Quote Originally Posted by tony
So neither IMPORTchic or Jimmy believes an individual can be rehabilitated? That is damn near fundamental, damn near cognitive for humans to learn from experience (good or bad) and adjust accordingly. Someone who has done drugs is a much more believable advocate for prevention than another individual who has never faced the reality of it.
I believe most people can be rehabilitated if they have proper motivation, but not those that get their jollies through the suffering of others. Their is something very seriously wrong mentally in someone that enjoys that.

There is also the issue of a gambling addiction. If he had a healthy enjoyment of gambling, Vick had the money to head to Vegas at any time. Instead he chose to bet large sums on dog fighting. That tells me that he enjoys the rush of an illegal activity just as much as the gambling. Nothing in his actions give any indication of repentance. As I have said before, he could be 100% sincere in his work with PETA, but the average Joe will only see it as a publicity stunt and make the criticisms of his character even louder.

Quote Originally Posted by tony
Furthermore those who are quick to draw conclusions on people like Michael Vick do not understand the culture and mindset of Dog Fighting. Its easy to point the finger when you struggle to see things through the eyes of who you accuse or understand where they came from. Was it wrong? Yes, and he's been punished but Vick is nothing more than a product of his environment, an environment that people have no problem judging but wont take the time to understand because most times they feel it is beneath them.
You can talk about social conditioning if you want, but that would be the same as excusing the actions of the SS during WWII. They were conditioned by German society to believe Jews were a lesser being than an Aryan. You say it was only a dog, the SS said it was only a Jew. Slaver owners said it was only a ******. Islamic terrorists say it is only an infidel. To say that this is any different than dog fighting is ignoring human nature and the power of social conditioning. The same social conditioning that humanizes dogs and makes them a very real part of our families.