August 27, 2007

Michael Vick’s Name is Mud, But Respect for the Law is Still Dead

Everyone hates Michael Vick, which is quite extraordinary. But not because he broke the law.

The erstwhile Atlanta Falcons quarterback and dog-fighting bankroller has become so universally reviled since his confession and guilty plea, it’s hard to see how he will ever get another shot at any sort of sports or entertainment-related career.

Nike immediately terminated his endorsement contract. The NFL suspended him indefinitely without pay. Even the NAACP backed off after initially warning against a rush to judgment, because the rush was overwhelming and they didn’t want to get trampled.

Let’s make no mistake here. Vick has earned the enmity. Dog fighting is pointless, cruel and invariably calculated. Vick claims that he bankrolled the dogfights but made no money off them. Is that supposed to make it better? If that’s true, it means he tortured these creatures just for kicks.

On first glance, the fact that absolutely no one is making excuses for Vick strikes one as re-assuring. It would appear that, yes, there are some situations in which Americans have not lost their sense of right and wrong. Maybe there’s hope for us yet.

But wait a minute. What is so special about this particular crime? Yes, it involved cruelty to animals, and that is repugnant in the sense that the animals really can’t do much in their own defense.

But does that make Vick’s crime worse than those committed by, say, John Gotti? Gotti was involved in the death of people as part of his criminal commercial enterprises. He was treated like a celebrity, even to the point where he inspired a TV series.

Even O.J. Simpson has his defenders. And what of the run-of-the-mill thief (trying to feed his family), drunk driver (anyone can make a mistake) or pot smoker (it’s no one’s business!)?

All of the above have something in common with Michael Vick. They have no respect for the laws of their respective states, or for the laws of this nation. But then, they have that in common with most of the nation as well.

I’m not talking about disagreeing with the law. No one could possibly agree with every law that’s ever been passed. I’m talking about respecting the process by which the laws are established and agreeing with the citizens’ obligation to follow duly established laws – like it or not.

This sense has disappeared. Everyone can tell you their rights as citizens, but few can recount the citizens’ responsibilities, which start with the very basic proposition of respecting society’s laws.

In a recent moment of complete inanity, I lost 30 seconds of my life reading an interview with intellect-challenged actress Kirsten Dunst, who expressed her fondness for marijuana. The only thing interesting here was the fact that a very public figure like Kirsten Dunst has no hesitation about announcing that she breaks the law with regularity. Granted, Ms. Dunst is obviously not very bright, but she is hardly alone in not fearing consequences for her behavior.

Society as a whole appears to have concluded that respect for the law is only for those situations when it fits into your lifestyle anyway. And if that’s the case, why is everyone so cheesed off at Michael Vick?

Consider: Michael Vick’s transgression is one very few people can imagine themselves doing. The biggest jerk on earth might traffic in cocaine or go to a bar and beat the crap out of somebody. But dog fighting? In most cases, even the most morally vacuous among us can say with confidence that they would never do that.

Consider as well: This past Friday, the Tigers and Yankees waited out a four-hour rain delay before starting a game at 11:05 p.m. Many who attended the game reported that alcohol sales were brisk during the rain delay, since 40,000 people need to pass the time somehow.

Several thousand intoxicated people drove home from the game that night, and everyone knew it. No one raised any objection, probably because many could envision themselves in the same situation, and not wanting to go through the hassle of calling a cab.

The universal outrage against Michael Vick is not evidence that America has a moral soul after all. It is, rather, the rare instance in which people feel free to judge. Vick is going to prison because he broke the law, and those who condemn him take pleasure in his imminent confinement. But few have so much respect for the law that they would be willing to alter their own behavior as a result.

A very bad man is going to prison, and that’s good, but the fact remains that respect for the law and citizen responsibility in America are just as dead as those dogs.