As some may had read today, Barack Obama praised Vick’s football team for giving him a second chance. Of course, right now, every single animal lover is outraged by the President backing Michael Vick.
The problem is: the New World was founded based on second chance. Our ancestors fled here to get a chance they never got in the Old World. In fact, the United States’ Constitution and many of their legal bills were on the concept of second chance. Yes, felons do get a second taste of freedom after being incarcerated, but many of them don’t last long in the chaos of the real world.
Obama never approved of Vick’s action of killing dogs and participating in a fight ring. Obama’s praise has nothing to do with Michael Vick, but rather something much larger than most people could possibly imagine. For the past few decades, everyone knows prisons are overflowing and it has become a revolving door system rather than a place to do time. So, really, Obama’s words is meant to incites a hot button issue on treatment of criminals.
Consider this, in the United States, the recidivism rate is between 50 to 60% with 753 felons per 100,000 people serving time in the penal system. Contrast the American statistic with Norway’s recidivism rate of 20% with 69 criminals per 100,000 people. This contrast in statistics is exactly why Norwegians funded their newest prison, Halden Fengsel.
It is no secret serving time in the States render people virtually unhireable, despite all the free education prisoners receive. In some cases, they cannot even find a place to live without moving to a backwoods place. Yet one wonders why ex-felons go back through the revolving door once again.
So rather than demanding the President to take back his words or step down, and continue to castrate Michael Vick for his actions, consider the political motive for making such statement. It is not about Michael Vick or dogfighting. Never was. It’s about Obama touting himself as a cause in the name of penal martyrdom. It’s a political sham to lower the national unemployment rate. Penal reform: check and mate.
As for me? I am conflicted. On the one hand, I do want to see the interests of the victims protected, but on the other hand, I would like to see a more efficient use of our budget for the criminal system and for revolving door system grinds to a halt. If it means ex-convicts get the scrubs, like Michael Vick, then I will have grudgingly accept it’s in the best interest of our country.
I know Michael Vick will never go near my dog. I sincerely hope if he’s allowed to have a dog, or any pets for that matter, he is required by law to seek psychological help and receive counselling throughout the course of pet ownership. I can only hope rationality can keep my raw emotions in check.
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