After touting his unfamiliarity with public speaking today, Michael Vick came across more genuine in his apology than anticipated. He did not read from a prepared statement or use notes – his (media) coaches must be proud:

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.

Give Vick credit. It seemed like he was speaking from his heart and truly sorry – for getting caught.

Where is the outrage from the black community that should be raining down on Vick? Yes, Rev. Al Sharpton and Russell Simmons lent their signatures to a PETA letter sent to the NFL and all of Vick’s corporate sponsors:

"The recent media spotlight on dogfighting reminds us of society’s callous disregard for the suffering of animals and disrespect for sentient beings…It does us little good to prosecute just those who are famous and allow people across the country to continue to commit these hideous crimes…Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong.

The activist in me had to dig a little deeper. A thorough review of Rev. Sharpton’s National Action Network and Russell’s Hip-Hop Summit Action Network websites revealed that neither site has any reference to the PETA letter or admonition of Vick’s criminal behavior. Who needs to hear their rebuke more? The NFL and Nike, or the young men who proudly display the killer instincts of their pitbulls in neighborhoods across the country? The clarion call should have been directed to these young men, idolizers of Russell and Rev. Sharpton.

Vick said he used "bad judgment" and made "bad decisions." He’s not alone. I’m still trying to get over the NAACP Atlanta Chapter’s attempt to raise their street cred by convening two press conferences in support of Vick and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) concoting an award for Vick in the middle of this scandal. I guess grand standing trumps organizational mission.

Thankfully, the folks at the national office of the NAACP clarified the organization’s official NO POSITION doublespeak stance on the matter:

NATIONAL NAACP TAKES ‘NO POSITION’ IN VICK CASE
Falcons quarterback Michael Vick "is not a victim" and should be held responsible for his actions involving a dogfighting ring in Virginia, the national president of the NAACP said Thursday.

No position/Should be held responsible? Say what now?

Athletes and celebrities displayed an interesting rush to defend and backtrack when necessary strategy. According to Vick’s NFL colleague, dog fighting is justifiable and he offered to take the reporter to the back roads of Mississippi to see some fights:

Clinton Portis recanted when public opinion and possible NFL sanction woke him up.

Understanding Michael Vick’s perspective wasn’t at the top of anyone’s wishlist, but Deion Sanders came to his rescue with a new strain of foot in mouth disease. Deion asks, I answer:

Q: Why are we indicting him?
A: Because he is guilty
Q: Was he the ringleader?
A: Yes
Q: Are we using him to bring an end to dogfighting in the United States?
A: Yes.

Different day, different sport, same stupidity. First NBA player Stephon Marbury thinks dog fighting is just another sport, 24 hours later he thinks dog fighting is 100 percent wrong.

Jamie Foxx’s thoughts were equally unimpressive.

“It’s a cultural thing, I think….Most brothers didn’t know that, you know. I used to see dogs fighting in the neighborhood all the time. I didn’t know that was Fed time. So, Mike probably just didn’t read his handbook on what not to do as a black star….I know that cruelty to animals is bad…I think in this situation, he really didn’t know the extent of it, so I always give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Was the Oscar winning, Grammy nominated star referring to dog fighting or just not knowing what constitutes a criminal act as being a black "cultural thing?"

Dog fighting is not a black thing, but unfortunately the ban on snitching might be. Vick repeated twice in his apology that he "didn’t point the finger at anyone." Presumably he was referencing taking responsibility for his actions, and not blaming his association with the wrong people, as he did in his initial statement. Don’t be surprised if hidden in his no finger-pointing claim was a shout-out to his homies that he’s not going to snitch on the rest of the dog fighting industrial complex.

What is it with black male celebrities and their dogs the past month? The LA
coroner’s office says Ving Rhames’ caretaker probably didn’t die from the dog bites. Is it really too far of a leap to think that maybe trying to escape an attacking pack of man-eating dogs can cause a heart attack?

And not to be outdone, DMX, who raps about how his "dogs love to brawl", had his gang of starving dogs rounded up and dug up in Arizona.

I had the most ignorant conversation ever with a friend idiot about the Vick case. He suggested that maybe the lack of outrage in the black ommunity is justified due to repressed memories of our ancestors being chased down by dogs through the woods of plantations.

As he stated in his apology, Vick is going to be spending a lot of time thinking about his actions. He shouldn’t be the only one.

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Dedicated to Sunny, Precious, Packy, and Daisy (my dogs, past and present).