man for leaving jail after his time has been served and living his life the way he knows he can. Bare in mind I don't care if somebody is still disgusted with the thought of what he did to this day, just because its in the past doesn't mean they still can't be angry. but its those that want to basically shut down his life that I disagree with. what the hell is that gonna do? whats the point of trying to keep him from training camp, or in other words his work? Can you imagine a plumber who committed the same crime, and after he got out and got back into plumbing he's got people protesting outside his job, 5 years later? Whats he supposed to do? He's got a life to live and this his how he does it, anger at his moving on in life is misguided at best.
It's not true then? If not, what's your explanation? Pretty weak - I should leave? You guys really do blow here. No one can opine without being insulted. If you don't agree, state why. Tell me why I'm wrong if you're adult enough. Telling one to just leave? It's a huge problem in the black community - lack of father figures and mentors. How can you dismiss this?
