Quarterback Michael Vick, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. As any sports fan knows, Vick was released by the Falcons after being convicted of involvement in illegal dogfighting. He served a 23-month prison sentence, and will remain on probation for three years.
In an informal poll on my column's blog, 46 percent of respondents argued that Vick's crime was heinous enough that he should not be allowed to play professional football again. Another 53 percent felt that, since he's done his time for the crime, there's nothing wrong with him signing with any team that will have him.
"Since Vick's release and the NFL commissioner's approval of his transition to active NFL status," writes Charlie Seng of Lancaster, S.C., "the criers and haters who constantly bombard Vick with unforgiving taunts should be ignored and Vick should be left in peace."
James Z. of Connecticut disagrees.
"It's unfortunate that those with the resources and the money get second chances like the one Michael Vick is getting with the Eagles," he writes. "A job applicant with a history as a convicted felon rarely, if at all, gets a job ... Celebrities that get in trouble with the law should struggle the same way as people who don't have the money. If that were the case, Vick would be lucky to be working at the local dump. Really, that's where he belongs."
Check out other opinions here, or post your own by clicking on "Comments" or "Post a comment" below.
Jeffrey L. Seglin, author of The Right Thing: Conscience, Profit and Personal Responsibility in Today's Business and The Good, the Bad, and Your Business: Choosing Right When Ethical Dilemmas Pull You Apart, is an associate professor at Emerson College in Boston, where he teaches writing and ethics. He is also the administrator of The Right Thing, a Web log focused on ethical issues.
Do you have ethical questions that you need answered? Send them to rightthing@nytimes.com or to "The Right Thing," The New York Times Syndicate, 500 Seventh Avenue, 8th floor, New York, NY 10018. Please remember to tell me who you are, where you're from, as well as where you read the column.
c.2009 The New York Times Syndicate (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)
2 comments:
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